Most developers learn by watching tutorials and building todo apps. I learned by building production applications that solve real problems.

A month ago, I became a full-stack developer. Not because I completed a course or got a certificate, but because I had shipped enough real applications to call myself one. My blog gets over 1,000 users monthly. My apps combined serve over 100 users weekly. I've received thank you emails from strangers and collaborated with tens of developers on GitHub.

None of this happened because I followed tutorials.

How It Started

My first real project was Links, a web app that helps people create their own link-in-bio websites. It generates the full source code and implements SEO optimization, including favicons. You can check it out at links.egeuysal.com.

When I built Links, I barely knew Next.js or Tailwind CSS. I used to struggle with React and styling constantly. Looking at the codebase now, I see mistakes everywhere. I hardcoded colors instead of using a global CSS file. The component structure is messy. But that's exactly the point.

I learned React and styling by building Links, not by watching someone else build a portfolio site for the hundredth time.

What "Production Level" Actually Means

When I say I build production-level apps, I'm not just talking about deployment. I mean:

• Actually caring about caching and optimization
• Maintaining a clean, readable codebase
• Thinking about UI/UX and copy
• Handling real user problems
• Deploying and maintaining the application

It's treating every learning project like a real startup, even if only you use it.

Recently, I wanted to learn TanStack Query. Instead of building another tutorial project, I used my existing blog API and created a user-friendly UI with it. I didn't deploy it because I already have a frontend, but the process taught me everything I needed to know about TanStack Query in a real-world context.

The Difference: Real Problems vs Generic Tutorials

Most people watch tutorials and build real-time chat apps or todo lists. These projects are too generalized. They don't teach you how to think like a builder.

When you build something that solves a real problem, it becomes like running a real startup. You have to think about edge cases. You have to make decisions about trade-offs. You have to care about the user experience because you or someone else will actually use it.

I built a markdown-to-website converter in five seconds for myself because I was tired of manually editing code. It solved a real problem I had. That's more valuable than any tutorial project.

For others, I built Cove, a project similar to a chat app but with groups that only allow link sharing. It solves the problem of disappearing links in regular chat apps. Real problem, real solution, real learning.

The Struggle Is the Point

Everything is hard when you build real apps. You get stuck everywhere.

Your server crashes randomly, so you learn how to use a debugger. Docker fails with an nginx 502 bad gateway error and you waste hours solving it, but it works in the end. You realize your database queries are slow, so you learn about indexing and optimization.

This struggle is necessary. It makes you grow. You become comfortable being uncomfortable, and that's when real learning happens.

I use AI, but properly. Not to write the whole thing for me, and not as a replacement for understanding. I use it to find project ideas that solve real problems in topics I care about. I use it when I'm stuck, but I make sure I understand the solution before moving forward.

My Blog: A Case Study

My blog is built with Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and deployed on Vercel. The backend runs on Go with nginx, Docker Compose, sqlc, pgx, pgxpool, and chi router. The database is PostgreSQL with Supabase. It's hosted on a custom VPS from Digital Ocean.

That's a complex stack for a blog. But it's necessary because I let friends create accounts and post too. Before this, I used to write markdown and edit the code directly, which wasn't optimal.

I struggled with this setup. A lot. But now I understand how to build and deploy full-stack applications with custom infrastructure. That knowledge is worth more than any certificate.

What You Should Do Tomorrow

If you're stuck in tutorial hell right now, here's what you need to do:

Stop watching tutorials. Stop building todo apps. Stop following step-by-step guides that hold your hand through every line of code.

Instead, find a real problem. It can be your problem or someone else's problem, but it has to be real. Then build something that solves it. Deploy it. Get users. Break things. Fix them. Learn by doing.

You'll get stuck. Your code will be messy. You'll waste hours on problems that seem impossible. That's exactly what you need.

The uncomfortable moments are where you actually learn. Embrace them.