I am going to talk about why I did and am doing the 100 days of code challenge; and why I think you should too.

What is 100daysofcode?

100DaysOfCode is a challenge created by Alexander Kallaway. It requires the undertaker to code for at least an hour a day and tweet their progress with the #100DaysOfCode hashtag. They should also connect with two other people who are doing the challenge.

My experience

I decided to start my first round of 100 days of code on the eighth of November 2019 and completed it on the sixteenth of February 2020. I posted my progress on Instagram instead of Twitter purely because Instagram allows you to write more detailed captions. For me, each round has an end goal. Round one had an end goal of improving my HTML and CSS skills.

I am currently just over halfway through my second round; whose aim is to learn React and make a start with back-end development. If you are wondering how I am doing, feel free to check it out.

Why it's a good idea

Doing the challenge helps you build a coding habit. Habits are beneficial as they create neurological cravings in your brain. Thus allowing your brain to release dopamine which is a "pleasure chemical"; this further emphasises the enjoyment of the task, and you learn more from it.

Sticking to something for 100 days can be challenging, however making it public and sharing my progress motivated me to keep going. The community spirit is just amazing. You meet so many amazing people who support you on your learning journey.

Habit building is a crucial life skill. Being able to set a task and stick to it daily will help build resilience. Coding for 100 days helps developers at all levels either learn or develop new skills.

Why I did it?

For me personally, I undertook the challenge because it motivates me to code every day. I believe that if I didn't start my second round I would be nowhere near as confident with React JS as I am now. If you are interested I added my notes here:

{% github MeRichard123/Learn-React no-readme %}

Another bonus is that tracking progress lets you see how far you've come. Once you have finished you can look back on the early days and just see how much you've improved since.

If you ever look back at code you have written in the past and think "Ahh that's awful", that's a good sign that you have improved since.

What did I learn?

Looking back I learned a lot. Sixty days ago, when looking at React Code I was sort of deterred and scared by this whole JSX jargon. However, after looking into it more I came to understand it all.

Go back One hundred and Sixty and Responsive web design felt unnatural like forcing content in place with 'a million' media queries; now I use a maximum of three media queries "for smaller projects" to change the font size (and even that won't be needed with the new CSS clamp property).

Recommendation

I definitely recommend you undertake this challenge, not only will it serve as the development of your skills it will also be a form of personal development. Furthermore the feeling you get after completing 100 days of something is so rewarding, the pride and contentment.

Best of luck to anyone learning a new skill or developing one <3

✨If you would like to follow my day to day development journey be sure to check my Instagram.