Alright, modern web tech… god it’s still kicking my ass even in 2025 and I’m sitting here on Christmas Day trying to make sense of it. I’m in my apartment in Austin, tree lights are still up because I’m too lazy to take them down, it’s 72 degrees outside which is ridiculous for December, and my dog just let out the loudest fart I’ve ever heard. I’m trying to ignore it while I type this with Cheeto dust all over my keyboard. If you’re new to modern web tech or still feel like a total imposter like me, this is my sloppy, half-baked guide from someone who’s definitely not got it all figured out. https://react.dev/

Why Modern Web Tech Is Basically Adult Chaos

Back in 2023 I thought learning HTML would make me a “developer.” Fast forward and I’m arguing with myself about whether to use React or just give up and go back to static sites. Modern web tech isn’t about simple pages anymore—it’s about building apps that load fast, work offline, and somehow don’t break when you sneeze on them. And the worst part? Everything changes every few months and I’m always three steps behind.https://react.dev/

Like last month I wanted to make a simple portfolio site. Spent two days debating frameworks. Picked React because everyone says it’s the safe choice, then spent another day staring at the screen because I forgot how to pass props without breaking everything. Classic me.

The Stuff I Actually Use (and the Stuff I Pretend to Understand)

Here’s what’s in my toolbox right now, take it with a grain of salt:

• HTML/CSS/JS — still the backbone. I sometimes write plain CSS just to prove I’m not completely dependent on Tailwind (even though I totally am).
• Modern JavaScript — arrow functions, destructuring, async/await. If you skip learning this stuff you’re gonna have a bad time.
• Frameworks — React is everywhere, Vue is cozier for me, Svelte feels magical when it works. I’m still flip-flopping between them.
• Build tools — Vite is my spirit animal. It starts projects so fast I thought my laptop was possessed. Webpack can stay in 2018.
• Full-stack — Next.js App Router has me hooked even though I still google “next.js layout vs page.tsx” every single time I open a project.

My Biggest Screw-Ups (Don’t Repeat These)

I once installed every npm package globally and broke my terminal. Had to factory reset my computer like an idiot.
Used create-react-app in 2025 and got roasted in a Discord server. Deserved it.
Ignored TypeScript for way too long. Now I panic when a project doesn’t have it.
Once pushed a build to production with console.log(“test”) everywhere. Yeah… that was fun to explain to my friend.

Where I’m At (Still Mostly Lost, But Progressing)

I’m no expert. I code after my day job while my wife watches trash TV and yells at the contestants. But modern web tech has let me build actual things that people use. I made a little booking site for my friend’s food truck and it works on phones and doesn’t look like trash. Feels good. https://react.dev/

If you’re just starting, don’t do what I did and try to learn everything. Pick one thing—React or Vue—build something stupid small, slap it on Vercel (free and easy), and call it done. You’ll mess up, you’ll learn, repeat. https://react.dev/

Anyway I’m gonna go eat some leftover ham and probably break my code again. If you’re also confused by modern web tech drop a comment. I wanna hear your dumbest mistakes too. Let’s all feel bad together.