How I completed 100 days of Code Challenge? 💯
Wanna improve your coding? Take the challenge
Back in July of 2020, I started with #100DaysOfCode challenge. The challenge was a real gem to take and is of the toughest challenges out there.
Tens of thousands of developers from around the world take this challenge every year. Whether you are a beginner in coding or an experienced developer, everyone regardless of their skill level can participate in the 100 Days of Code challenge.
If you have never heard about the challenge, read the blog to find out more.
What is 100 days of code Challenge?
The challenge was first started by Alexander Kallaway through his popular article on FreeCodeCamp where he described what 100 days of code Challenge was, what he was planning to do to better his programming & coding skills and some common FAQs regarding it.
100 Days Of Code Challenge
There are basically 2 rules for the #100DaysOfCode challenge according to the official 100 Days Of Code website:
- Code minimum an hour every day for the next 100 days.
- Tweet your progress every day with the #100DaysOfCode hashtag.
The basic idea is to commit yourself publicly to complete the challenge and tweeting your progress daily to keep yourself accountable.
Unlike the original challenge by Alexander, where he used it to go through Free Code Camp’s Front End Certification Projects, you may go through any aspect of coding you’re trying to improve. It could be Front-end, Back-end, Cloud technologies, Competitive Programming, Data Structures & Algorithms, etc.
The good thing about the challenge is that you don’t need to restrict yourself to learning specific. You can choose to improve upon particular skill-sets and build upon them.
My experience with 100 Days of Code Challenge
I started the challenge back in June 20st, 2020 as one of the ways to improve my web development and Deep Learning skills.
I choose LinkedIn for posting my updates on the challenge. It being a professional platform, I expected the comments to be encouraging and motivating.
Committing publicly to the challenge is easy but following up on that is the hard part. I realized that posting everyday on LinkedIn was not going to be productive for me as the challenge progressed.
Instead of that, I started posting my updates in batches in 5–7 days time-frame. It helped me focus more on the learning aspect of the challenge and not on posting stuff on social media.
Posting your code on Github for others to see
Another aspect of this challenge is that you should try to post your learnings through code snippets on Github. You may find my repository for #100DaysOfCode here.
The goal is that other people should be able to check and evaluate you progress. Most importantly the process is about being true to yourself, whether you have coded for 30 min or 3 hours — You should try to post your learning through tweets or posts and make sure to push your code to Github everyday.
Common issues people face during the challenge
By seeing others doing the challenge you might be motivated to pursue the the same. But remember to know your time commitments before-hand. I started the challenge during my placements in college, which truly was a bad-timing for it. I advise you to evaluate your schedule and commit to it only when you have enough time.
I have seen people commit to the challenge and leave it midway. Instead you can start with 30 days of Code or even 15 days of daily coding to begin with.
Some-days, it may happen that you may forget to code and post your learning. That is okay, the goal is to not stop, just because you had one bad day. The goal is to keep going and try to complete the challenge.
It is worth it in the end
To say the least the challenge can make you more productive and more confident about your abilities. You may conquer things you never thought were possible, or even develop a new love for an up-and-coming technology.
Your job is to be honest with yourself and stick to the plan. Rest is the learning and self-confidence you gain from the challenge.
So that is it folks, you now know the basics of #100DaysOfCode Challenge. Now if you think you have what it takes to beat the challenge — you can publicly commit to the challenge and remember to tag me & your friends to keep you accountable. Happy Coding! 💖
Coding doesn’t need to be hard. Sometimes people make it tough for others to learn programming but don’t worry, coding is just like any other skill, you learn it through deliberate practice and hard-work.
#100DaysOfCodeChallenge is just one of the ways to make your coding life easier.
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