A few months ago I posted that I was done building my life around someone else’s “maybe.” Since then, I’ve gotten a lot quieter and a lot more intentional. I stopped trying to force myself into paths that didn’t fully fit and started focusing more heavily on backend development with Python — APIs, systems, and structured problem-solving. Lately, I’ve been building publicly again: - shipping FastAPI projects - writing about API architecture - and documenting the process as I go Less chasing. More building. Medium links below if you want to watch this backend/API journey unfold in real time 👀 medium.com/@thedevtkd/buildi…

I went all in learning new skills for a “potential opportunity”… just to watch it go nowhere. This isn’t the first time. I have earned degrees chasing a path where the goalpost kept moving until it was out of reach. And now it’s happened again—this time with Java, a language I never even wanted to learn until the promise was dangled in front of me. No more. I’m done building my life around someone else’s maybe. Done waiting on doors that never open. Done believing in opportunities that require me to shrink, chase, or prove my worth. Time to live for me. Time to follow the mission that’s been calling me all along. Time to answer to one person only: ME! #PurposeDriven #indiedev

After my last post, I decided to stop overthinking it… and just follow my gut. Soooo I started working through the 2025 CS193p (Stanford iOS) course as a full refresh—just wrapped Lecture 2. Not gonna lie… I might also run a condensed version of 100 Days of SwiftUI (thinking 50 days instead of 100) just to really lock everything in. Just trying to stay consistent, build my coding confidence without slipping into tutorial hell, and keep building. ✨🚀 #iOSDev #SwiftUI #BuildingInPublic

Lately I’ve been feeling the pull back to iOS development. There was something different about that season… Quiet focus. Building in Swift & SwiftUI. Watching ideas turn into real apps. Feeling like the path to becoming an indie developer was actually unfolding. Somewhere along the way, life, learning curves, and potential career pivots got loud…but the signal never really disappeared. And honestly? I miss it. I miss creating. I miss believing my apps could change my life. So this isn’t an announcement. Not a pivot. Just a truth: The indie path is still calling me.✨🤦🏾‍♀️ #iOSDev #SwiftUI #IndieDev #BuildInPublic

Built my Java project structure by hand today and wrote my first JUnit test ✅ No generators. No AI scaffolding. Just folders, imports, and figuring out how things actually connect. Slow? Yes. But now I understand it — and that feels like a win. ☕️💻 #Java #JUnit #LearningInPublic #DevJourney

Leaning on AI while learning to code can seriously slow you down. Today I tried setting up Java unit tests in Cursor and used AI tools to scaffold folders/configs. Instead of helping, it quietly broke my setup. I knew something was wrong… but as a beginner, I couldn’t confidently unwind it. That’s the problem. AI is powerful — but if you don’t yet understand the fundamentals, it can mask mistakes instead of teaching you. Learning without AI first builds real intuition. Then AI becomes an accelerator — not a crutch. Frustrating lesson. Valuable one. 😤💻 Back to fundamentals.

Back after a few quiet days 👋🏾 Built a fun little Java program today from Head First Java — three word lists, randomly picked, mashed together into pure corporate buzzword nonsense 😂 Simple logic, lots of learning, and a reminder that coding can actually be fun. ☕️💻 #Java #LearningInPublic #DevJourney #HeadFirstJava

Since switching to Sublime Text, I’ve realized just how much I was leaning on my IDE… and how much more I still need to learn 🤦🏾‍♀️ No autocomplete = no hiding. Uncomfortable, but necessary. ☕️💻 #LearningJourney #LearningInPublic

Double win tonight 💻 Finished my Password Strength Checker 🔐 and locked in a new workflow that’s helping things click. I now write code first in Sublime Text (no autocomplete, no distractions), then move it into Cursor for proper project structure and debugging. It’s made a huge difference in how I learn. Slower? Yes. Clearer? Absolutely. ☕️✨ #Java #LearningInPublic

Big win today 💻 I added the core logic for checking password strength — length, uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters. Still refining, but seeing the logic come together feels really good. Slow progress, real understanding. ☕️✨ #Java #LearningInPublic #DevJourney

Made some progress on my next Java mini-project 💻 Started laying the foundation for a password strength checker — setting up input handling, enums, and structure. Still a work in progress, but its taking shape! Slow, steady, and learning more as I go ☕️ #Java #LearningInPublic #DevJourney

✍🏾 Before I ever touch an IDE, I plan my code. I write it out by hand first — no AI, no autocomplete, just me, my brain, and a blank page. Why? Because I’m still learning, and this helps me get my bearings 🧭 If I run into concepts I don’t fully understand, I pause and review them before jumping into code. No shame in brushing up — that’s how real learning happens. This process slows me down in the best way. It keeps me intentional, sharp, and less frustrated once I finally hit "Run" ☕️💻 #CodePlanning #LearningInPublic #Java #DevJourney

Guess The Number ✅ My first Java mini-project is DONE — loops, conditionals, random numbers, and user input… all playing nice-ishtogether 😅 Next up: building a password strength checker 🔐 Let’s go! ☕️💻 #Java #DevLife #LearningInPublic #BackendJourney

Made a little progress today 👩🏾‍💻 Started wiring up the game logic, and it’s finally taking shape. That said… my brain is fried 🫠 Calling it for the night and coming back tomorrow to finish strong. Slow progress > no progress ☕️💻 #Java #DevLife #LearningInPublic #BuildInPublic

Even after fighting Cursor over autocomplete for hours…I still managed to refactor some Java code tonight. Not finished yet, but definitely cleaner than yesterday. I’ll take that win. ☕️💻 #Java #DevLife #LearningInPublic

I just spent my entire evening trying to disable IntelliSense / code completion in Cursor. It. Will. Not. Die. I’ve tried everything to turn it off, and it just keeps coming back. It’s distracting, annoying, and actively getting in the way of learning. 🤬 I want to write the code. Not fight my IDE. At this point I’m ready to build my own IDE out of spite. Why is this so hard?? 😤💻 #DevLife #CodingProblems #IDEProblems

First Java mini-project: number guessing game. It runs… but the logic is very questionable 😂 Pausing for tonight. Tomorrow = fresh brain cells refactor redemption! ☕️💻 #Java #DevJourney #LearningInPublic

After HOURS of fighting with Cursor… Java projects are finally running the way they’re supposed to 😮‍💨☕️ Packages ✔️ Maven ✔️ Main class ✔️ Terminal output ✔️ Not gonna lie — IntelliJ would never have put me through this… but hey, growth hurts sometimes 😂💻 #DevLife #Java #LearningInPublic #IDEProblems #CursorIDE