Why I'm Learning React (And It's Harder Than I Expected)

The Comfort Zone I Lived In

For months, I thought I had web development figured out. HTML for structure, CSS for styling, JavaScript for interactivity. Simple, straightforward, and it worked for everything I built.

I was happy creating landing pages and small websites. Everything felt manageable, and I genuinely believed I didn't need anything more complicated.

The Project That Humbled Me

Then I tried building something bigger—a dashboard with multiple pages, user data, and interactive features.

What should have been a straightforward project turned into chaos. My JavaScript files became a tangled mess. Every new feature broke something else. I spent more time debugging than building.

After weeks of frustration, a developer friend looked at my struggle and said, "Maybe try React?"

The Reality Check

My first thought was, "Another framework? I'm still figuring out regular JavaScript!"

But I was desperate enough to try. The first day was overwhelming. Everything felt backwards. Instead of directly changing what users see, I had to think about components and state. It was like learning a new language when I thought I already spoke the language of the web.

Still Learning, Still Struggling

I'm not going to pretend I've mastered React. I haven't. Some days I feel like I'm making progress, other days I'm completely lost. The concepts that seem simple in tutorials become confusing when I try to apply them to real projects.

But here's what I've noticed: even though I'm struggling, my approach to building things is changing. I'm starting to think in smaller, reusable pieces instead of one giant mess.

The Small Victories

Last week, I built a simple todo list that actually worked. It wasn't pretty, and I probably did ten things wrong, but when I clicked "add item" and it appeared on the screen without breaking everything else, I felt like I'd climbed a mountain.

Those moments of clarity keep me going, even when I feel completely overwhelmed.

Why I'm Sticking With It

Learning React is teaching me patience. It's showing me that being comfortable isn't the same as being ready for bigger challenges. Every tutorial I watch and every small project I complete is proof that growth happens slowly, then suddenly.

I'm not there yet, but I can see why people love React. When things work, they really work. When they break, you know exactly where to look.

To Other Beginners

If you're like me—somewhere between "I can build a website" and "I understand modern frameworks"—know that it's okay to feel lost. Learning something new always feels impossible until it doesn't.

Are you learning React too? What's been the hardest part for you? I'd love to hear from other people figuring this out alongside me.