I am coming from Microsoft Excel development to Full Stack JavaScript

I had always wanted to be a software developer, but it wasn’t until I started reading about JavaScript being a language that could handle both front-end and back-end development that I felt it was the right approach for me. And since JavaScript is extremely popular these days, it made it even easier to decide to take my Excel macro skills to the next level with JavaScript because I knew this language wasn’t going to become obsolete any time soon.

In this blog, I’ll be discussing topics that are general in nature, but probably will dive deep when it comes to interesting things I learn. I can’t help it :).

My Experience with Microsoft Excel

Since we all have different skill sets, so as to better understand my perspective in this blog, I am providing a list of my software work experience as a consultant and as an instructor.

• 25 years of Teaching Microsoft Office

• 15 year Excel Development (Visual Basic for Applications)

• 10 Years Access DB Developer for 10 years (Visual Basic for Applications)

• 2 years Microsoft Power Apps development – Canvas Apps

• 2 years Microsoft Power BI Reporting

• 1 year Tableau Reporting

• Other: Python Basics using xlWings, HTML / CSS Basics

How do I plan on becoming a Full Stack JavaScript Developer?

Youtube? Google? JavaScript websites?  Yes, yes, and yes. I tried all three, including Udemy courses. There is a ton of great information out there, and the idea of learning JavaScript for free sounded very appealing to me. But, as time passed, and my enthusiasm waned, I began to realize that this approach was not for me. You’ve heard of the saying “what you don’t know can’t hurt you!” Well, it’s not true when it comes to learning code. Like a house with a solid foundation won’t crack under pressure, I knew I needed a solid foundation of knowledge to draw upon without losing my mind. As an instructor of 25 years teaching Excel, I would tell my students “You can’t expect to understand ranges without first knowing about cells, because cells are the building blocks of ranges”. Or, “You can’t write macros without first knowing features of Excel”. This is just common sense.

As a “ship at sea”, I knew I would not make it by randomly sailing from one island of information to the next. I needed shipmates with experience to point me in the right direction, help me weather the storms, and make headway to finish my journey. I could tell this would be tough and would require shipmates that had the energy, inspiration, and the willingness to make the journey with me and, to not let me give up. I chose Clever Programmer, and I decided to go all the way with their “Full Stack Mastery” JavaScript Bootcamp. I’ve been in boot camp for just over one month and have concluded that this is one of the best career decisions I have ever made. In my next blog post, I’ll explain why.