Learn to code← Abdullah’s site

Learn to build software, from scratch

A step-by-step plan for anyone who wants to become a developer but isn’t sure where to begin. It’s the order I’d learn things in today — one step at a time, with a video to watch for each one. Nothing here costs money.

Start at the beginningHow this works

The Markdown file has the whole roadmap, with every link — drop it into Notion or read it offline.

What you’ll be able to build

This isn’t just watching tutorials. By the end you’ll have real things online that you made yourself — and the skills people actually get paid for.

~6 months in

Your first website online, with a link you can share.

~1 year in

A full app — login, database, the works — live on the internet.

By the end

A portfolio of real projects, ready for freelance work or a junior dev job.

The whole time

You learn by building, not just watching. Every phase ends with something real.

Your roadmap

Eleven steps, in order. Start at the top and work your way down — each one opens its own page. Mark a step done and the next one lights up.

Your progress

11 phases

Start at Phase 0 →
  1. 0

    Get set up

    Getting your computer ready, so nothing annoying gets in your way later.

  2. 1

    Python

    Python is your first language. It reads almost like English, so it is the kindest place to start. It is also the language the whole world uses for AI.

  3. 2

    Computer science basics

    These are the thinking skills behind coding. They are exactly the part that AI cannot do for you — so they make you valuable.

  4. 3

    Maths for AI

    Don’t worry about this one yet. It only matters much later, if you decide to BUILD AI rather than just use it — and most of it is maths you’ll meet naturally in college. Right now, keep your focus on building.

  5. 4

    Web basics

    Now you make things people can actually SEE in a web browser. We use the plain building blocks first — no shortcuts yet, so you really understand how the web works.

  6. 5

    React

    This is how real companies build modern websites. Start ONLY after plain JavaScript feels okay — React is much easier when the basics are solid.

  7. 6

    Backend

    The backend is the hidden brain: it does the thinking and remembers the data. We stay in Python, so you build on what you already know.

  8. 7

    Databases

    Every real app needs to remember things even after it is closed. That is what a database is for.

  9. 8

    Full app, online

    The big one. You join the front, the back, and the database into ONE real app and put it on the internet. After this, you are a full-stack developer.

  10. 9

    Using AI in your apps

    The fun, useful part of AI — and the part you can actually do now. The goal here is to understand how these tools work and add an AI feature to your own app. The deep "build AI from scratch" stuff is a separate, much-later road.

  11. 10

    Keep growing

    You never really finish — and that is the fun part. Keep building, keep sharing, keep learning.

Helpful extras

Short reads worth a look before or during the journey.

Before you startHow this works, what you need, and the two accounts to set up.Kinds of workWeb dev, QA, project management, and how AI is changing each.AI tools for codingChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and friends — and which to start with.Word bankQuick plain-English meanings for the jargon.Habits & honest adviceWhat to keep up, and a few honest things to remember.

Put together by Abdullah Mujahid Ali.