How do you manage your time when developing long-term web applications?

Before starting anything, 1. Go with proper strategy and proper planning. 2. Tasks should be well written in any PM tool (Jira, Asana, Basecamp) 3. Detailed discussion on architecture building block and agreement on architecture diagram. 4. UX should be very clear and process maps should be supplied so that all flows will be understood. 5. Set realistic plan which can be easily made by having realistic estimates. 6. Before check-in code, there should be proper process to audit the code. As it's a long term application and any bad code will have a long term impact. Proper GIT repo strategy is placed. Above all --> You should be technically sound in building web application with all conceps covered (Security, scalability, optimisations)

In my experience, following points need to be considered for developing web applications. Clearly define the project goals and requirements at the beginning. Plan short development cycles (sprints) to deliver increments of functionality. Develop a realistic project timeline with achievable milestones. Implement automated testing to ensure code quality and reduce manual testing efforts. Perform regular code reviews to maintain code quality standards. Encourage a healthy work-life balance for the development team. Gather user feedback regularly and incorporate it into the development process. By combing all these points, we can create an effective development lifecycle of long-term web applications.

1. Get a big picture for 3 months 2. Divide to little task and put it as weekly sprint ( 70 % ) 3. For the rest 30 % will be use for hotfix, bugfix or urgent task 4. Developing days wed - fri, sat SIT, mon UAT, tue prepare for prod deployment on midnight

When working with clients, 1. Don't give unrealistic timelines to get the client or the project this would hurt you and your company's reputation in the future. 2. Clients always want the product yesterday. but it's your job to always be clear and set realistic goals. 3. Always keep a buffer, things go wrong more often than we care to admit so always keep some buffer time before committing or finalizing on a timeline.

Elaminate Distraction 1.My priority is to Elaminate Distraction so that I can focus on my main project. 2. Proper Detailed planning of the product 3. Writing Psudo code

This cannot be stressed enough. But do it in iterations (agile really works best here). There is no waterfall approach to creating a new app. Build a skateboard, then a scooter, then a motorbike, and lastly a car.

- Follow the scrum - Team strength should be great - Clear cut requirements - Set correct priorities - High motivated team

Strategy: Divide the project into smaller tasks to make progress more measurable. Insight: Use project management tools to break down tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. Regularly assess achievements and adjust timelines as needed. This ensures a steady pace and allows for early identification of potential delays.

1. Break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable sub-tasks for clarity. 2. Embrace agile practices like sprints for iterative development and progress tracking. 3. Conduct frequent team meetings to discuss progress, identify blockers, and adjust plans as needed.

Verfolgen Sie Fortschritt in Tools wie Jira, Asana oder auch Notion. Verlieren Sich jedoch nicht in der Tool und Prozess Hölle auf der Suche nach dem perfekten Setup! Verlieren Sie keine Zeit mit Stundenlanger Konfiguration der Tools sondern gehen Sie hier Kompromisse ein um einen schnellen Entwicklungsstart zu gewährleisten. Weitere Optimierungen an Tools und Prozessen können iterativ im Verlauf des Projektes vorgenommen werden um so auf konkrete Hindernisse im Projekt einzugehen. Auch die Agile Vorgehensweise (Scrum/Kanban) kann später individuell angepasst werden. Wichtig ist, dass diese Methoden zur gesamten Produktivität betragen und nicht zu andauernden Team-Grundsatz-Diskussionen führen. „First make it work, than make it pretty“

Use project management tools (e.g., Jira, Trello) to track progress and manage tasks. Collaborate with the team through these tools to maintain transparency. Implement version control (e.g., Git) to track code changes and collaborate seamlessly. Branching and merging strategies can help manage concurrent development.

Using Version Control Tools goes without saying. We need to implement proper Branching strategy as well so that we can give intermediate release to QA and other stockholders if required. Do regular meeting with the team to keep a track as well as maintain good project management tool so that it is easy to keep a bird eyes view on the same. Plan the chunk of work in small parts so that you can get status update in simple manner. It is easy to control as well after that.

It allows different people to work on different/same features at the same time without affecting each other’s work. If you lose track of your work, and do not use version control then switching back to previous versions will take a lot of time, and this might lead to a lot of throw away work when switching to new versions again.

Extreme development can't be visualized without version control. The project has to be secured during development, deployment, and rollback. Version control helps in - 1) Securing the code in the repository even if your development machine crashes. 2) Collaborate with team members. 3) Jump back to any version. 4) Safe to be rollback.

Utilizing version control ensures code stability, efficient collaboration, and detailed documentation of changes, while integrating testing tools enables continuous testing, early bug detection, enhanced productivity, improved quality assurance, and better traceability. These practices collectively contribute to long-term success and sustainability in web application development.

Nowadays, any developer cannot imagine life without their favourite IDE or code editor, as well as without plugins for them. GitHub Copilot can significantly simplify the work of both middle and senior developers who can already write high-quality code themselves; GitHub Copilot will reduce the time for routine tasks. Many plugins will allow you to monitor your tests or check the performance of functions, methods and classes.

**Optimizing Workflow:** Select tools aligned with team preferences. Automate tasks with Grunt or Gulp for efficiency. Implement systematic code reviews using collaborative platforms like GitHub. Clear communication through tools like Slack reduces delays. Embrace agile methodologies for iterative development. Prioritize tasks based on project goals to maximize impact. Allocate focused time blocks and prevent burnout. Invest in ongoing team training for continuous skill development. Implement performance metrics to identify and address workflow bottlenecks. This holistic approach ensures sustained efficiency in long-term web app development.

Automation is one of the most under rated things to do to to create a successful project. Spending some time up front automating deployments, builds, and pipelines using a tooling like Jenkins, Github Actions, or Azure DevOps will help you down the road, especially as the team scales. This makes it easier when on-boarding new devs.

Strategy: Identify and eliminate bottlenecks in your development workflow. Insight: Adopt agile development methodologies to enhance collaboration and adaptability. Implement continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to automate repetitive tasks. Use productivity tools and techniques, such as time blocking, to enhance individual and team efficiency.

Development productive goes hand-in-hand with no reinventing the wheel. Use the tested tools. Use well-known standards and best practices. Sometimes using the new shiny tool isn't the way.

During your working hours or in free time. Dedicate some time daily to learn new things. In web development, almost everyday we have something new, it can be either a library, a tool or a complete Framework, you need to have strong foundational knowledge and then you can easily acquire the knowledge of any new tool.

**Learning New Skills:** 1. **Cultivate Continuous Learning:** Foster an environment encouraging ongoing skill development within the team. 2. **Skill Assessment:** Regularly evaluate team members' skills to identify gaps and tailor learning plans accordingly. 3. **Online Courses:** Provide access to platforms like Udemy and Coursera, offering diverse learning opportunities. 4. **Internal Training:** Conduct sessions led by team members to share expertise, promoting collaborative learning. 5. **Hackathons and Projects:** Host events and allocate time for side projects, fostering practical application of acquired skills. 6. **Cross-Training:** Encourage team members to explore different roles, enhancing versatility and teamwork.

Since technology evolves so fast, it's best to keep oneself abreast of the developments and trends in the technology industry. These can be done by reading articles such as this, listening to podcasts that focus on technology, or subscribing to related newsletters.

This is very important, that developer usually dedicate at least 30 minutes to see what are new technology in the web development area, how this technology will support the development in the future and durability of the application.

Most courses and podcasts won't be very beneficial if you aren't working on that specific problem or with that technology. Therefore, it's crucial to have an understanding of how it works. It's not always necessary to update to a new technology or library immediately. Technology needs time to mature, eliminate basic errors, and prove that it offers advantages.

Balancing work and life is crucial for long-term well-being, especially in the demanding field of web development 1. Define specific work hours and stick to them. 2. Avoid the temptation to work overtime regularly. 3. Incorporate regular breaks into your workday. 4. Reserve weekends for personal time and relaxation. 6. Integrate physical exercise into your routine. 7. Ensure you get sufficient sleep each night. 8. Engage in hobbies and activities you enjoy. 9. Seek feedback on your work and reflect on your progress. 10. Prioritize tasks and learn to say no when necessary.

Remember you are building products for real humans. For you to know how humans interact and behave, YOU NEED TO GET OFF THE COMPUTER! You don’t have to be behind the keyboard to be productive. Especially if you’re a founder or trying to build a product. Work happens offline too. Ask people questions, understand their motivations, go visit new places and learn different cultures. These are all things you need to learn to be a successful internet builder.

Making your life balance is a major role that mostly people don't understand. So what I'm doing for the past years was; - Taking small breaks during my work - Spend some time with your family - Gyming is every important - Set up your goals - Make new friends - Connect with like minded people - Speak less and learn more - Drink and eat healthy - Pray with faith

Setting work life boundaries is very crucial for long term projects. - Set defined working hours - Schedule your availabilities in tools like Teams (if you use it) - Make sure to clearly communicate your working hours to all stakeholders

A great way to get unstuck is go for a walk, a drive, take a nap, or any other activity that will allow your mind to change focus. I cannot tell you how many times I have solved a problem while sleeping, or commuting home from the office.

Long term projects are like marathons. Don't burn all your energy in early sprints instead maintain a steady phase. The requirements keep on unearthing moving forward. The environmental factors will keep on changing. You will think, am i building the right thing again and again more than am i building it the right way. One has to very carefully consider between persistence and pivot. Stay persistent on values and commitment but stay a little flexible on the product you are building. Long term projects tests your patience. You will spend a long time watering a plant without seeing the first sprout. Stay patient yet vigilant is the key, Staying slow yet steady is the key,...

The most efficient way to deliver value is to build the simplest design which achieves your goal. - avoid modifying existing code. Your app should be modular so that components can be easily replaced without making changes everywhere. - never have unnecessary code in your app - follow the conventions where possible. This means that code will be easy to understand.

Prioritize ruthlessly: Not everything is equally important. 
Identify core functionalities and prioritize them based on user needs and business objectives. 
Less critical features can be added later or phased out if unnecessary. Time Estimation: Be honest with yourself and your team about how long tasks will take. 
Don't underestimate the time required for research, coding, testing, and bug fixing. Use historical data or similar projects as reference points. Flexibility: Expect changes and revisions. Build in buffer time for unforeseen circumstances and leave room for adaptation based on user feedback or evolving business needs.

Documentation: Maintain thorough documentation for code, processes, and decisions to facilitate future development and troubleshooting. Regular Reviews: Conduct regular code reviews to ensure code quality, identify potential issues, and share knowledge among team members. User Feedback: Incorporate user feedback into your development process to make informed decisions and prioritize features that add the most value.

Creation of thorough documentation is a skill. It is a rare skill. It is rarely found in a balanced medium - meaning neither too little nor too much. Documentation without screenshots are like video without faces. Context of documentation such as OS version, library / programming languages versions are must have ingredients for the useful documentation.