So you want to know if Frontend Mentor is going to make you a better frontend developer? With so many options out there to teach you how to code, it’s hard to decide which platform should get your attention. Well, luckily for you, in this review we’re going to dive into Frontend Mentor and see if it’s worth your time or not!
So without further ado, let’s get right into it.
What Is Frontend Mentor?
Frontend Mentor is an online coding platform that gives you the tools necessary to learn frontend development. The site mimics real-life workflows by utilizing industry-standard software and forcing the user to write all their code off-platform. This allows the user to get comfortable with the software they would use daily in a job, such as Git, Github, Figma, and Netlify.
Pros of Frontend Mentor
Pro #1: Learn By Doing Method
If you have been following thecodebytes for a while, you would know that I am a big fan of building projects to learn how to code. It is by far the most effective way to learn how to code and will turn you into a real developer with confidence in your skills.
The biggest benefit of Frontend Mentor is that it forces you to write code in your own development environment. Although this may be difficult for some, it is going to make you feel confident in writing your own coding projects later.
Most of the time, the biggest thing holding beginner developers back from writing their own projects is that they don’t know what they should build, Frontend Mentor solves that problem.
Pro #2: Solutions, Slack Channel + Feedback
The second major benefit of using Frontend Mentor is that it provides user-submitted solutions and a slack channel to ask for feedback. This is incredibly valuable for someone teaching themselves how to code. In fact, this is the one thing I wish I had when I was first learning to program! Simply because even when I came up with a solution I thought it was ‘wrong’ or could have been written better.
It also seems like the community is pretty knowledgeable and supportive of other users. Who knows, maybe you’ll even make a coding buddy!
Having a supportive and active community that genuinely wants to help you better yourself as a coder is a definite plus for choosing Frontend Mentor.
Pro #3: Hiring Board
Additionally, Frontend Mentor provides a hiring board that allows users on the platform to connect with employers. I think this is a great idea because most users are junior-level developers that are looking for employment.
Although it’s a pretty unconventional way to get a job, if you can get hired on Frontend Mentor for your first job, it will make it a lot easier to find employment in the future.
Pro #4: Tool Agnostic
Finally, Frontend Mentor is tool agnostic. Meaning you can use any tool you see fit or want to learn for your projects. If you want to write your code with pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can. Alternatively, if you want to use a frontend framework, you can do that as well!
This makes the platform a little more intriguing for someone who may already know how to code but wants some project ideas for learning a new framework.
Cons of Frontend Mentor
Con #1: Not Super Beginner Friendly
The biggest drawback of Frontend Mentor is that it will be too challenging for people just starting to learn how to code. The platform forces you to utilize your own development environment, industry tools like Git, and 3rd party services.
Although the platform is meant to help junior-level developers, there is definitely a learning curve. This might be discouraging to someone just starting off who can’t understand how all these things fit together yet.
Con #2: Not 100% Free
The second major downside to the platform is that you need to pay to unlock some features. Whether it is certain premium projects or the design files of free projects. There will be times that you need to pay if you want access to every part of the platform.
Although this is a bit of a bummer, it’s an understandable con and honestly pretty cheap as well. If you do decide to purchase the product, it will only cost you $12 a month with a potential discount depending on the country you live in.
Summary: Frontend Mentor Review
Overall, Frontend Mentor is a great platform to use if you want to learn how to code. It provides the necessary tools to teach yourself frontend development, has a great community to help you, is tool agnostic, and has a hiring board as well! Although it’s not complete-beginner friendly and may cost you a few bucks a month, it’s definitely worth checking out.
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