Ask HN: I’m falling out of love with coding

Some of that is "build it and find out" kind of stuff, but I'd pay cold hard cash in a lot of cases to have a well-documented git repo to look at and learn best practices from (even if they're a bit opinionated) rather than have to stitch together my understanding from some diverse collection of "getting started" code, crappy toy examples and SEO-optimized blogs that have way way too many words per useful bit of information.

1. install ftp/sourcesafe

2. connect to url and authenticate

3. edit button

4. upload

2023: edit html button

1. install git

2. setup git credentials in terminal

3. setup git ssh key in terminal and browsers

4. use internal bootstrap tool to install node

5. macos no longer supports bash, spend 10 mins switching everything to zsh

6. install npm

7. try to clone and install the code with npm i

8. 20 different node js errors, deprecation and dependency warnings

9. embark on a bunch of side missions to resolve all the node issues

10. try to start local environment

11. local requires docker

12. install docker

13. docker requires sudo permission

14. request sudo from IT

15. fill an IT form explaining why you need sudo

16. get lectured by condescending IT dweeb about how you're being monitored and to use sudo ONLY for approved things, have to try drag in manager to explain why sudo is needed

17. finally install docker (requires a giga f*ckton of ram to run and slows down your machine)

18. start the local environment

19. docker starts installing a bunch of crap and updating

20. try to edit the html button

21. the local server not refreshing or your change is not reflecting

22. turns out this repo is just for the button only, to update the copy requires another f*king repo (go back to step 7)

23. finally done, try to commit changes

24. your changes are 10 commits behind the branch

25. try to merge automatically, cannot be merged

26. make a PR

27. smug know it all "senior" developer with 2 years experience, gives a bunch of nitpicky comments on the PR and refuses to merge it

28. stare into the abyss

Every profession needs to have some processes in place to make things run smoothly, but when the processes themselves get in the way instead of helping; then the tail is wagging the dog.

It is kind of like free TV shows. We always understood that commercials were necessary to pay the bills when we were not, but now many shows are completely unwatchable as 60% or more of the time spent in commercials.

Our company was hired to take on a project that was failing. It was an order export and update system between a website and an ERP system, neither to be named for the obvious reasons, and of fairly significant mismatch between the data in the two systems.

It started with some visual tools for the data flow, got a shit-ton of node and random libraries piled on, running on a hosted service with a deployment system for faster updates cause it broke constantly. It lost data 5% of the time or just failed to export the orders. It was shuffled around to different groups which changed up how it worked.

If I had to work on it I'd have quit. Instead I rewrote in 3 days in .NET Core C# as a console app running on a schedule using Json.net, XElement and hand written transforms and it was fun. Copied it up, got it running, buffed off a handful of rough edges for about 2 more days of work and it's been running fine since. No updates needed no data or orders lost.

My point? Reject all that shit that is just bad languages and bad systems and poor choices. Do it with what makes you and the client happy. Clients don't care what it's written in the just want it to work. So choose what you like and gets the job done and lets you move onto the next fun thing. If you don't enjoy your work you're trading your life for money.

As you point out, the React ecosystem does seem to be mired in "what approach should I take"-style questions for basic things like data loading, routing, etc.