What I've Learned
Over the past few months, I’ve grown tremendously as a full-stack developer by building and deploying real-world projects and gaining valuable industry experience through my internship. Two milestones stand out the most in my journey — creating a production-ready MERN Chat Application with Socket.io and working on a large-scale React + PHP eCommerce project during my internship. Both experiences taught me the true meaning of learning fast, solving real problems, and working independently under pressure.
MERN Chat App — Real-Time Communication at Scale
The MERN Chat App was one of the most challenging yet rewarding projects I’ve ever built. It’s a full-stack, real-time chat platform developed using MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js, and Socket.io. I wanted it to feel like a professional, scalable messaging app — not just a demo — so I focused on creating a complete end-to-end experience where users can chat in groups, send media files, and stay connected in real time.
One of the biggest challenges was implementing real-time communication without delays or inconsistencies. Socket.io became the backbone for instant message delivery and online status tracking. I also integrated features like “typing…” indicators, read receipts, file uploads, and authentication using JWT to make it truly production-ready.
For deployment, I optimized the backend API hosted on Render and ensured the frontend (React + Vite) remained fast and responsive across devices. The biggest learning came from debugging real-time events, handling CORS issues, and maintaining database synchronization under heavy load.
One of the biggest challenges was implementing real-time communication without delays or inconsistencies. Socket.io became the backbone for instant message delivery and online status tracking. I also integrated features like “typing…” indicators, read receipts, file uploads, and authentication using JWT to make it truly production-ready.
For deployment, I optimized the backend API hosted on Render and ensured the frontend (React + Vite) remained fast and responsive across devices. The biggest learning came from debugging real-time events, handling CORS issues, and maintaining database synchronization under heavy load.
What I learned
- Setting up Socket.io for bidirectional communication between client and server.
- Building secure authentication with JWT and role-based access.
- Managing chat data efficiently with MongoDB and Mongoose.
- Optimizing uploads with Multer and integrating Cloudinary for media hosting.
- Handling deployment, CORS, and real-time synchronization challenges.
My Internship Journey — From Learning PHP in 3 Days to Managing a Live Project
During my internship, I was challenged to learn PHP in just 3 days and work on a live React + PHP eCommerce project deployed via cPanel. I had to understand the backend logic, debug existing code, and deploy updates independently.
I faced real-world production issues like managing databases, configuring domains and SSL, and fixing broken API endpoints. Through constant trial and error, I not only got the site live but also improved performance, backend security, and deployment workflows.
I faced real-world production issues like managing databases, configuring domains and SSL, and fixing broken API endpoints. Through constant trial and error, I not only got the site live but also improved performance, backend security, and deployment workflows.
What I learned
- Learning PHP from scratch and integrating it with React frontend.
- Debugging large codebases and understanding backend structures.
- Managing cPanel deployments and database configurations.
- Improving backend performance and security.
My Journey Forward
These experiences taught me how to learn fast, solve complex problems, and deliver results independently. Moving forward, I’m focusing on building scalable full-stack and AI-driven systems and mastering backend performance.