Can't decide: Web development or iOS development

1 points by comatory 11y ago ↗ HN

I've worked in AV for 7 years professionally,I decided to learn little programming in my free time. Last january I started learning Python and it sort of became my new hobby. Right now I understand programming principles and I can code but I still lack a lot of general knowledge. Also I've never done anything professionally nor had my code reviewed. But I found out I really enjoy doing this and I'd like to turn it into a career. Right now my motivations aren't financial (at least not as much). I value more to have some kind of job stability instead of earning more. I finally decided that I really want to do something that I like. Also, in my previous job, the industry has shifted and my occupation became de-valued and employment is not a sure thing anymore.

Ironhack offers both web development and iOS courses. I can't decide which one to take. Here are my thoughts:

1. Web dev

+ it is something I am already familiar with (web design)

+ I can already build sites with HTML, CSS and various tools (WP, static website generators etc.)

+ from previous job I have lot of graphic experience

+ I can already do some web development stuff with Python - managed to do little Flask app

- I'm afraid that there are way too much full-stack devs out there and it's gonna bring the market down (I don't wanna end up in situation where I'm at now)

- I'm still not quite sure what web developer does 100%, aren't you some sort of jack-of-all-trades kind of dev? Maybe it's too "unspecialized"

2. iOS

+ I'm quite interested to program on hardware device + fan of iOS generally

+ seems like iOS devs are scarce

+ I've heard it offers much higher salaries for junior devs than web devs (although it's not a deal-breaker see above)

+ I already own Apple stuff so I can try it out on real HW

- it seems WAY harder than web-based stuff for me, I find Cocoa framework very complicated

- the job is tied to one platform = if Apple goes down so do I

mzjs 11y ago ↗

This really depends on what you are interested in. Some thoughts about each:

Web design:

- There are a few different parts to this. You can specialize in front-end or back-end (although you should have at least some knowledge of both). - This isn't really much easier than iOS development over the long term, but the barrier to entry is much lower. - Things in this field change really, really fast. Expect to re-learn basically everything you know every 3-4 years. - The core languages (javascript, html, css) are versatile and can be used in many places: the web browser, the server (nosema or similar), or a native app (node-webkit).

iOS development: - You're tied down to a specific platform, which can be a problem if apple changes it's rules or releases an update with bugs. - The barrier to entry is higher, but over the long run it isn't much harder.

(Not that I'm a front-end developer, so this is completely biased)

Really, you should do what you enjoy most. Start learning the basics of each, and see how much you enjoy it. Also, study the codebases of some existing well-documented projects - it's a good way to learn more about the language.

mzjs 11y ago ↗

Also, once you start getting good at whatever you choose, start contributing to some open-source projects. Code review is a great way to get better, and you can contribute to tools you use, which helps you as well.

comatory 11y ago ↗

Yeah I hear you. The problem is, I kinda like both (but know already some stuff about web). The reason why it's so hard for me to decide is that the cost of the bootcamp is pretty steep.

I come from post-soviet country and the tutor fees are basically my whole life savings (purchasing power/salaries are basically 5-7x lower than western EU states). That's why I'm so hesitant to choose one or the other.

mzjs 11y ago ↗

You don't need a boot camp. There are plenty of good books on these topics, which are fairly inexpensive. Also, stack overflow (for all it is ridiculed) is a great place to ask a question if you are confused about something. Also, https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/A_re... is a great way to learn javascript.

comatory 11y ago ↗

Yeah I know I don't "need" it but what you're suggesting is actually what I've been doing for past year or so. I need a push to turn this into career, hence the bootcamp (they also say they set up interviews after bootcamp).