Learn basic coding by finishing a small project

Start with a page that has a job

Pulenaz wants a simple page for keeping a short list of walks she would like to try. She begins with a title, a sentence about the list and three walk names. In the HTML she puts the names in a list, then opens the file in a browser: the words appear, but they are still plain and crowded together.

She adds CSS for a readable width, spacing and a background color, then saves and refreshes. One heading is missing its closing tag, so part of the page looks wrong; she compares the opening and closing tags, fixes it and checks again. The finished page has a clear heading, an introduction and three separated entries. She can open it locally and change the list later without needing a full website.

It is a satisfying first project because there is a visible end: the list is readable, and changing a name in the file changes what she sees after a refresh. A visitor does not have to sign in, and Pulenaz does not need to build a booking system before calling the page done.

Ania Kubów: learn the pieces while making something

Ania’s approach gives each new piece of code a job. In a beginner lesson she builds a small page with a heading and a set of buttons, showing the page before returning to the code. She changes one label, refreshes and points out the corresponding change on the page, so a learner can connect the text in the file with the finished result.

Next she adds a small script so a button changes a message on the page. When the message does not change, she checks that the button and the script refer to the same element, then tries the click again. The finished page has a visible response; the repair is part of the lesson rather than an unexplained jump to the answer.

For a starting point, Ania’s coding bootcamp outline includes an online portfolio project in the HTML section and a flexbox website layout in the CSS section. Its timestamps let you find those parts of the longer lesson without having to search through the whole video.

References: Ania Kubow on DEV Community

Try a project that moves

Ania also introduces an analog clock project for people new to JavaScript or looking for practice. Her video introduction describes using HTML, CSS and JavaScript, with the JavaScript Date object and moving clock hands. The creator’s post is a starting point for that project when you want a result that changes on screen.

References: Ania Kubow on LinkedIn

Pulenaz can use the same finishable-project idea for a little packing checklist: first show three items, then make one button change the text beside an item from needed to packed. She tests the button on each item before adding decoration. If a click changes the wrong line, she follows the connection between that button and its message and tries again.

A static list is a good first stop if seeing a page take shape is the appeal. The checklist adds a response to a click; the clock adds changing time. Pick the result you want to see, finish that version, and save the extra ideas for the next project.

Sources and attribution

1. Ania Kubow on DEV Community

   12HR+ YouTube Coding Bootcamp 2021 (video)Published Jan 13, 2021 · Recorded Oct 30, 2026

2. Ania Kubow on LinkedIn

   Analog clock projectPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 30, 2026