An app is constructed from various building blocks. As you gain experience, you learn to recognise what building blocks are required, and you can tackle an 'app', one block at a time.
A challenge for new programmers is being able to deconstruct a 'build "x" app' type problem into these building blocks, even just recognizing that they exist. The lure of web frameworks such as Rails is they roll a lot of these building blocks into one, making it harder to see the edges. Compare this to a basic PHP-based, database-backed app, where you can clearly see you'll need a web server, php code, a database server, and html/js.
It takes time and patience to work through all the different building blocks to create a basic application. It's a lot of domain-specific knowledge to learn. That there's no "one true path" makes it even harder for a new programmer to wade through all the web development approaches available to them. Rails, NodeJS, PHP?
Newbie programmers need to seek advice from experienced developers who can recommend a straightforward, pragmatic approach for web development. Choosing what to try based on what's posted on sites like HN will steer them down the wrong path. Newbies need simple, boring web development guidance that will let them build and learn at a small scale. Where they go next is up to them.
A challenge for new programmers is being able to deconstruct a 'build "x" app' type problem into these building blocks, even just recognizing that they exist. The lure of web frameworks such as Rails is they roll a lot of these building blocks into one, making it harder to see the edges. Compare this to a basic PHP-based, database-backed app, where you can clearly see you'll need a web server, php code, a database server, and html/js.
It takes time and patience to work through all the different building blocks to create a basic application. It's a lot of domain-specific knowledge to learn. That there's no "one true path" makes it even harder for a new programmer to wade through all the web development approaches available to them. Rails, NodeJS, PHP?
Newbie programmers need to seek advice from experienced developers who can recommend a straightforward, pragmatic approach for web development. Choosing what to try based on what's posted on sites like HN will steer them down the wrong path. Newbies need simple, boring web development guidance that will let them build and learn at a small scale. Where they go next is up to them.