Starting from zero

Learn to code by building a reading list

The idea

A reading list of books I want to read, am reading and have finished, with my rating for each

This is the path the studio planned from the idea above. Yours is planned from your own words and from what you already know, so its steps will be your own.

Planned for: Complete beginner, never programmed · 10 hours a week · HTML, CSS and JavaScript, then Node and Express

Change anything. Your path is planned from what you write, and from what you already know.

Your first build is on us. When you press Build, we check your card with a ₹1 hold that is never charged.

Your first version

Shelf Status

A reading list for tracking books you want to read, are reading, or have finished, with ratings for each book.

What the studio would build first, and what it sets aside, read from the idea the way your own project's would be.

What it keeps

  • Add and remove booksAdd a book's title, author, and reading status, then remove books you no longer want on your list.
  • Browse and filter your booksSee your books grouped by status, with options to show all, want to read, reading, or finished.
  • Update progress and ratingsChange a book's status at any time and give finished books a rating from one to five stars.
  • Save your list in the browserKeep your reading list after closing or refreshing the page by saving it in localStorage.
  • Use a clean, phone-friendly designArrange the reading list clearly on phones and computers, with visible buttons, form errors, and selected states.

Later in your path

  • Sync the reading list to a serverMove list saving from localStorage to a Node and Express API so the server keeps the list and can return it to any browser.With a server
  • Sign in and keep books privateAdd user accounts and save each person's reading list privately in MongoDB so only that user can access it.With a database and accounts

What it leaves out, and why

  • Automatic book details and cover imagesBook lookup would need another service and extra error handling, so version one asks the learner to type the title and author.
  • Reading dates and progress updatesDate tracking is useful but not needed to prove the basic reading-list workflow.
  • Reading statisticsCharts and yearly totals can be added later after the basic list and rating system works.
  • Shared reading listsSharing adds permissions and another user relationship, which should come after private accounts work.
  • Search, sorting, and many pages of booksA first reading list will be small enough to show and filter in one list.

Your path

30 steps, about 46 hours

In the browser 8 steps · about 19 hours
  1. 1 Show the Shelf Status page 1
  2. 2 Add a book form 1
  3. 3 Make the page easy to use on any screen 1
  4. 4 Show a reading status message 1
  5. 5 Read and check the book form 1
  6. 6 Show books on the page 1
  7. 7 Update and remove books 1
  8. 8 Make Shelf Status clear and ready to share 1
With a server 16 steps · about 17 hours
  1. 9 Get your reading list ready for the server 2
  2. 10 Organise your reading list code 2
  3. 11 Show books after an asynchronous task 2
  4. 12 Plan how the page will call the server 2
  5. 13 Answer the reading list API 2
  6. 14 Keep the server ready to serve your app 2
  7. 15 Open your app from your server 2
  8. 16 Agree on the book API contract 2
  9. 17 Show books from the server 2
  10. 18 Add, change and remove books on the server 2
  11. 19 Save the reading list through your server 2
  12. 20 See what a server restart removes 2
  13. 21 Keep the reading list after a restart 2
  14. 22 Stop invalid book changes 2
  15. 23 Run your server through its URL 2
  16. 24 Improve one part of Shelf Status 2
Database and accounts 6 steps · about 10 hours
  1. 25 Keep books after a server restart 3
  2. 26 Save and change books in MongoDB 3
  3. 27 Create an account and sign in 3
  4. 28 Keep each reader's shelf private 3
  5. 29 Run Shelf Status from your server 3
  6. 30 Tell the Shelf Status story 3
Your app's map Shelf Status
fetch /api/...

In the browser

Your server

Where data lives

What you will have proved

66 concepts

Every concept is one the path teaches, in the order it teaches them, after the ones it needs first.

In the browser
  1. Editor, preview, save
  2. Slice your idea into a first version
  3. HTML document and basic tags after Editor, preview, save
  4. Lists, sections and semantic tags after HTML document and basic tags
  5. Forms and inputs after HTML document and basic tags
  6. CSS selectors, colors, text after HTML document and basic tags
  7. Box model and spacing after CSS selectors, colors, text
  8. Hover, focus, disabled and error states after CSS selectors, colors, text, Forms and inputs
  9. Layout with Flexbox after Box model and spacing
  10. Responsive basics after Layout with Flexbox
  11. Variables and values after Editor, preview, save
  12. Finding elements on the page after Variables and values, HTML document and basic tags
  13. Strings, numbers, booleans after Variables and values
  14. Decisions with if/else after Strings, numbers, booleans
  15. Functions after Decisions with if/else
  16. Reading errors and using the console after Functions
  17. Handling what can go wrong after Functions, Reading errors and using the console
  18. Responding to clicks and input after Finding elements on the page, Functions
  19. Reading and validating form input after Responding to clicks and input, Forms and inputs
  20. Arrays after Functions
  21. Objects after Arrays
  22. JSON after Objects
  23. Rendering a list from data after Objects, Finding elements on the page, Lists, sections and semantic tags
  24. Single source of truth after Rendering a list from data, Reading and validating form input
  25. Saving in the browser with localStorage after JSON, Single source of truth, Handling what can go wrong
  26. Create, read, update, delete after Saving in the browser with localStorage, Reading errors and using the console
  27. What a repo and a commit are after Editor, preview, save
  28. Accessible by default after Forms and inputs, CSS selectors, colors, text
  29. Write a README after What a repo and a commit are
  30. Explain your project out loud after Create, read, update, delete
With a server
  1. Why your app needs a server after Saving in the browser with localStorage, Create, read, update, delete
  2. Meet your workbench after What a repo and a commit are, Create, read, update, delete, Why your app needs a server
  3. Terminal basics after Meet your workbench
  4. npm and package.json after Terminal basics
  5. Splitting code into modules after npm and package.json, Create, read, update, delete, Why your app needs a server
  6. Asynchronous code after Functions, Reading errors and using the console, Why your app needs a server
  7. Git in your workbench after What a repo and a commit are, Terminal basics
  8. How HTTP works after JSON, Why your app needs a server
  9. Calling an API from the browser after Asynchronous code, How HTTP works
  10. What a REST API is after How HTTP works
  11. Node: JavaScript outside the browser after npm and package.json, Splitting code into modules
  12. Your first Express server after Node: JavaScript outside the browser, How HTTP works
  13. Configuration and secrets after Your first Express server, Git in your workbench
  14. Middleware, static files, errors after Your first Express server
  15. Serve the page you built, untouched after Middleware, static files, errors
  16. Write your API's contract and try it after What a REST API is, Your first Express server, Serve the page you built, untouched
  17. Keep data in memory and answer from it after Write your API's contract and try it, Middleware, static files, errors
  18. CRUD API for your resource after Middleware, static files, errors, Keep data in memory and answer from it, What a REST API is
  19. Move your app from localStorage to the API after CRUD API for your resource, Calling an API from the browser
  20. Keep data in memory and watch a restart wipe it after Move your app from localStorage to the API
  21. Reading and writing a JSON file after Node: JavaScript outside the browser, Asynchronous code, Handling what can go wrong, Keep data in memory and watch a restart wipe it
  22. Validate on the server after CRUD API for your resource, Reading and writing a JSON file
  23. What a host needs from your server after Move your app from localStorage to the API, Configuration and secrets, Validate on the server
  24. Ship, get feedback, adjust after Slice your idea into a first version, What a host needs from your server
Database and accounts
  1. Why a JSON file is not enough after CRUD API for your resource, Reading and writing a JSON file
  2. MongoDB: your first real database after Why a JSON file is not enough, Configuration and secrets
  3. Schemas and models with Mongoose after MongoDB: your first real database
  4. CRUD with MongoDB after Schemas and models with Mongoose, Validate on the server
  5. Signup with hashed passwords after Schemas and models with Mongoose
  6. Login and protected routes after Signup with hashed passwords, Middleware, static files, errors
  7. Relating documents after CRUD with MongoDB, Login and protected routes
  8. Users only see their own data after Login and protected routes, Relating documents
  9. Run it like production after CRUD with MongoDB, Configuration and secrets, Git in your workbench, What a host needs from your server
  10. Frontend and backend together after Run it like production, Move your app from localStorage to the API
  11. Portfolio and project story after Frontend and backend together, Write a README
  12. Interview on your full-stack project after Explain your project out loud, Users only see their own data, Frontend and backend together

What the checker will ask of you

Each step is checked when you press Check: in a real browser, or by starting your server and making requests. These are the first checks on this path.

1Step 1 · Show the Shelf Status page

The preview shows a page titled “Shelf Status”.

1Step 2 · Add a book form

The page shows a book form with labelled title, author, and status inputs.

1Step 3 · Make the page easy to use on any screen

The book form and reading-list area sit in a deliberate row or column layout instead of running together.

What people ask

What does it cost to build this?

Your first build is on us: one project, the phase in the browser, with the AI to build it. To start it, your bank puts a ₹1 hold on a card; it is released and never charged. Studio access is ₹6,999 once and opens every phase for 6 projects; nothing renews.

What do I need?

A browser and a card for the ₹1 hold. Nothing to install: the browser steps run in a live preview, and the server steps run in a private workspace of your own, with a terminal and git and your own MongoDB.

How long does it take?

This path is 30 steps, about 46 hours: at 10 hours a week, about 5 weeks. Your own path is planned from your idea and sized to what you already know.

Do I keep the code?

Yes. Every step you pass is kept, and you can download the whole project as a git repository with one commit for each step, or publish it to your own GitHub. The code is yours.

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