While this blog is new, my original post about my predicament is actually about a year old. So for the last year I’ve been thinking about the best way to modernize and what topics I specifically want to learn about. I ended up with a bit of an oh-crap! moment as the more I started learning the more I realized there is to learn. And for me, still very much a full-time parent… how little time there is to do it.

Over the last year I’ve started devouring material on LaraCasts, scanning articles, and listening to podcasts during mind-numbing chores like laundry. It’s given me a good overview of things I want to learn in more depth, and the resources out there to do so.

I’ve broken down some core skills I want to develop:

• Advanced, modern PHP development techniques and patterns.
• Use of a modern framework like Laravel.
• A front-end Javascript framework like Vue.
• How to set up a full, local development environment.
• Testing.
• Modern deployment and devops basics.

In some of these areas I’ve begun to make progress, in others it’s been a process just to narrow down which direction or which framework I want to learn. I’ll write more about those decisions soon.

Honestly this list could be much, much longer. And as a one-person developer/business owner I wear so many hats that the list could be endless. But these are the areas I most want to focus on. Follow me here or on Twitter and we’ll learn together!