Days in the Life of Mo

Raise your hand if you’ve ever clicked “Start Tutorial” and thought:

“I’ll learn React/Node/Python… and suddenly I’m making a todo list.”

Yep. Every single time. It’s like some unspoken law of the internet: if you’re learning to code, you will build a todo list.

And honestly? I get it.

Todo Lists: The Swiss Army Knife of Tutorials

Why todo lists? Let’s break it down:

1. They’re simple, but not trivial
   You can’t teach database relationships with a single “Hello World” print statement. But a todo list? It has tasks, statuses, priorities. It introduces CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) without giving you a migraine.
2. They cover the basics of user interaction
   You click, type, edit, delete. Boom, you’ve covered the core of most apps: input, output, and a touch of validation.
3. They scale easily
   Start with a basic list. Then add a database. Then add authentication. Then maybe a dark mode. Suddenly, your todo list looks suspiciously like a real-world app.

As freeCodeCamp notes, todo lists aren’t just a fad… they’re training wheels for building more complex apps.

But Why Does It Feel Like a Conspiracy?

You scroll through tutorials, and every single one has “Build a Todo List App” as the first project. Beginners start to wonder:

“Am I doomed to a lifetime of todos?”

Honestly, it’s partly a cultural thing. Todo lists are universal. Everyone knows what a todo is. It’s relatable, familiar, and doesn’t require any deep domain knowledge. Compare that to a “Quantum Physics Simulation App”, not beginner-friendly.

The Silver Lining

Here’s the secret: the todo list isn’t the goal, it’s the vehicle.

Every CRUD operation you practice, every form you validate, every state you manage prepares you for the real apps you’ll build later. Maybe one day, you’ll graduate from todos to a full-stack social network, an e-commerce site, or the next viral app no one expected.

And when you do, you’ll remember that humble todo list that started it all.

So don’t roll your eyes the next time a tutorial asks you to make a todo list. Embrace it. Build it beautifully. Maybe even add a fun twist like a “Mark as Completed, Celebrate with a Dance GIF” feature.

Because every great app starts somewhere… even if it’s a todo list.

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