Why #100DaysOfCode is a great way to start a tech Twitter account
4 reasons why this challenge will help you to find your voice on Twitter
I'm a software developer and technical writer from London UK, living in Cali Colombia.
On 1st September 2021, I opened a brand new Twitter account to document #100DaysOfCode.
To set the scene, I had been teaching myself to code for over a year. I was following some tech Twitter accounts from my personal account for a few months. I had no idea how to begin documenting my journey or how to start interacting with people online.
I found #100DaysOfCode, which is a challenge created by Alex Kallaway in 2016 with 2 simple rules:
- Code for at least an hour every day for the next 100 days
- Tweet your progress every day with the #100DaysOfCode hashtag
I started the challenge on 2nd September 2021 and 170 days later I completed it (not in 100 days, more on that in a bit!).
If you're in the first year of your coding journey, or you're not sure what to tweet regularly, this blog post is for you. I'm going to talk through 4 reasons why you should do the #100DaysOfCode challenge.
1 - You will connect and interact with other developers
Learning how to code, particularly for self-taught developers, can be a lonely journey.
I created my Twitter account with the hope to connect with other developers. I was so grateful to be learning to code with my partner, but I felt that I didn't really have any other developer friends. Eight months later, I can say that this is no longer the case. Twitter has given me a sense of community and connected me with so many amazing people.
The #100DaysOfCode hashtag is often picked up by the algorithm, so you'll get more reach with this content starting out. From Day 1 of #100DaysOfCode, I had people messaging me with suggestions on how to fix my error who I'd never spoken to before. The kindness of tech Twitter blew me away, and I was so happy to finally start interacting with others.
However, there were days where I was talking to myself. It can be disheartening when no one is interacting with your content, but it's okay. Our goal is consistency and not everyday results.
While on your journey, check out the #100DaysOfCode hashtag. Don’t be shy! Follow others on a similar journey. Interact with their tweets to show support and share your experience.
2 - You will have a record of what you've been learning
The beauty of documenting your journey is that you can go back and look at everything that you've achieved.
I had hoped to have a pretty website showing my #100DaysOfCode tweets in reverse chronological order for this post... but to guarantee that this blog post comes out before the end of 2022, I'll save that project for another rainy day.
When I took a moment to sit and read through all that I achieved in those 100 days, I was amazed! Sometimes we don't realise how much we are evolving and improving, but small "insignificant" daily actions compound to huge results.
If you'd like to look through my journey, you can check out this advanced search query to see my #100DaysOfCode tweets. Make sure to click the “Latest” tab if you’re viewing on mobile.
If you've started or finished the challenge, I encourage you to do the same! If you’re feeling disheartened, demotivated or maybe you’ve just had a bad day, take a moment to read through your tweets and appreciate how much you’re improving.
3 - You will improve your English communication skills
Summarising your daily learnings in 280 characters is NOT easy! By documenting #100DaysOfCode, you will learn how to articulate yourself concisely in English.
If your first language isn't English, and you want to improve: post in English! You'll be documenting your journey, coding regularly AND improving your English writing skills. It will also serve as a great record of your desire to learn and improve.
If you're struggling to find the words one day, you don't have to write about what you've done – instead, show it! Record a screencast, take a picture of your notes, show a screenshot of the project you're building, or share a CodePen or GitHub repository.
4 - It gives you a purpose to tweet every day
For a new tech Twitter account, the timeline can be a bit of an overwhelming place. It seems like everyone is creating valuable content, and it can be hard to know what to say.
The #100DaysOfCode challenge simplifies this problem. Just code for at least one hour a day and write a tweet summarising what you did. You might need to set reminders to post at the beginning, but you'll be cultivating a tweeting habit.
That being said, it's important to go at your own pace. If you feel that you need a break and take a few days off, that's completely okay. This is YOUR journey and YOU can define your own rules. Keep going and be consistent, but don't push yourself to burnout.
An ending note
Already done the challenge? Or maybe this challenge doesn't make sense for you and your current journey? Go to the hashtag and show some support for people on their #100DaysOfCode journey. Pay it forward. Cheer them on, answer some questions, and give back to the community. For a lot of these people, they might feel like they're speaking to an empty void and a comment can really make their day.
If you've done the #100DaysOfCode challenge, I'd love to hear from you and how you found your experience. Do you have any tips for anyone starting out? Share them in the comments.
And finally, if you're going to do the challenge, leave your Twitter handle below so others can cheer you on.
