What’s in high demand for freelancers and easiest for beginners to start?
Posted by Hot-Advisor-3353@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 17 comments
A friend suggested that web frontend, backend, maybe fullstack, or app development (Android/iOS) are the easiest to learn as a beginner and are also in demand. Is this true? How should I decide which one to choose, and where can I learn it?
dmazzoni@reddit
Web frontend, backend, fullstack, and app development...you just described 80% of programming jobs.
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. What's in high demand for freelancers is experience and that's the one thing beginners don't have by definition.
If you're interested in learning to code for fun, or for a lifelong career, great. We're happy to help you start - but it will be a long journey.
If you're looking to learn a quick skill to start making good money in a short time, this isn't it.
Redliebe@reddit
Can you help me start i mean a bit guidance and stuff it'd be a great help
PhntmBRZK@reddit
What to learn while prompting ai. Let's be real the future work is going to be done by AI. Especially writing code part. We will be telling what to write. So our skills are dependent on our ability to tell it what to write and how to write. So what do you think we should be focusing on. I like learning aslong as it's no memorization like syntax but logical.
dwoodro@reddit
AI will not entirely replace humans. It’s already been shown that AI hallucinations are real. If it can hallucinate for a 500 word article, how many errors can it possibly make in a large in depth software?
As I’ve said many times “I’m waiting for the one prompt Windows 11 replacement “.
The reason for this is just take a moment to consider the average OS. There are thousands of drivers, libraries scripts and supporting software that goes into the making of a large scale software ecosystem.
Having AI create a micro-webapp, is a fishbowl environment. It’s relatively small in scope and scale and very limited in the overall interactions compared with other platforms.
Since AI can falsify and even get simple math wrong, do you truly want to trust it for a major company infrastructure long term? If so, be prepared to have a lifelong programmer with legacy skills come out to fix it.
It’s like the plumber who comes out to fix the furnace that’s been in place for 50 years. Old school knowledge can sometimes be more useful than new technology.
PhntmBRZK@reddit
What is up with people englarging a statement like the one I made into omg all softwares deva area dead. I litrally said writing good prompts. That's is not one prompt that is writing one good prompt with good embedding every few steps. As context increase accuracy decrease so you don't use one prompt to make everything. This comments are litrally fighting air and making claims I didn't make. Prompting still needs deva to use good keywords and understanding how ai works.
dwoodro@reddit
Prompting is not programming.
You claimed “future work will be done by AI, Especially the writing code part”.
Prompting is telling a “programmatic system” what you want and leaving it open to interpretation.
Don’t forget that the AI itself is a program, written by humans, with human controlled environments and conditions.
The AI has to effectively guess what you want. Even if you explain it is great detail. And yes I know and use AI extensively for some things. Which is why I am quite aware of the separation.
It’s also not about “how good” the prompt is. There have been numerous studies done to show AI will falsify information that it thinks you want. Something g a programmer would not need to do.
I’ve been coding since 1985. No amount of AI prompts have shown me that AI can out code actual coders.
It can code faster, but that code still needs review, clarification, tweaking and in some cases takes more time than coding it in the first place
PhntmBRZK@reddit
That line some cases are worth it for the speed it provides - that's the whole point. You are still fighting the argument ai will replace programmer and I am saying no to that. If you know what embedding is, you would know why precise prompting is needed. I don't think you are good at using ai prompting. Understanding how ai works instead of quoting studies you don't have any detail about is your way of resolution. No offense but age does effect adaptation for a majority part of the population. So you are making your claim worse. Prompting is like piloting a ship.
Developers will write less code, but they won’t disappear. The job shifts from typing implementation to directing systems.
dwoodro@reddit
Let’s clear up your assumptions:
Speed vs accuracy: this does not apply to all domains. I don’t care how fast AI can update a production database if the information is inaccurate.
You have no idea what I do or do not use AI for, so “saying I don’t understand prompting” is clearly a fallacy on your part.
You have no knowledge of my skills set, my education or my experience.
Why bring age into the conversation? Being young does not give any advantage on intelligence or adaptation to technology.
It does however give an advantage on wisdom. Time and experience give those that have both insight into things that youth often overlook.
I understand how AI works and do not defend it blindly because I have spent three full years using at daily. Even made top 3% overall usage for 2025 as an individual.
I understand the limitations of the technology of AI. I read the studies, learn what it can and cannot do, and work within its limitations to produce the results I need it to.
I never made any claims. I did however give you your words back to you.
If you mean my assertion that “AI” will not replace everyone, that’s not a claim. It’s a factual reality.
While AI can do coding. There will be many coders who are not going to use it. There have already been cases where AI has been shown to be flawed. You seem unwilling to admit that AI is not a perfect solution.
As for directing systems, perhaps. But the point still exists just because a new technology is implemented does not mean that everyone will use that technology. Not every contractor building a house uses power hammers. Not every horse and buggy disappeared after the invention of the automobile.
AI has a long way to go before it can be fully trusted to produce large scale, accurate code.
NationsAnarchy@reddit
The last sentence is the key information, btw
grantrules@reddit
The question is: Who's hiring a freelancer with no previous experience, references, portfolio..
Mister_Kister@reddit
Regarding the plumber one; Yeah. I mean, I do my own plumbing (it's not difficult) but if I wouldn't know, I'd hire someone for a lower price if they#re new to the field if I don't want to pay big bucks for a real pro. I've done this actually. I hired a guy to do some welding for me. He's not a professional welder, he just did a course and was looking for projects, and I didn't want to pay big bucks for a straight forward project. I hired him, he messed up, did it again, and after a few tries we got there. He got experience, I got my result. Everyone was happy and got what they deserved.
I do get your point, but your example lags behind.
eruciform@reddit
something that you love enough to find a way to make it work while dodging the hail of fire from industry shifts and AI regardless of what may come (just like the rest of us)
Due_Lock_4967@reddit
A lot of people jump straight to coding because they hear it pays well, but honestly the beginner freelance space there is insanely crowded now.
Stuff like basic website builds, simple branding, social media graphics, even cleaning up PowerPoints for businesses still pops up all the time. Small local businesses especially.
The catch is the same though. Clients mostly want proof you can actually do it. A few solid sample projects or a small portfolio goes a long way.
aqua_regis@reddit
The exact two domains you describe are the most saturated ones.
Yes, they are in demand, but hopelessly overrun since everybody and their grandmother ventures in these directions.
There is no quick money in these directions anymore.
Also, freelancing as a beginner is an illusion. Nobody wants to hire someone who learns via a contract. They expect an experienced person to fulfill their contract without problems, which a beginner/early learner without professional, inhouse experience, by definition, cannot have.
If you go into freelancing from zero you are bound to fail.
Major-Management-518@reddit
And if you live somewhere in the west, don't forget that you have the whole eastern world you're competing with, and they will do anything you can do for much much cheaper. You don't need much money to live comfortably in India, Pakistan, eastern Russia compared to the US or UK, or any other western country in Europe.
k_sai_krishna@reddit
If you’re unsure, try building small projects in each area for a week or two and see which one you enjoy more. Some people also experiment with automation tools like Runable while learning, just to speed up small workflows or testing ideas. Most people figure out their direction by building things rather than deciding purely in theory.
js_learning@reddit
From my experience, web development is the easiest place to start for freelancing.
There’s always demand for websites, landing pages, small fixes, etc.
A good path is HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and later something like React or Node.js.
That’s how many people get their first projects.