Dynamic

Side Projects vs Freelance Work

Developers should engage in side projects to gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, experiment with ideas without workplace constraints, and showcase their abilities to potential employers meets developers should consider freelance work when seeking autonomy, flexibility in work hours and location, or opportunities to diversify their skill set through varied projects. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Side Projects

Developers should engage in side projects to gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, experiment with ideas without workplace constraints, and showcase their abilities to potential employers

Side Projects

Nice Pick

Developers should engage in side projects to gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, experiment with ideas without workplace constraints, and showcase their abilities to potential employers

Pros

  • +They are particularly valuable for learning new programming languages, frameworks, or tools, building a public portfolio for job applications, and solving niche problems that interest the developer personally
  • +Related to: portfolio-development, self-directed-learning

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Freelance Work

Developers should consider freelance work when seeking autonomy, flexibility in work hours and location, or opportunities to diversify their skill set through varied projects

Pros

  • +It is particularly useful for those looking to build a personal brand, gain experience in multiple domains, or supplement income alongside other roles
  • +Related to: project-management, client-communication

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Side Projects if: You want they are particularly valuable for learning new programming languages, frameworks, or tools, building a public portfolio for job applications, and solving niche problems that interest the developer personally and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Freelance Work if: You prioritize it is particularly useful for those looking to build a personal brand, gain experience in multiple domains, or supplement income alongside other roles over what Side Projects offers.

🧊
The Bottom Line
Side Projects wins

Developers should engage in side projects to gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, experiment with ideas without workplace constraints, and showcase their abilities to potential employers

Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev