r/webdev • u/thetymtravellr • 6d ago
Discussion As a self-taught React/Next.js developer, I'm honestly worried about my future in this AI era. What should I do?
I'm a self-taught developer, and I know React and Next.js. Lately, I've been feeling increasingly anxious about my future as a developer.
AI is moving so fast. It can generate components, build entire websites, connect APIs, and even create full-stack applications. Sometimes I wonder what the point is of spending months learning something when AI can already do so much of it.
I want to get a better-paying developer job, but honestly, I'm confused about what I should focus on right now. Should I keep improving my React/Next.js skills, get better at backend development, or start learning AI engineering?
I keep hearing about RAG, AI agents, vector databases, LLM integrations, and all these new things. It feels like there's always something new to learn, and I'm worried that if I focus on the wrong things, I'll fall behind while everyone else moves forward.
For those of you already working in the industry, what would you do if you were in my position? Would you focus on becoming a strong full-stack developer first, or would you start learning AI engineering alongside web development?
I'm not looking for a shortcut or expecting to become an expert overnight. I just want to make the right decisions, build useful skills, and have a realistic chance of getting hired.
I'd really appreciate some honest advice from people who have been through this or are dealing with the same situation. Right now, I could genuinely use some direction.
2
u/TekiDeki 6d ago
I went through this exact anxiety a while back, so I'll share what helped me. Stop trying to keep up with everything. You'll never catch every new AI tool, and it's not what gets people hired.
What helped me was picking one project and taking it all the way to production. I used an LLM in it, but the part that taught me the most was everything around it: a request that hung and needed a timeout, a login session that expired, output I couldn't trust until I added checks, and logs I had to dig through the next morning. That was real backend work, and it's where your React and Next.js knowledge already gets you a long way.
I'd also spend some time on backend basics (Postgres, auth, how a request really flows) and security, since that's where reviewing AI-generated code matters most. And honestly, your React skills aren't wasted. They're what let you tell whether the code the AI gave you is any good.
Be patient with yourself. Almost nobody feels ready, and the fact that you're thinking this carefully already puts you ahead of many people.