That Time I Went Viral
(and changed my life forever)
Picture this: It’s a Sunday night in 2017. I’m sitting at my laptop, less than 12 months into my career as a professional developer, working at a small digital agency where we build websites with PHP and Laravel. I’ve just finished writing what I thought was a pretty decent technical blog post, hit “publish,” shared it on Reddit, and gone to bed.
By Monday morning, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.
The blog post that changed everything was titled “I Created the Exact Same App in React and Vue.js: Here Are the Differences.” Now, I know what you’re thinking — that sounds incredibly niche. But here’s the thing that made all the difference: I had spent countless hours searching the internet for exactly this type of comparison and found absolutely nothing.
At my agency, we were using Vue.js for frontend interactivity since it came built into Laravel. But React was clearly the dominant frontend library, and I knew I needed to learn it if I wanted to future-proof my career. The problem was, there were virtually no resources online showing a direct code comparison between Vue.js and React. Every tutorial taught one or the other in isolation, but nobody was showing developers like me — who already knew one framework — how to translate that knowledge to the other.
So I did what any frustrated developer would do: I figured it out myself. But I didn’t just figure it out quietly and move on. I documented everything.
I didn’t write a quick comparison or a surface-level overview. I went completely overboard in the best possible way. I built two identical apps — one in React and one in Vue.js — and then documented every single difference in excruciating detail. I structured everything step-by-step, included extensive code examples for both frameworks, and wrote it all in the most accessible way I could manage. This was 2017, remember — no ChatGPT, no AI assistance, just me grinding through React documentation and trying to make sense of it all.
What I was really doing, though I didn’t realize it at the time, was solving a genuine problem that thousands of developers were facing. I was creating the exact resource that I desperately needed, and it turned out I wasn’t alone in needing it.
I shared the post on Reddit that Sunday night and went to sleep, not really expecting much. I mean, I was a complete nobody with barely any audience. But when I woke up Monday morning, everything had changed.
The numbers were absolutely insane. At its peak, the post was receiving 1000 views per minute. Within 48 hours, it had racked up 250,000 views. It went viral across Reddit, Twitter, and Medium simultaneously. Tech newsletters were picking it up left and right. My quiet little technical blog post had somehow struck a nerve in the entire tech community.
The reactions were intense and all over the place. On one hand, the praise was overwhelming. Developers were thanking me for creating the exact resource they’d been searching for. React developers were using it to learn Vue.js, and Vue developers were using it to understand React. People were calling it comprehensive, well-structured, and exactly what the community needed.
But then there was the other side. Remember, I was still a complete newbie with less than a year of professional experience. People were calling out my code quality, pointing out where I wasn’t following best practices, and questioning my understanding of React fundamentals. Some of the criticism was harsh, and honestly, it stung.
But here’s what I learned from that experience: the negative feedback, while painful, was incredibly valuable. Instead of letting it crush me, I used it as fuel. I went back to the article, improved sections based on the feedback, and leveled up my own React knowledge in the process. Those critics, whether they realized it or not, were helping me become a better developer and a better writer.
Something really interesting happened in the weeks and months that followed. I started noticing posts popping up with titles like “I Created the Exact Same App in Angular and React” or “I Created the Exact Same App in Svelte and Vue.” Without realizing it, I had created a content format that resonated so strongly with developers that it became a template others followed. Years later, you can still find “I Created the Exact Same App in…” posts all over the internet.
The reach of that original article was incredible. Community members translated it into more than 10 different languages because they wanted to extend its impact. People created adaptations and variations, building on the format to compare other frameworks and libraries. I had accidentally started a trend.
Most people would have celebrated the viral moment, basked in the glory for a while, and then moved on. But I saw something bigger. I saw an opportunity.
Within days of the post going viral, I had leveraged the credibility and attention to launch JavaScript in Plain English on Medium. I created it as a platform where other writers could get their content featured alongside my viral post. I built a community around accessible technical writing, and the publication started growing rapidly.
JavaScript in Plain English became something I never could have imagined. It grew to over 150,000 subscribers and became a launchpad for countless other writers who wanted to share their knowledge in an accessible way. The viral post had given me social proof and credibility that I was able to turn into something much bigger and more sustainable.
That single blog post didn’t just get me internet points or a temporary boost to my ego. It fundamentally transformed my career trajectory. I started receiving paid writing opportunities based on the credibility the viral post had established. Medium reached out about partnerships. Companies began approaching me for technical content. The post created a foundation that I was able to build on for years to come.
Eventually, JavaScript in Plain English became successful enough that I was able to transition from working for companies to working for myself. The viral post had become the launchpad for my entrepreneurial journey, though I never could have predicted that when I hit “publish” that Sunday night.
Looking back, there are definitely things I would have done differently. I was so focused on Medium and building the publication that I neglected other platforms. While I was pouring all my energy into JavaScript in Plain English, I should have been simultaneously growing on Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social channels. The viral moment gave me social proof and credibility that I could have leveraged across multiple platforms, but I put those efforts on the back burner and only started diversifying much later.
But here’s the thing about that original blog post — it was the result of a calculated risk, even though I didn’t think of it that way at the time. I had spent my personal time outside of work diving deep into React documentation, building two identical apps, documenting everything in detail, and then sharing it publicly on a Sunday night. I put in real work and then took the risk of putting it out there.
Later, I took another calculated risk when I decided to turn JavaScript in Plain English into a full-time business and leave my stable tech job. That was terrifying, but it paid off. The viral post had given me the confidence to bet on myself and my ability to create valuable content.
Years later, that blog post continues to generate opportunities. People still reach out about it. It’s become a cornerstone piece of content that keeps working for me, and JavaScript in Plain English has grown into something that supports not just me, but dozens of other writers who contribute to the publication.
The biggest lesson from this whole experience? Don’t be afraid to share your experiences, even as a beginner. Especially as a beginner. The questions you’re asking, the problems you’re solving, the connections you’re making — other people are struggling with the same things. Don’t wait until you’re an expert to start sharing. Document your journey. Write about what you’re learning right now. Someone out there needs exactly what you’re figuring out.
My viral moment wasn’t planned. It wasn’t the result of a sophisticated content strategy or marketing campaign. It was simply sharing something useful at the right time in the right place. But the real magic happened after the viral moment — in how I chose to build on that momentum and turn a single blog post into a career-changing opportunity.
What made that post resonate so strongly? I solved a real problem that many developers were experiencing. I went deep instead of staying surface-level, creating a comprehensive resource with extensive code examples and step-by-step explanations. I documented my genuine learning process, acknowledging my beginner status while still providing real value. I made it accessible, writing for developers who were in the same boat as me rather than trying to impress experts. And despite being a beginner, I put in the work to make it genuinely useful.
Your viral moment might be one calculated risk away. The question is: are you ready to take it?
Paywalls aren’t for me, so I keep all of my content free.
If you liked this, please take a moment to support my work by following me elsewhere:
