Devlog #4

Time logged: 19 minutes
Mission: Deploy the app
Rality: Deploy the app, break the app, fix the app, question reality

The Great Deployment Adventure

Today I decided my Notes App deserved to leave the cozy safety of Codespaces and enter the real world.

This was a mistake.

At first, everything seemed fine:

• Backend deployed
• Frontend deployed
• Confidence deployed

Then the app hit me with:

“Could not connect to the notes server.”

Wonderful.

The Mystery of the Missing Notes

The backend insisted it was alive.

I visited:

/api/notes

And it proudly responded:

[]

Which is programmer for:

“Yes, I’m working. No, I have no friends.”

At least I knew the server wasn’t dead.

The Deployment Detective Arc

I spent the next few minutes playing detective.

Questions included:

• Is the backend running?
• Is the frontend running?
• Is the API URL correct?
• Have I offended the internet somehow?

After sufficient poking, prodding, and staring at logs, I discovered the issue wasn’t total disaster.

For once.

Render vs. SQLite

Render and SQLite had a brief disagreement.

Render:

“Please start.”

SQLite:

“No.”

Eventually they came to an understanding.

Mostly.

Final Thoughts

In just 19 minutes:

• I deployed a backend
• I deployed a frontend
• I convinced a database to cooperate
• I learned that [] can be emotionally reassuring
• I received several error messages with amazing confidence

Devlog #3

Time logged: 26 minutes
Main enemy: 404 Not Found

The Great Demo Page Construction

Today’s coding session wasn’t about React, Express, or SQLite.
It was about something far more heroic:

Making a demo page so my project stops returning a 404.

I created a docs/ folder, dropped an index.html inside, and suddenly felt like a front-end engineer from 2012.
Pure HTML.
No frameworks.
Just vibes.

The “Why Does Ship Hate My Demo Link?” Arc

The moment I realized Ship requires a public demo link, not a Codespaces URL that only works when I’m awake and the stars align, I knew what had to be done.

So I built a whole mini-website:

• Title
• Description
• Features
• Screenshot placeholder
• Buttons
• Instructions

The HTML Shenanigans

I wrote CSS like a person who has seen too much:

• centered text
• rounded screenshots
• blue buttons
• margins that actually look normal

It’s not fancy, but it works.
And most importantly:

It does not 404.

Final Thoughts

In just 26 minutes:

• I defeated the 404 monster
• I created a demo page that actually loads
• I made GitHub Pages happy
• And now Ship will (maybe?) accept my project

Honestly?
A surprisingly productive micro-session.

Devlog #2

Time logged: 2h 16m
Emotional damage: minimal
Coffee consumed: classified
Bugs defeated: several
Bugs created: also several

The Great Construction Phase

I opened the project like a surgeon preparing for an operation.
Except instead of scalpels, I had:

• React components
• Express routes
• And a database that behaves like a moody houseplant

Folders appeared.
Files multiplied.
Imports broke.
Imports were fixed.
I felt powerful.

The “Why Is This Not Working?” Arc

At some point, I wrote code so elegant it should’ve been framed.
Then I ran it.

It immediately threw an error.
Classic.

I spent a solid 14 minutes staring at the screen like:

“Explain yourself.”

Eventually, I found the problems.
Victory tasted sweet.

The Backend Awakens

Express booted up like a sleepy dragon.
SQLite whispered:

“I’m small… but I will store your deepest secrets.”

Endpoints were created:

• GET /notes - for reading your questionable ideas
• POST /notes - for adding new questionable ideas
• DELETE /notes - for removing the really questionable ones

Everything worked.
Until it didn’t.
Then it worked again.
I don’t question it anymore.

Frontend Chaos (React Edition)

I built components like a lego master:

• NoteList - where your thoughts go to hang out
• NoteEditor - where new chaos is born
• SearchBar - because sometimes you forget what chaos you wrote

React was cooperative today.
Mostly.
Except when it wasn’t.
But we don’t talk about that.

The Legendary “Why Won’t You Connect?” Saga

Frontend and backend behaved like two siblings forced to share a room.

Frontend:

“I can’t find the server.”

Backend:

“I’m literally right here.”

Me:

“Both of you, stop.”

Eventually, they made peace.
The API worked.
I celebrated by saving a note titled “IT WORKS!!!”

Final Thoughts

After 2 hours and 16 minutes:

• The app runs
• The notes save
• The database behaves
• The components render
• And I only threatened to delete the whole project twice

Honestly?
A successful dev session.

Devlog

Full-Stack Notes App (React + Express + SQLite)

Project Structure Appears

I created folders so organized they could win a beauty pageant.
Backend, frontend, devcontainer - the holy trinity.
If Marie Kondo saw this repo, she’d shed a single joyful tear.

Devcontainer Magic

I wrote a devcontainer that installs everything automatically.
It’s basically a tiny robot that whispers:

“Don’t worry, Paula… I got you.”

Backend Time

I built an Express API so simple it could run on a potato.
SQLite joined the party because it requires zero setup and has strong “I’m small but mighty” energy.

Endpoints:

• GET notes
• POST notes
• DELETE notes
  Basically: CRUD, but make it cute.

Frontend Shenanigans

React + Vite.
Components everywhere.
I made:

• NoteList (aka “the list of your questionable ideas”)
• NoteEditor (where chaos is born)
• SearchBar (for when you forget what chaos you wrote)