Hi,

I’m currently 15 (turning 16 soon), and I’ve decided to pursue backend development as a self-taught path.

I started learning HTML and CSS last year when I thought I wanted to become a full-stack developer, but I realized I’m more interested in backend development. After that, I moved on to JavaScript.

So far, I have learned:

• Variables, booleans, if statements, functions, objects
• Arrays and loops
• Basic DOM manipulation
• Modules

I also just finished my first full frontend project (a small web app called College Launchpad), which helped me apply these concepts in a more practical way. Link will be in the first comment.

My current roadmap

• Finish JavaScript concepts(async/await, fetch API, local storage, etc)
• Learn Node.js and Express
• Learn Databases(likely PostgreSQL)
• Build backend/full-stack projects
• Learn Java + Spring Boot
• Rebuild some projects using Java/Spring Boot

Why Java

I also want to learn Java because after high school I’m interested in applying for programs like the JPMorgan Chase Emerging Talent Experience Program, and I’ve heard Java/Spring Boot is commonly used in enterprise environments.

My question

• Am I learning in the right order?
• Is there anything important I should focus on earlier or avoid?
• Is it a good idea to learn Java/Spring Boot after Node.js, or should I go deeper into JavaScript first?

Any feedback or criticism is appreciated. I’m mainly trying to make sure I’m building good foundations and not missing anything important.