I Quit React Development - JavaScript Fatigue and Burnout

I burnt out, quit my job and can’t stand the thought of jumping into another Front End codebase that isn’t my own. I was a React developer for three years working at international companies and unfortunately, succumbed to burnout.

Expert from my article
'A key aspect why I disliked my role so much, was that it was primarily bug fixing with very little feature development. A builder does not become a builder to fix other builder's houses. While it's extremely valuable to have the skill to do so, it's not what keeps you happy.

When I realised I was burning out, I:
Attempted to address internal issues - these were not resolved.
Requested to move teams - this was not possible.
Interviewed at other companies - I received a couple of job offers but ultimately decided I had had enough of front end and decided to take a step back from React.

I didn't solve my burnout by quitting, albeit removing myself from a bad environment was an important part of this. I took a month off to reflect on my career, mental health and what would ultimately make me happy. Building forms for a living and fixing other people's bugs was not conducive to this. I still enjoy the power of programming, the lifestyle it offers and the technical challenges it presents. I'll continue to program but in a more 'stable' ecosystem.'

In the article i've also linked to a few articles around burnout as a software developer as well as JavaScript fatigue - which is seemingly prevalent within the front end or React community.

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Articles
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Medium article that summaries everything
  / how-front-end-development-broke-me  

Smashing Magazine - front end fatigue
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016...

What it's like to learn JavaScript in 2016
https://medium.com/hackernoon/how-it-...

Also available on my website:
https://www.mattkander.com/post/how-f...

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#softwareengineer #programming #burnout #softwaredeveloperburnout #javascriptfatigue