For a beginner (and self-starting), I recommend some animations that involve math. There are several javascript libraries like konva.js or paper.js or even d3.

For a beginner (and self-starting), I recommend some animations that involve math. There are several javascript libraries like konva.js or paper.js or even d3. They can get you started immediately. You can animate for instance how cycloids are drawn. Or something like a ball bounce. For the better part of these kind of exercises, you will mostly deal with APIs. (APIs that allow people to draw stuff on html5 canvas). Its APIs all the way. And that should be your expectation moving forward. When it comes to professional programming, i.e. writing maintainable software - it boils down to a lot of good habits, like organization, commenting, structuring your code, reusability, design patterns, etc. But there is no real roadmap that would lead you here. Perhaps you have to write all kinds of software - servers, daemons, gui apps, etc. One advice, is that when you write code, and you happen to read it again, say, five years down the line, you must be able to grasp what mess you had originally written. Often, it might not be you doing this; but just think how quickly can someone grasp what you have written. I think that is the nirvana or the higher goal you should try to achieve in professional coding. Of course, there are many suggestions here. Opensource for e.g. Just try your hand. Kubernetes, Docker, etc they are technologies that deal with how software is deployed. They influence how we write certain software, but as such not meant to teach you how to code.