Going from an idea in your head to a working application can be an overwhelming project, especially if you've never done it before or are navigating unfamiliar technologies.

This post is aimed at those who have ideas, at least some basic programming ability, and are trying to turn all of that into a usable application. It is based on the road I took and lessons I learned en route to creating my first hobby project application - Owl.  If you've built and shipped apps yourself before or if you're trying to build an app to make money from, this probably isn't the article for you. If you're rolling up your sleeves to work on your first (or even second or third) hobby or portfolio project, especially in an unfamiliar technology, then you're in the right place.