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13 changes: 3 additions & 10 deletions fastn.com/book/01-getting-started/00-getting-started.ftd
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-- ds.page: Getting Started 🚧

Welcome to your journey to programming! In this chapter I will explains how to
install `fastn`, how to write a "hello world" program, how to publish it on
the web.

While we are learning programming from scratch, we would be learning best
practices from day one. Which means from day one we will use terminal, we will
use proper programming editor, and we will store our source code in a version
control system and finally we will deploy the hello world program on the web for
others to view.
Welcome to your journey to programming! In this chapter I teach you how to
write your first `fastn` program, how to publish it on the web.

-- ds.h1: Next Step

Let's start with looking at [what is Github? ->](/book/github/)
Let's start with looking at [what is FifthTry? ->](/book/fifthtry/)

-- end: ds.page
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17 changes: 9 additions & 8 deletions fastn.com/book/2-preface.ftd
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Expand Up @@ -22,16 +22,17 @@ from Dojo to many JavaScript frameworks, and eventually to Elm.
But while Rust and Elm are much closer to my dream experience for programming,
neither are really good for beginners. Not if you are starting from scratch, if
you have no programming experience. My dream was, not just a book to teach
programming from scratch, but also, and unlike many books targeted towards
beginners, to bring people to where I am after years of experience. A book that
not only I give to beginners, but someone who will work with me on my next
project.
programming from scratch, but also, and unlike many books that are targeted
towards beginners, I want a book that bring people to where I am after years of
experience. A book that not only I give to beginners, but someone who will work
with me on my next project.

I love building stuff. You can call me a maker. Some of those stuff has become
startups, but my real interest in building stuff. Not to be used by millions,
but by me. And I am looking for collaborators. I want to make stuff with like
minded people. A lot of my ideas are software stuff. May the projects would be
hobby, or maybe they would be for the next company I am hiring for.
minded people. A lot of my ideas are software stuff. Maybe the projects would be
just a hobby project, or maybe they would be for the next company I am hiring
for.

I was trying to write those books so it can become a baseline for me to
collaborate with people. For us to work together we have to use similar tools
Expand All @@ -41,12 +42,12 @@ and maybe one on frontend, and if you liked those stuff we can work together.
So here is my next attempt at that. This time I am not writing a book on Python
and Dojo, which would be technologies I would reject and move on to others. This
would also not be about Rust and Elm which I moved on to. I feel they do not do
the job either. This is a book on `ftd` a language I designed after learning
the job either. This is a book on `fastn` a language I designed after learning
from them, after why I feel they lack, why they are not really very accessible
to new comers, why they are hard to master, to learn how to do the right thing
without having years of experience.

I built `ftd` to be easy. And yet to be able to the backbone of next startup I
I built `fastn` to be easy. And yet to be able to the backbone of next startup I
build. A language and a framework which cuts everything out that I feel make
things hard for someone who is new to programming. And also a language and
framework that takes care of the best practices from day one, so we can build
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76 changes: 37 additions & 39 deletions fastn.com/book/3-intro.ftd
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Expand Up @@ -2,9 +2,9 @@

-- ds.page: Introduction

Welcome to *The Book Of `fastn` and `ftd`*, an introductory book about `fastn`
and `ftd`. `fastn` is software stack that helps you create web-applications and
build websites with ease.
Welcome to *The Book Of `fastn`, an introductory book about `fastn`. `fastn` is
software stack that helps you create web-applications and build websites
with ease.

Learning a programming language from scratch, and building full stack web
applications or websites, deploying them is not an easy task. Programming is
Expand All @@ -18,15 +18,14 @@ learning. They are not even designed for building UI or web applications. To
build a full stack application, that is easy to maintain, is months or years of
learning.

`fastn` and `ftd` aim to make it easy. They are designed so a person with zero
prior programming experience can create and deploy their first website or
`fastn` aims to make this easy. They are designed so a person with zero prior
programming experience can create and deploy their first website or
web-application within a few hours of learning, and yet remain maintainable for
a large web project.

`fastn` and `ftd` for the next billion programmers. We believe ability to
program, to build an application that helps you improve your life, should not be
limited to software professionals, and software companies, but for people at
large.
`fastn` for the next billion programmers. We believe ability to program, to
build an application that helps you improve your life, should not be limited to
software professionals, and software companies, but for people at large.

Consider spreadsheet applications, they are used by the masses. The formula
language in spreadsheet applications are easy to learn, you improve your life
Expand All @@ -39,27 +38,27 @@ In just a min, you can learn this, and your life is improved. Once you learn
the formula language, you can keep learning incrementally to keep improving
your life.

`fastn` and `ftd` let's you do the same, learn a very little, and start getting
small benefits, and learn more to get larger benefits. Compare that with the
experience with Python, one of the fastest growing languages, which is considered
easy today. The hello world program in Python is easy but unfortunately does not
let you benefit your life must. Or rather, you can benefit a little bit, but as
soon as you want to move to a little bit more, say want to show a UI, you have
to suddenly learn a lot more. The learning from `print("hello world")` to
`import django` and "just use React or jQuery" is not an easy journey and most
people fail to cross it unless they have decided to devote serious efforts in
programming.
`fastn` let's you do the same, learn a very little, and start getting small
benefits, and learn more to get larger benefits. Compare that with the
experience with Python, one of the fastest growing languages, which is
considered easy today. The hello world program in Python is easy but
unfortunately does not let you benefit your life must. Or rather, you can
benefit a little bit, but as soon as you want to move to a little bit more, say
want to show a UI, you have to suddenly learn a lot more. The learning from
`print("hello world")` to `import django` and "just use React or jQuery" is not
an easy journey and most people fail to cross it unless they have decided to
devote serious efforts in programming.

-- ds.h1: Who `fastn` and `ftd` are for?
-- ds.h1: Who is `fastn` for?

`fastn` and `ftd` are ideal for many people for a variety of reasons. Let's look
at few of the most important groups.
`fastn` is ideal for many people for a variety of reasons. Let's look at few of
the most important groups.

-- ds.h2: 🚧 `fastn` And `ftd` Are Under Active Development! 🚧
-- ds.h2: 🚧 `fastn` Is Under Active Development! 🚧

Before you proceed please keep in mind that both the technology, and this book
are in active development. Some teams are using `fastn`, `ftd` in production,
but it is not ready for prime time.
are in active development. Few teams are using `fastn` in production, but it is
not ready for prime time.

We recommend you use `fastn` and this book for learning purpose only, and wait
for a more stable release from us before using it in production. If you want to
Expand All @@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ pages without added developers to the loop.

-- ds.h2: Developers

Backend developers can use `fastn` and `ftd` to build user interfaces for their
Backend developers can use `fastn` to build user interfaces for their
dashboards, APIs etc. They can use `fastn` for their blogs, resume, knowledge
bases etc.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -113,26 +112,25 @@ authentication, access control, dark mode support, clean URLs, etc.
Startups, like marketing teams have to create a landing page, pricing page,
knowledge base pages, documentation pages and so on. Startups can easily adopt
and customise ready made designs made available by increasing community of
`ftd` developers and designers.
`fastn` developers and designers.

Startups can chose to use `fastn` and `ftd` for their main product user
interface as well.
Startups can chose to use `fastn` for their main product user interface as well.

-- ds.h2: Open Source Developers

Most open source project needs a website, documentation pages, blog etc.
`fastn` and `ftd` can be used to build such user interfaces as `fastn`, `ftd`
are easier to learn, are content focused.
`fastn` can be used to build such user interfaces as `fastn` is easier to learn,
are content focused.

-- ds.h2: Non Software Professionals Up-skilling
-- ds.h2: Non Software Professionals Up-Skilling

A lot of people can benefit by learning how to make quick web pages and mini
web apps. If you do data munging in Excel, you can easily convert them to `fastn`,
use our increasing component libraries to quickly create web pages and apps
based on that Excel data.
web apps. If you do data munging in Excel, you can easily convert them to
`fastn`, use our increasing component libraries to quickly create web pages and
apps based on that Excel data.

Programming allows one to express ideas that are hard to do in drag and drop
softwares. Open source means one can do that at home without having to buy
software. Open source means one can do that at home without having to buy
expensive software if they are out of job.

-- ds.h2: Students
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -170,9 +168,9 @@ might not delve into details on a particular topic but will revisit the topic
in a later chapter.

You’ll find two kinds of chapters in this book: concept chapters and project
chapters. In concept chapters, you’ll learn about an aspect of `fastn`, `ftd`
and even programming in general. In project chapters, we’ll build small programs
together, applying what you’ve learned so far.
chapters. In concept chapters, you’ll learn about an aspect of `fastn` and even
programming in general. In project chapters, we’ll build small programs
together, applying what you’ve learned so far.

Chapter 1 explains how to install `fastn`, how to write a "hello world" program,
how to publish it on the web. Chapter 2 is a hands-on introduction to writing
Expand Down

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