Shipping a WordPress CRM taught Shirajul Islam Shakur that building software people rely on is a different kind of learning from completing a tutorial. In his account, the work meant fitting a React application into WordPress admin, extending conventions used by related plugins, managing state without competing sources of truth, and designing tools for AI assistants as well as people. The lessons are his retrospective, not an independent audit of Bit CRM.
What does shipping software teach you that tutorials do not?
A tutorial can teach a framework or technique in a controlled setting. Shakur describes shipping Bit CRM as a less controlled learning environment: the software had to work within a host platform, coexist with other code, and remain useful to people beyond its developer. Those conditions made decisions about compatibility, data flow, and maintenance part of development rather than distractions from it.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
That does not make tutorial projects pointless. They provide a place to practice. His distinction is that a project with actual users makes the consequences of design choices visible: unclear naming, brittle integrations, or neglected upkeep affect someone besides the person writing the code.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
How do you build a React application inside WordPress admin?
Shakur’s account starts with a practical constraint: the application does not run on a blank page. It runs inside WordPress admin, where WordPress styles and scripts from other plugins may already be present, and users bring established expectations about how the environment behaves. He says the challenge was to build well in the environment that existed, rather than treating its constraints as defects to remove.
#1 Best Overall
- NEVER FORGET YOUR PASSWORDS AGAIN - Store your passwords & online login details safely in this password notebook. Quick & easy to use, you'll never have to reset forgotten passwords again.
- ALPHABETICAL A-Z TABS - Password book with alphabetical tab system for easy to record the passwords you need
- LOADS OF SPACE FOR MULTIPLE LOGINS - The password journal with 128 pages total, 3 entries per page. The Logbook also has space to write 2 pages important data,2 internet service provider, 2 pages wireless & email settings, 2 pages software license information & 5 pages notes
- HIGH QUALITY & MEASURE - The password keeper book is used to high quality 120gsm pure white acid-free paper that won't bleed through.Password notebook size of 4.5" x 6.2". Pick the size best suited for your needs!
- CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD REGULARLY - New password? No Problem! Keep your account safe by updating your password frequently, Password books for seniors, Each website has 4 password lines, and you can easily update your new password
That shifts the developer’s task. Besides implementing the interface, a developer has to understand which behavior belongs to the application and which belongs to the host, and avoid assuming that the application controls every part of the page. Shakur presents this as a lesson in working with a platform’s boundaries, not as a claim that every inherited constraint is ideal.
Why understand existing conventions before extending a system?
Shakur says Bit CRM needed to integrate with Bit Form, Bit Flows, and Bit Integrations, which already had users and established data flows. His approach was to understand how those systems worked and extend their conventions rather than introduce a preferred design without regard to the surrounding software.
The broader maintenance lesson is to inspect a system before changing it. Existing conventions can encode compatibility expectations and user workflows, so an extension that ignores them may create friction. That is not a reason to preserve every old decision automatically; it is a reason to learn what a convention does before replacing it.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallHow did he divide application state?
Shakur reports using TanStack Query for server state backed by the database and Zustand for interface state that existed only in the browser. In the application he describes, that distinction kept persisted CRM records separate from temporary choices in the current screen.
| State category | Examples in Shakur’s account | Approach he reports |
|---|---|---|
| Database-backed server state | Deals, invoices, contacts, and activities | TanStack Query |
| Browser-only interface state | Open modals, filters, and in-progress form input | Zustand |
He says the CRM included a dashboard, client portal, invoice module, calendar, and an activity system for tasks, meetings, and calls. His stated reason for separating state categories was to avoid competing sources of truth—for example, keeping persisted records distinct from a temporary form edit. This is his description of the implementation; it has not been independently verified through code inspection or testing.
What changes when tools are designed for AI assistants?
Shakur also reports working on an MCP server and a built-in AI assistant intended to let the CRM be driven through tools such as Claude and ChatGPT. He says this work highlighted the need for precise tool names and arguments and useful error messages.
Rank #4
- ORGANIZE AND TRACK YOUR READING - This reading journal allows you to easily track and review every book you read, including the title, author, genre, your thoughts ideas, and opinions.
- FEATURES - Book journal holds up to 75 book reviews, plenty of room for ideas and quotes, prompted questions that can be used as book club guides. You can keep all your reading notes in one place.Write your own reading wish list, keeping track of books you've borrowed or lent to others.
- SUPERIOR QUALITY - Book review journal with sturdy and flexible cover to protect the inner pages well. 100gsm white premium acid-free thick paper to reduce ink leakage, erase fraying and shade issues.
- SUITABLE SIZE - The reading tracker journal size of 5.8" x 8.3". It's easy to carry and has large enough writing space to help you plan and organize your read. This reading journal will easily withstand every time use.
- PERFECT FOR BOOK LOVERS - Whether you're an avid reader or just starting out, our book journal is the ideal gift for book lovers. This is a perfect tool to help you track your reading progress. With a feature like the Reading Wish list, you'll know which books to add to your collection.
His reasoning is that a person using a visual interface can draw on surrounding context, while a model calling a tool needs the tool definition and response to make the intended action clear. Ambiguous names or errors leave less room to recover. This is Shakur’s design lesson; his article does not establish the current availability or capabilities of Bit CRM’s AI features.
Recommended Free Tools
Why is maintenance part of the learning?
Shakur’s closing advice is to build something real users depend on and keep caring for it after the first interesting feature is finished. Initial implementation is only one part of the work: deployment, maintainability, and clear naming continue to matter once people use the software.
Best Value
His retrospective does not offer a measured comparison between tutorial projects and production software, or a universal formula for becoming a developer. It makes a more personal point: the feedback and responsibility that come with real use taught him things that a finished exercise alone could not.
Shakur’s account appears in his September 22, 2026 article on DEV Community, originally published on his site.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
