Mawiwi.de

The reason I learned to code

Mawiwi.de was a website that helped students prepare for the math exam, specifically at the University at Münster. It helped more than 2000 students pass the exam, and I started it in late 2019 during my third semester at the university.

I uploaded explainer videos, exercises, and interactive mock exams on the website. I sold the access for 10-25€ per student per semester.

This website was the reason I learned to code (more here) and the inspiration to start Studymaniac.

How I built it

As a total beginner in coding, I used WordPress to create the website. Using WordPress allowed me to replace every functionality with my code gradually. This way, I learned a lot about PHP and JavaScript. And about the pains of working without frameworks.

In retrospect, I believe that being stuck with jQuery and vanilla PHP allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying technologies and better understand frameworks like React Javascript and Laravel for PHP, as well as their benefits and drawbacks.

Design

For the design, I initially used Elementor, a popular WordPress plugin for building good-looking websites (mawiwi.de was still pretty ugly, though). Later, I replaced it with my own theme, which I paid 90€ for on Fiverr to avoid paying a monthly fee for Elementor.

My first plugin

The students in Münster have to take their math exam on a PC. Being able only to provide final solutions is relatively uncommon and poses a significant challenge for students. I wanted to create a way for students to practice on a PC. Therefore, I made a plugin that allowed students to simulate the exam situation. After I released this feature on mawiwi.de, sales exploded.

Later plugins

Gradually, I replaced most plugins with my code. This allowed me to create a lot of features that I couldn't find in any plugin and tailor them precisely to my use case. Additionally, I improved at coding.

My final thoughts

This website caused me to lose my job as a tutor at university (story here). But I created the best job for me as a student that I could have ever thought of!

More than 50% of every business student in Münster purchases access to my course to this day. Dozens have approached me in person to thank me for helping them pass the exam. I have received countless emails from students telling me how much they appreciated the course. I could earn around 8-12k€ per semester with extremely little work hours once the course was complete. This project was amazing!

Techstack

• WordPress
• PHP for a lot of custom plugins
• jQuery