How to manage large projects?

[warlord902]

I never worked in any company or organization, so you people can guess I do not have much idea.

I am working on a quite big project of a website alone using Java/J2ee. As I am working alone so I am working on all the things at a time. Sometimes working on UI then with databases and then working with core functionality of the website. And each of these also have several modules which are in development simultaneously. Now with each day the amount of code and number of source files is increasing and day after day I am feeling like more troubled in managing everything, I can't remember exactly what I was thinking yesterday, what and where I have left incomplete etc. Plus with the increasing number of source files the complexity with remembering everything is increasing tremendously.

I am using Netbeans IDE for development. Can you guys spare some tips to manage such projects in a better way, any tools that can come handy or any techniques or anything.

[Ancient Dragon]

Use a version control program , some are free while others are not.

[stultuske]

and you may as well consider some time management.
if you have a deadline, a lot of your stressy reactions may come of you worrying whether or not you'll be able to meet that deadline.

draw lines for yourself: what is the most important? what is the most difficult? what is the easiest way to 'show' your employer you are making progress?

it's a bad idea trying to do it all at the same time. start with the back-end, with some mock classes to test your classes and methods. sure, it may look like you're not making progress for someone who isn't really paying attention, but when you start with your GUI, it' ll look as if you've finished everything in a matter of days.

AncientDragon's advise to use a version control system is a golden tip, I would take it if I were you :)
also, make sure you give your packages logical names, that may help you navigate faster/easier between classes. I can assure you, if you enter in a project where a package name is something like 'brkv', it'll take a while before you know where to find everything.

[warlord902]

As I already mentioned that I am working alone on this project, so I don't think that using subversion is going to give any help unless atleast one more person is involved in it.Although I am still using svn for UI of it in case anyone else also get involved in it.

I don't have a very specific deadline but want it to get done as soon as possible that is the reason why I am working on all things simultaneously just to feel like I am getting some progress. Ok so working with back end is the first thing that should be done.

Yes I am using meaningful package names to keep it well organized.

Thanks for these tips. Something more that can be helpful, that large organizations deploy for each programmer to make his work easier?

[Ancient Dragon]

We used Visual Studio where I worked which did a great job of organizing large projects that contained several related executable programs, libraries and dlls (all called a "solution"). You can set up dependencies so that when you ask VS to build the entire solution (meaning compile all libraries, dlls, and executables in the solution) the IDE will know when to bild what and in what order they need to be compiled.

[adam_k]

I think it's wrong to work everything together without a clear plan and a timetable. Usually this means that you'll be going back and forth.
I'd suggest you invest on some planning and then setting a target date. Find a gantt chart (in excel will do, you don't need MS Project or something) and set dates for each part of your project (don't count on miracles, plan bassed on estimated time instead and allow a couple of days here and there as buffer).
You'll get the feeling of progressing, but now with actual track of your progress and with knowledge if you are on time or not. And will start working everyday with a clear picture on your mind, not worrying for stuff that you shouldn't care yet or wondering what you left unfinished.

[stultuske]

As I already mentioned that I am working alone on this project, so I don't think that using subversion is going to give any help unless atleast one more person is involved in it.Although I am still using svn for UI of it in case anyone else also get involved in it.

wrong thinking...
what if you decide to change something quite radical, in theory the invention of 'wheel 2.0', but in practice, turns out not to work at all. do you want to look over every line of code that you (may) have altered rolling back, or do you just want to 'click> replace by previous version'? it'll save you a lot of time, and it ensures certain versions to which you can return.I don't have a very specific deadline but want it to get done as soon as possible that is the reason why I am working on all things simultaneously just to feel like I am getting some progress. Ok so working with back end is the first thing that should be done.
without your back-end, your front end doesn't work, it's a pretty box with nothing in it.
the most of your functionality, so also the most of your difficult work is in the back end. doing all together doesn't mean you proceed faster, it just looks that way, it just means you are never completely focused on a single task.

[peter_budo]

I will put it in few bullets:planning
coding
testing
version control
evaluating