How to start working on a freelance project?

Question

Freelance

Hello! Not so long ago I work as a freelancer and there was a real problem with organization .. Something I can’t figure out for myself how best to deal with projects. Please describe your actions after you receive the task and ftp .. That is, I'm interested in everything, from beginning to end. Maybe you write something in your favorite notebook or do some other useful actions that help in the future. I’m also interested in how good it is to make edits directly on the server (by the way, what program on Windows is better to use for this), if there, let’s say the customer just needs to change the color of the button, or is it still worth copying the project to yourself for safety?

Answer 1

1. Negotiate TK. You get logins, turnout, passwords.
2. Negotiate the term, order and channel of payment. This is also important.
3. You raise a copy of the project on your hosting / server, etc. I do not recommend using all kinds of denver. For example php behavior under liniux may differ from its behavior under windows.
4. Code, code, code.
5. Show to the customer on your server.
6. Get paid.
7. You transfer the changes to the customer. This is where the aforementioned GIT comes in handy.
Recommendations:
It is better to keep linux in the workplace. Firstly, as I wrote above, the native environment for web applications, and secondly, it will be easier to administer on vps and hosting. And you often have to administer or at least diagnose the problem. Especially on small projects.
Use a VCS like GIT.
Maintain multiple payment channels. For example, a bank card, Yandex.money, Qiwi and Webmoney.
Immediately work out schemes for transferring profits into funds available for spending.
Don't be lazy and don't be afraid.
Everyone started with small projects, everyone was thrown at least once.
Freelancing learns from mistakes. It is rare to learn from ready-made manuals and God forbid all sorts of trainings and video courses.

Answer 2

Just.
You take and work.
Understood?

Answer 3

With such questions I recommend to go to the office. Seriously. A couple of times for gouging they will kick you out and you will understand how to start work.

Answer 4

1. Getting a clear task.
2. Coordination of terms.
3. Receipt of advance payment.
4. Work on time.
5. Surrender.
6. Receipt of payment.
Since they agreed with the deadline or even set it themselves, there will be no problems within it. If so, then you don't need to freelance.
If there are problems with the estimation of time, use programs for accounting. Everything becomes clear pretty quickly.
Well, how can it be good, think for yourself? Roll back then from the backup of the hoster? And if there is one archive for a dozen sites?
There may be many options, but a copy of the "as it was" must remain anyway.
Usually I write the expiration date for such backup copies. Like "project-name-backup-delete-09-2017".

Answer 5

git init
touch .gitignore
virtualenv venv
source venv/bin/activate
touch {config,script}.py
vim

Answer 6

What prevents you from taking it yourself and writing out a plan on a piece of paper?
Everyone has their own plans

Answer 7

The question is incorrect, because too many unknown variables.
In general, it is better not to make edits directly on the server. However, if these are minor edits and improvements, for example, styles or scripts, we backup the necessary files, edit them on the server and take payment. This is if the tasks are of the order "correct something on my site, the text will fit on the pictures", etc.
If the tasks are more complicated, for example, design development, or creating a plugin, or editing a purchased template monster template, the process will be different, and often it will be different for everyone, because it will be more convenient for everyone to do it one way or another. Someone in the dropbox, someone in the github, someone upload via FTP from the localhost. And someone generally deployed CI at home.
For example, if I have small orders from regular customers, there is a customer directory on the "projects" disk, a directory for the current project is created there. The result is transmitted in a way convenient for the customer, that is, often simply by mail or uploaded to a file hosting service and again by mail. Because it is more familiar and understandable for non-IT customers to work this way. If the task takes a day or even a week, it is often inappropriate to backup and maintain version control.
Larger projects are a completely different story. There are already server backups, and version control, and distributed work, and asana. So there is no single correct answer to this question.

Answer 8

1. Knock out a task from the client. As detailed as possible.
2. Draw the attention of the client to what WILL NOT be done, what is NOT INCLUDED in the task.
3. Agree on the amount, terms, scope of work, agree on what I am responsible for, and what others are responsible for.
4. Work.

Answer 9

Just do it. You didn’t even describe what you do, how can you give advice here?