Introduction
If you’ve spent any time in the Mendix ecosystem — either as a developer, manager, or trainer — you’ve probably noticed this pattern: someone completes learning paths, reads some documentation or blogs, watches a youtube video, probably passes an exam or two… and then freezes when they need to build something real. Why? Because understanding theory isn’t the same as being able to apply it.
At The Orange Force Labs, we’ve seen firsthand how transformative it is when learning shifts from passive to practical. We’ve trained dozens of developers — from new hires with no coding experience to seasoned professionals — and the lesson is always the same: what you learn through doing sticks. What you only read often doesn’t.
In this post, I’ll share why hands-on training is essential in Mendix development, what it looks like in practice, and how you can start incorporating more of it into your learning strategy — whether you’re an individual developer or leading a team.
Theory gives you the map, practice teaches you to drive
Let’s start with the basics. Theory is essential. It gives you the language of Mendix: what a nanoflow is, how pages and entities connect, how security rules are structured. It’s like being handed a roadmap and a guidebook. But learning Mendix only through theory is like learning to drive by reading the car manual. You might know what the pedals do, but you don’t know how to parallel park during rush hour, or what to do when your car starts making that weird noise halfway through a long trip.
Practice is what turns knowledge into skill.
In the hands-on parts of our training programs, we watch developers make mistakes, struggle with bugs, search the forums, dig through documentation — and then have that “aha!” moment when they figure it out. That moment is gold. It’s where learning becomes real and lasting.
Why “Click Here, Do This” doesn’t prepare you for real projects
A lot of training is structured as step-by-step guides. And these are useful — but only up to a point. They’re great for understanding how to navigate Studio Pro and getting familiar with its core components. But here’s the thing: real Mendix projects don’t come with step-by-step instructions. In real life, you won’t be told:
“Open the domain model, create an entity called ‘Customer’, and then link it to a new page.”
Instead, you’ll hear something like:
“We need functionality that helps us reduce delays in our order to cash system and improve our cashflow so that we can optimize the business.”
Suddenly, it’s not about following steps. It’s about problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. That’s why we don’t just give people instructions at TOF Labs. We give them cases. Sometimes they’re vague. Sometimes they’re incomplete — just like real-world projects. And then we coach them through figuring it out. Where to look. What to try. How to debug. And how to recover when things don’t work.
It’s messier. But it’s also infinitely more effective.
Confidence doesn’t come from reading — it comes from building
The biggest difference we see between developers who’ve only studied theory or followed step-by-step trainings and those who’ve practiced hands-on? Confidence.
You can read all about page parameters, associations, and microflows. But until you’ve built something that didn’t work — until you’ve debugged a failing logic chain or puzzled over inconsistent data — you won’t feel ready to tackle a real project. That’s where confidence is built: not in reading what to do, but in figuring it out when no one is telling you.
This sort of learning builds transferable skills that apply beyond the training scenario. You are not just learning a trick that is only applicable in that specific situation.
This kind of learning can feel uncomfortable at first. It can feel like failing. But in reality, it’s a form of productive struggle — and it’s one of the most powerful ways to learn.
Real-world example: training The Orange Force’s newest Mendix trainees
Practice what you preach — earlier this year, we had the pleasure of training our first Mendix trainee developers at The Orange Force. These were smart, motivated professionals — but new to the platform.
Rather than walking them through rigid tutorials, we gave them room to explore. We built training sessions around realistic business cases. We introduced just enough theory to get them going, then let them get their hands dirty.
We saw rapid growth — not just in skill, but in mindset. They began asking better questions. They started anticipating problems and proposing solutions beyond what we had expected.
That’s the power of active learning over passive consumption.
What hands-on training actually looks like
Let’s make this tangible. Here are just a few examples of what we mean by hands-on learning in Mendix:
- Mini projects and assignments that simulate real business requirements
- Time-boxed challenges where learners need to research and implement a concept on their own
- Group exercises that involve team planning, building, and presenting a working Mendix solution
- Scavenger hunts that force developers to find answers in the documentation or forums
- Peer feedback sessions, where developers review and test each other’s work
These aren’t gimmicks — they’re how we prepare people for the realities of Mendix projects. Because in practice, developers aren’t just builders. They’re problem-solvers. Collaborators. Communicators.
And those skills don’t come from watching videos. They come from doing the work.
How to make your Mendix learning more practical — starting today
Whether you’re a solo learner or leading a team, you can start shifting toward more practical, hands-on Mendix learning. Here’s how:
- Pair every theoretical lesson with a hands-on exercise
Finished a module on security or REST integrations? Try implementing it in a small app of your own. - Create a space to experiment
Set up a sandbox environment where people can try out new concepts without fear of breaking anything. - Make learning social
Organize internal hackathons, code-alongs, or pair programming sessions. Learning accelerates in community. - Make learning collaborative
Make sure to ask your trainer or colleagues when you don’t understand something or discuss your ideas how to solve a problem with them. Talking through things will help you gain more insights and simultaneously help you to better formulate your thoughts. - Get out of your comfort zone
We learn most if we force ourselves out of our comfort zones and push ourselves to do things we don’t really know yet how to do or are less comfortable with. Just give it a try. Failure isn’t the end — it’s part of the process, of your learning journey. Just give it another go.
Final thoughts
Learning Mendix is about more than ticking boxes or finishing online learning paths. It’s about becoming someone who can think through problems, build smart solutions, and keep learning as the platform evolves.
That kind of developer isn’t made by following learning paths or “click here, do this” trainings.
They’re made by exploring. By struggling. By doing.
They’re made by doing.
So, if you’re learning Mendix — or teaching it — remember this:
Reading is important. But doing, failing, then trying again is what makes you great.
About the Author
Yves Rocourt is the Learning & Development Manager and a Senior Consultant at The Orange Force. Previously he led the Mendix Academy and the TimeSeries University. Mendix certifications? He’s got them all: he is a Mendix Trainer MVP, an Expert-level Mendix developer and an Advanced-level Mendix trainer. He is sort of a history buff, having worked as a museum curator before starting with Mendix. Questions about history or Mendix? Join one of his trainings, you can ask him about both!
