How Can I Balance Learning Programming with Using AI Tools?

One technique I’ve found helpful is to make small changes to the AI’s code to see how it affects the outcome. This helps deepen your understanding of what each part of the code does.

It's great that you're asking for advice! The crucial difference between new and experienced programmers is that the latter know how to code without relying too much on AI. Try using AI as a tool instead of a crutch. If you've got AI writing your code for you, you're not really practicing programming—it's like watching others work out and wondering why you’re not getting stronger yourself. Reading code is helpful, but actually writing it is what will make you a programmer.

A good exercise is to rewrite your software from scratch. With this approach, try to look up less each time you hit a snag. You'll reinforce what you learn, and it's a great way to see how much you’ve improved.

If you do use AI, ask it to explain the concepts behind your coding problems instead of giving you direct answers. This way, you can implement the lessons yourself, which reinforces your understanding. Debugging the AI's suggestions can also help build your skills.

Consider taking on projects that don't depend on external libraries or APIs, and just use the standard library for whatever language you’re working with. You’ll pick up a lot of skills from tackling these challenges offline with just the documentation as your guide.