How Do You Break Through Knowledge Blocks in Your Projects?

I usually follow a sort of checklist: start with the documentation, then check out some online forums, then maybe watch some YouTube videos, and finally, if I'm really stuck, I might turn to AI for a hint. But I treat AI more like a search tool—never just take its answer at face value.

I always start with my own research. It's like a ritual—just Googling and reading articles to find relevant information before trying anything else.

Honestly, my favorite approach is to isolate the problem. If I'm stuck on, say, authentication, I’ll create a new, minimal project solely for that. It lets me focus without the distractions of my main project. Once I sort it out, I can easily integrate it back into my larger codebase.

It really depends on the situation for me. I’ve had a lot of success by engaging with AI in a way that doesn’t hand me the answer directly, but guides me to discover the solution myself. It ends up being a mini-lesson that helps me grasp the concepts better.

I do something I call 'spikes'. Before fully committing to an idea, I’ll do a simple test to see if I can get data moving where I need it. It’s just a small version of what I’m working on, but it helps me figure out whether I'm headed in the right direction.