Hey everyone! I'm 14 and have already built over 36 small-to-medium JavaScript projects, both from FreeCodeCamp and personal ones. I recently finished a free React course on Scrimba, but I'm feeling like I didn't really grasp the concepts. I'm trying to build an Expense Tracker app in React, which I've managed to do with vanilla JS, but I'm finding React quite overwhelming. I'm struggling with passing form data between components and managing state properly. I've tried using useState, props, and even useRef, but I often end up with unhelpful white screens and no clear error messages. Simple projects like counters or accordions are fine, but when it comes to slightly larger ones, I hit a wall. I'm also feeling distracted a lot; I sit down to code but get sidetracked by videos or browsing. I wake up feeling like I'm not doing enough. Has anyone faced similar challenges? What helped you really understand React and keep moving forward? Should I look for another course, or stick to smaller projects to fill in the gaps?
4 Answers
No worries, dude. I've been there too! Honestly, React can be super confusing at first. I personally had a really hard time getting used to it, so I switched to Svelte, and it worked way better for me. Just know that React isn’t the only option out there. If you’re struggling, it might be worth exploring other frameworks that you find more intuitive!
Hey there! First off, don’t stress too much. You're only 14, and you’ve already accomplished so much! Just keep going and take your learning at your own pace. I transitioned from vanilla JS to React, and it felt like trying to fly a plane after learning to drive a car. So, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Maybe try another course? Sometimes the teaching style just doesn’t fit. And about distractions—everyone deals with that. Remember to take breaks too; it might help you process all the stuff you've learned!
Honestly, React clicks once you start seeing the components as part of a tree structure. Understanding parent-child relationships helps a lot. For managing state, try to keep your components focused and consider using state management libraries like Redux or Jotai if things get complicated. And definitely install the React Developer Tools—it's a lifesaver for debugging!
I totally get your frustration! When I started learning React, I felt like I was trying to juggle too many things at once. Make sure you're breaking down your components into smaller pieces. Understanding how state flows between them is crucial. A solid React course can help with that; I found Jonas's course on Udemy super helpful. It's really important to know when to use state versus props and how to manage your application's state flow.
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