I studied Java backend development for about a year and a half and built a project for a coffee shop, but I stopped working on it for roughly six to nine months. I want to return to programming and eventually become a developer, but I'm worried I've forgotten too much. Should I review all the topics first, or start building a project and learn what I need along the way?
3 Answers
Start building again instead of restarting your entire education. Pick a small project, such as a basic CRUD application, and look up the specific concepts you’ve forgotten as they come up. The practical repetition will bring back more of your knowledge than rereading everything from the beginning.
Your old coffee-shop project is probably the best starting point. Study the code, run it locally, fix outdated or broken parts, and improve it gradually. Rewriting selected pieces can be useful practice, but don’t throw away working code without first understanding what it does. Document the decisions and concepts you revisit so you have your own reference later.
The customer recently offered to resume the project after putting it on hold because of some problems. I’m considering rebuilding parts of it from scratch, which should give me practical experience while making it easier to improve.
Keep notes in your own words while you work. Record concepts that were difficult, bugs you solved, and useful Java or backend patterns. A searchable notebook can save time later, but the main thing is consistent practice—notes should support the projects, not replace them.
That makes sense. I’m going to try building something rather than relearning every topic first. I’m probably remembering more than I realize, and it should come back once I start coding again.