I haven't programmed consistently for more than three years, although I was reasonably comfortable before taking the break. I've done a few small projects since then, but nothing sustained. In about three days I'll need to start coding every day again, mostly working with objects, files, and similar tasks, and I'd like to avoid starting completely cold. I still remember the main object-oriented programming concepts—constructors, attributes, getters and setters, loops, functions, interfaces, and inheritance. What would be the most effective way to use these three days to get back up to speed?
3 Answers
It may help to spend a short amount of time skimming the official documentation for the language or languages you’ll be using, especially file handling and common library APIs. Then immediately apply what you read in a small project. Don’t aim for a marathon or try to relearn every advanced topic—the goal is simply to remove the initial rust and become comfortable looking things up again.
Use the three days for a couple of focused exercises rather than attempting a complete refresher. For example, implement a small collection such as a vector, hash table, or tree, then make a simple file-based application around it. This gives you practice with syntax, object design, debugging, and the language’s standard library all at once.
The fastest approach is to start writing code instead of trying to review everything passively. Build a small project that uses the same concepts you’ll need at work, such as reading and writing files, creating objects, and organizing data. When you get stuck, look up only that specific issue and keep going. The relevant knowledge will come back much faster through practice.
Also enable the project’s linter, formatter, and tests right away if they’re available. After three years, your syntax may come back quickly, but current style conventions and idiomatic patterns may have changed.