Hey everyone! This is my first time posting here, and I really need some advice about my coding journey. I'm currently learning to code, and I can handle basic tasks like creating a simple website, building endpoints, and adding small features. However, when I compare my work to larger projects, I get overwhelmed by how much more complex they are—with tons of folders, layers, and patterns.
I can read through these projects and understand them, but I struggle to create that structure myself. Here's how I've been learning:
1. I start with crash courses to grasp the basics.
2. I build a basic version of what I've learned.
3. I then look for similar projects online—like GitHub repositories, articles, and examples—to see how others did it.
4. Sometimes, I use AI tools like Claude or Codex to review my work and offer cleaner approaches.
5. I often compare my work with these examples and sometimes recreate small parts just to learn better.
I'm reasonably confident in what I read, but if you asked me to close everything and create a clean version from scratch, I would struggle to know where to start or what components I need.
I know memorization isn't everything and that Googling for solutions is common, but I feel overly reliant on examples.
Here are my questions:
1. Is this a normal way to learn coding, or am I missing something?
2. Is my learning style beneficial, or does it make me too dependent on examples?
3. How can I reach a point where I can build projects without needing examples every time?
4. Lastly, considering my goal is to get a job quickly, what's the most effective way to become job-ready? Thanks in advance for any insights!
3 Answers
It’s actually a great idea to tackle one big project instead of many little ones. Building a complex project challenges you more with issues like data handling and system interactions. When tackling a major project, focus on one aspect at a time: set a problem, read up on it, and try various solutions until you've figured out what works best. Just like becoming a novelist requires writing full stories, you’ll improve by focusing on complete projects instead of just snippets.
Yes! Grasping the entire flow, such as when building something like an e-commerce site, means understanding how to structure your functions step-by-step. Break it down into manageable pieces instead of handling everything at once. It’s a lot simpler!
For your next project, jot down a plan before diving into the code. On paper, outline your project without coding—this is the design phase. Like any skill, designing and planning requires practice, and it will help you visualize how components come together, making coding much easier.
You're not alone in feeling this way! Many beginners worry that they can't create elaborate projects because real applications have evolved over time and involve many developers. Your approach of comparing and rebuilding is effective. Just remember, it takes time and practice to transition from understanding code to writing it from scratch. Try to focus on learning a single pattern until you master it instead of attempting to absorb everything at once.
What do you suggest for making that jump from understanding to actually being able to do it? Should I just keep practicing until it becomes second nature?
Repetition and understanding is key! Keep building on what you learn, and gradually you'll notice that it becomes easier to create without constantly referring to examples.
That's exactly what I'm aiming for! I'm currently working on a full-stack site, but I sometimes worry that my solutions might seem too simplistic. I find myself mimicking better patterns just to feel confident about what I'm building.