I've been working on some small projects like a calculator, alarm clock, password generator, web scraper, and a news aggregator. My learning style typically involves reading documentation, Googling answers, failing, and checking sites like Stack Overflow for help. I do use ChatGPT to clarify questions and confirm my thinking, but lately I've been feeling like I'm not really learning as much as I should. I feel like I'm just hacking things together without truly understanding them, and sometimes it takes me so long to figure things out that I question if I'm learning efficiently. Is it common to feel this way when you're just starting out?
1 Answer
You're definitely not alone in feeling this way! A lot of new programmers go through what you're experiencing. It's normal to feel like you're just throwing things together, especially in the early stages. Focus on these five key steps:
1. Can you build the functionality you need? Start with syntax and algorithms.
2. Do you understand how to secure your application? Learn the common vulnerabilities and mitigate them yourself.
3. Can you identify performance issues? Start learning how to profile your apps.
4. How quickly can you deliver your projects? Look into optimizing your workflow.
5. Can your software adapt to changes easily? Get familiar with best practices for maintainability.
If you're mainly working on Step 1, keep building, but also challenge yourself to think about the other steps. It's not just about learning but about building better projects as you go!
Thanks for breaking this down! This gives me a clearer roadmap than the usual 'just keep building' advice. I think I'm definitely in Step 1, focusing on making things work — even if they're a bit messy. Any tips on leveling up from 'just build' to 'build better'?