How Can I Become More Confident in Writing Code from Scratch?

Here are some great resources to check out:

- https://old.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/comments/1pmzjoe/how_do_you_learn_programming/nu4ufej/
- https://redd.it/1pmzjoe
- https://redd.it/1p7bv8a

These links include various perspectives on how to approach learning programming and can provide some insights to help you along your journey.

Since you've got the basics down, challenge yourself with problems that really require your own thinking. Many starter projects have been done a million times, which is why AI can handle them so easily. Try to create something unique or tackle a problem that makes you think critically about solutions and design. It might be frustrating at times, but working through those challenges is where the real learning takes place.

To really get the hang of it, remember that software development generally involves these steps:
1. Gathering requirements
2. Creating specifications
3. Planning out the components needed
4. Implementing those components
5. Building the code

Jumping straight to coding skips over vital steps that are essential for developing real solutions. If you want to gain experience in designing unique solutions, you'll need to start fresh on some projects—it might be a slow process at first, but that's how you learn.

The best way to improve your coding skills is simply to write more code. Try to avoid using AI for help initially. When you encounter issues, focus on solving them yourself. If you're struggling with a design aspect, sketch out your ideas on paper before jumping into coding. And if errors pop up, take the time to read the compiler's messages carefully—they often give you clues about what went wrong. Debugging can be tough, but that's where learning really happens. Just remember, it's all about practice and persistence!