I'm looking to learn programming without the common advice of just letting AI do the work for me or endlessly grinding through LeetCode problems. I'm not against using AI, but I really want to grasp the fundamentals like how data structures work, the mechanics of programming, and why things go wrong. I've come across Boot.dev as a more hands-on learning option, but I'm interested in hearing from others who have felt overwhelmed by tutorials. What methods helped you truly understand programming? Did structured courses, hands-on projects, or something else work better for you?
3 Answers
I’ve actually never seen anyone recommend just letting AI handle everything or just doing LeetCode to learn. Honestly, the best advice I can give is to get hands-on with building projects. Even starting with a simple 'Hello World' app in C# or a straightforward TODO app in React is a great way to start. Make sure to read the documentation and understand what each piece of code does instead of just copy-pasting. Structured courses can help some, but in the end, you really just have to dive in and practice programming. Taking it slow and understanding the basics like data structures is key to building a solid foundation.
You can find a ton of resources out there—books, online courses, and bootcamps. Just remember that the key to learning is doing. I recommend finding a solid introductory book on data structures and algorithms and working through examples yourself. Active learning is crucial—watching videos can be too passive. Get your hands dirty with the coding as much as possible!
DON'T use AI to learn programming! Getting hands-on is the only way. For me, building real projects and doing code reviews made a huge difference in my understanding. I started with freeCodeCamp and built projects as I learned. If you think tutorials are tiring, remember you need to apply what you learn through practical experience, like getting feedback when you complete a project. That’s how real growth happens!
So true! If you feel burnt out by tutorials, it’s usually because you’re not building enough projects to challenge yourself.
Absolutely! Building projects really helps in understanding programming. Starting with HTML for web projects was a great entry point for me. It lets you build something tangible and encourages you to incrementally add features.