When I'm learning something new, should I simply copy the code shown in the documentation, or should I spend time understanding why it works that way? For example, setting up Socket.IO with React feels complicated because I don't understand the purpose of files such as connection state or how the different pieces fit together. Is learning the reasoning behind the example worth the extra time, or should I focus on getting the code working first?
1 Answer
You should understand the important parts, but documentation examples are usually simplified demonstrations rather than complete production code. They may leave out error handling, cleanup, configuration, and edge cases so the main feature is easier to see. Use the example to get started, then look up what each important function, file, and piece of state does. You don’t need to understand every implementation detail immediately, but you should know what the code is responsible for and why it is needed before relying on it in a real project.
That makes sense. I’m mainly confused by examples like using Socket.IO with React, where I don’t understand why connection state and the other pieces are needed.