I'm really into computer graphics and low-level systems, and I'm currently in my senior year of college. Unfortunately, I missed out on getting an internship, so right now I'm just working. One of my goals is to create a raytracer. I've worked through the LearnOpenGL book up to the PBR section, but it took me a long time to internalize the concepts, and I'm still not confident with more advanced lighting techniques.
To make the most of my time and learn effectively, I'm curious about the best way to approach reading programming or computer science books. Currently, I'm reading the "Raytracing in a Weekend" series and plan to tackle the PBRT book next. I notice these books have a lot of code and concepts provided, and I'm debating whether I should program alongside the reading or read through it first and apply it later. I worry about forgetting things if I wait too long after reading. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I really want to get good at these topics but I'm struggling with the best method to do so.
2 Answers
After you finish each chapter, look for a relevant project that incorporates what you learned. That way you'll get a broader understanding and might learn something new from the project too. By the end, you’ll have tackled several projects and have a better grip on various concepts to mix and match.
There's no definitive "best way" to learn, but finding what works for you is key. Stay consistent with coding and challenge your understanding. If reading a book feels overwhelming, switch it up! video tutorials can be a nice change. It’s also perfectly okay to skip ahead if a chapter feels too easy. Focus on building projects instead of getting hung up on every detail—just start creating!
Thank you, very informative advice!
Thank you!