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JavaScript

Alex Flores
Alex Flores
7,864 Points
Posted by Alex Flores
Alex Flores
7,864 Points

Tips on getting better at programming?

Hey everyone,

I was hoping some of the more experienced could help me out. Especially for those who struggled in the beginning. I've really been focused on learning JavaScript for maybe the past 2-3 months now. I come home from an 8-5 job and study for 2hrs and then study for roughly 6hrs on the weekend. I feel like I'm learning A LOT of stuff and luckily I retain information easily.

However, I'm still finding it very difficult to actual develop any programs. Even though I've learned countless techniques and concepts, my mind wants to stick to a select few and I'm having a hard time even thinking about what concepts to use when I first start a problem. Looking at notes and going to documentation helps. Right now I'm doing as many problems as I can (here, CoderByte, Eloquent Javascript, etc.) and I'm giving a serious go at each problem until I either give up after a day of trying or I get it. I'll study the right answer and see how other people did it. I can honestly say that I feel that I understand the right answers, but applying them on my own... forget it.

I've also just started going back through old problems that I have done and I'm trying to do them over again, without notes. I feel like this is helping me connect the pieces together a little bit better and understand how to approach problems. However, I'm looking for other ways to breach this mental wall. Do you have any suggestions for me that could make it easier for me to approach and solve problems using the various concepts/techniques that I have learned?

TL;DR - Having tough time applying concepts/techniques I've learned to actually solving problems. Suggestions on getting better at applying concepts/techniques and approaching/solving problems.

Thanks!

1 Answer

tate
tate
13,435 Points
tate
tate
13,435 Points

What you need to do is start simple. Start developing small programs with your knowledge, and progress further and further. You need to get a grasp of the concept before you can develop full sized applications with it. Once you have developed small applications with the specific thing that you're learning, you can make bigger applications that join those concepts together.

You need to keep practising and practising, if you don't get a concept the first time, try again, and again, etc. Until you know how to do what you're learning. Never think that it's taking too long to learn something, you'll eventually get it.

With solving problems, don't tackle the whole thing at once, take it bit by bit. Take it step by step until you know how to solve the problem.