Hello everyone! Welcome to "101 Ways to Become a Self-Taught Programming Master", oh no, maybe 5... No, actually only 3. So, today let's talk about how to improve your self-learning ability as a programmer, so that you can go from a beginner who wants to cry when looking at the code to a master who can debug the code at 3 am and solve bugs before lunch.
How to effectively improve your self-learning ability as a programmer: the transformation from a "stuck in debugging" programmer to a "code master"
Hello everyone! Welcome to "101 Ways to Become a Self-Taught Programming Master", oh no, maybe 5... No, actually only 3. So, today let's talk about how to improve your self-learning ability as a programmer, so that you can go from a beginner who wants to cry when looking at the code to a master who can debug the code at 3 am and solve bugs before lunch.
One of the biggest challenges for programmers is self-learning. You need to master new technology stacks through self-study and overcome bugs that make your heart beat wildly one after another. But! How can you effectively improve your self-learning ability and avoid falling into an endless cycle of "reading books, watching videos, reading materials, and finally learning nothing" from the beginning? Let me give you some practical suggestions and tips to help you advance quickly!
1. **Set realistic learning goals: from "I want to learn programming" to "I want to master React"
First of all, the most common mistake is: "I want to learn programming" or "I want to learn JavaScript." It's like you go to the supermarket to buy things, and then you say: "I want to buy everything!" Can you buy it all? Definitely not! Learning goals need to be specific and operational.
-
Set SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-limited. For example: "I want to learn the basics of Vue.js within 3 weeks and be able to independently complete a simple Todo application."
-
Split big goals: Avoid setting a big goal of "learning the front end" directly. You can break it down into small goals-first learn HTML, then CSS, then JavaScript, and then React. Every time you complete a small goal, you can encourage yourself and make the learning process full of motivation.
2. Focus: How not to be distracted by social media and cat videos
We all know that the programmer's brain is as attractive as cat videos! Every time you sit down to study, there are always unexpected temptations, such as updates on Moments, new news on Twitter, or that cat that looks like it needs attention. You may watch a video while studying, but end up falling into an endless loop of cat dance competitions.
How to break this cycle? We need to learn to focus.
-
Timed study: Set focused time periods (such as Pomodoro work method), study for 25 minutes with full concentration, and take a 5-minute break. Watch cat videos during breaks to learn balance.
-
Reduce distractions: Use apps to block social media and close unnecessary tabs, so that only the materials you need and IDE can be on the screen. This way, you can avoid endless "refresh" operations.
3. Diversified learning methods: from reading to practice
If you feel that you have learned nothing after reading a bunch of programming books and videos, then stop and try the "practice + summary" method.
-
Do projects: Nothing can improve your programming skills better than actually doing projects! Don't think about making a complex e-commerce website at the beginning, make a simple Todo List first, or even a web page that can display the current time, and slowly accumulate your own small projects.
-
Learn to debug: Debugging is the way you talk to the code. Through debugging, you can quickly understand what the code is doing and find the details you missed. Whenever you debug, tell yourself: "I am in love with my code", although it may be a bit "complicated" like your failed love, but it will definitely make you progress.
-
Participate in open source projects: There are endless open source projects on Github. Participating in open source contributions can not only improve your actual programming skills, but also allow you to learn how to work with other developers, and even meet a group of friends who also like to debug bugs.
4. Learning requires "expert vision": Look at better code
Sometimes, we may fall into the vicious circle of "writing more and more messy code". How to avoid becoming a programmer who can never write good code? The answer is: look at more high-quality code.
-
Look at the code of experts: The code in open source projects can be the best resource for you to learn, especially those popular projects. See how others structure the project, how to split and modularize the code, and the clear code structure and comments are all your goals.
-
Learn best practices: Many times you think your code is well written, but in fact you don't know a better way. By looking at other people's code more, gradually cultivate a "code vision" to make your code more concise and efficient.
5. Stay curious: Be like a novice every day
Some programmers feel that they have mastered the technology after several years of development experience, but in fact they are stagnant due to lack of curiosity. As a self-taught programmer, the most important thing is: stay curious about new technologies.
- Try new frameworks and libraries: Don't limit yourself to the tools you are familiar with. Although React is powerful, try Vue and Angular to see how other frameworks solve the same problems.
- Follow technology trends: Technology updates very quickly. If you don't pay attention to the development of new technologies, you will find yourself left behind soon. So, subscribe to some technical blogs and podcasts, follow popular projects on GitHub, and keep a keen nose for new technologies.
6. Reflection and summary: write blogs or take notes
When you learn new technologies, reflection and summary are very important. This will not only deepen your understanding, but also help others.
- Write a blog: You don't need to be a "literary giant" in the programmer world, but by writing a blog to record what you have learned, it can help you digest the content better and help others. The process of writing a blog itself is a good way to improve self-learning ability.
- Take notes: Taking study notes is a good way to organize ideas and understand technology. Even simple code snippets, or some lessons learned by yourself, can help you deepen your memory.
Conclusion: From "stuck programmer" to "code superman"
Improving self-learning ability is a long but fulfilling road. By setting clear goals, focusing, practicing, maintaining curiosity, and summarizing and reflecting, you will gradually transform from a "programmer stuck in the debugging interface" to a "code superman" with endless code secrets.
In short, as a programmer, learning never ends. Whether you are a newbie who has just entered the industry or a senior developer who has been writing code for ten years, you should stay curious and continue to learn. Just like playing a game, there is no end to leveling up. After all...bugs always pop up when you least expect it!