Learning new programming skills can be exciting and rewarding, but also challenging and frustrating. Sometimes you may encounter roadblocks that make you feel stuck, confused, or discouraged. How do you overcome these obstacles and keep progressing on your coding journey? Here are some tips to help you out.
The first step is to identify what exactly is blocking you from learning or applying a new skill. Is it a lack of understanding, a lack of practice, a lack of feedback, a lack of motivation, or a lack of resources? Try to be as specific as possible and write down the problem in a clear and concise way. This will help you narrow down the possible solutions and avoid wasting time on irrelevant or ineffective ones.
1?? Identify the problem: Understand what's causing the roadblock. Is it a lack of understanding, or is it a complex concept? 2?? Seek help: Use resources like StackOverflow, GitHub, or programming forums. 3?? Practice: Implement what you've learned in small projects. 4?? Patience: Learning programming is a journey, not a race. Example: I once struggled with understanding async programming in JavaScript. I identified the problem (lack of understanding), sought help from online resources, practiced by implementing it in small projects, and was patient with my progress. Over time, I became proficient in it.
One thing that has helped me if having a project in hand to implement new language. Once you have something to do you find motivation to learn new things to complete the task in hand. One should also break down bigger tasks into smaller ones to measure progress
You don't have to solve every problem on your own. There are many sources of help available for programmers of all levels and backgrounds. You can ask questions on online platforms like Stack Overflow, Reddit, or Quora, where you can get answers from experts or peers. You can also join online communities like Discord, Slack, or Telegram, where you can chat with other programmers, share your work, and get feedback. You can also enroll in online courses, workshops, or bootcamps, where you can learn from instructors, mentors, or coaches. Don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help when you need it.
Practice enhanced rubber ducking with an AI chat tool. ???? Rubber duck debugging involves chatting with a rubber duck. The rubber duck doesn't (usually) talk back, but the process of putting your problem into words will often cause new insights to arise. We now live in a land of rubber ducks that can talk back. Talk to Chat GPT, Gemini, Claude, or whatever other chat bot you prefer. Ask these chat bots to help you with rubber duck debugging and then describe your problem to them. They may ask you questions or give you clues that you hadn't thought of.
Sometimes the problem may seem too big or complex to tackle at once. In that case, you can break it down into smaller and simpler parts. For example, if you are trying to learn a new framework, you can start by learning the basic concepts, then the core features, then the advanced topics. You can also divide a large project into smaller tasks, such as designing the user interface, writing the logic, testing the code, and deploying the app. By breaking down the problem, you can make it more manageable and achievable.
Breaking a problem down into its basic parts is a skill you can practice and improve at. Most problems you face in your technical career will be much to large to solve directly, and learning skills is no different. Break it down into understandable chunks, identify a starting point, and start working. As you go, you’ll learn more about where you should be heading next.
One of the best ways to learn new programming skills is to experiment and learn by doing. You can try out different approaches, methods, tools, or languages, and see what works and what doesn't. You can also create your own projects, challenges, or games, and apply your new skills in a fun and creative way. You can also learn from other programmers' code, by reading, analyzing, modifying, or improving it. By experimenting and learning, you can discover new possibilities, improve your problem-solving skills, and build your confidence.
Sometimes, as programmers, we may be tempted to think that we wil learn all the programming concepts first before starting to develop applications. But, it is always good to get started. Getting stuck is okay, there are lots of online resources that can be referred to, the most famous one being Stackoverflow.
Another important step is to review and reflect on your learning process and outcomes. You can use tools like journals, blogs, or portfolios, to document your progress, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. You can also use tools like quizzes, tests, or feedback forms, to assess your knowledge, skills, and performance. By reviewing and reflecting, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, celebrate your successes, learn from your mistakes, and set new goals.
Reviewing your progress and how you’re receiving the material is the key part in identifying roadblocks! It’s possible to be stuck without realizing you’re stuck. Check out alternatives. Perhaps the book or course you’re learning from isn’t engaging or clear. You could explore another of learning and come back to it after to give yourself a fresh perspective.
The final tip is to keep going and never give up. Learning new programming skills is not a linear or easy process. It takes time, effort, and patience. You will face roadblocks, setbacks, and failures along the way. But you will also experience growth, improvement, and satisfaction. Remember why you started, how far you've come, and how much you've learned. Don't let the roadblocks stop you from reaching your potential. Keep going and you will overcome them.
It is not tough to keep going on normal days but it hards to continue on low days when you have no motivation to continue. The key is to run, jog if you can't run, walk if you can't jog, crawl if you can't walk but keep going
Reading books is underrated. You can gain years of experience in a few weeks by reading the right books and applying what you’re learning. As a bonus, you retain that knowledge better if you teach others as you learn. Books go into technical depth, and you won’t find that from articles or videos.