Please Do Not Watch Programming Tutorials

Probably, if you are far from the industries linked to web development and software engineering, then tutorials seem like a good way to dive into this business. Indeed, why not spend an hour or two of your life looking through some articles. And ta-dah! You’re a rockstar! But if you have the patience to completely go through a 10-hour course of videos on YouTube, then Elon Musk himself will make a call and offer you a post in Space X.

And now joking aside. I think it is more than obvious that endless reading or watching of tutorials will not make you a jack of all trades. And at the same time, tutorials are not a waste of time since some useful information can always be extracted from them. Let’s set the record straight.

What is the nature of the tutorial?

When we hear about tutorials, the first thing that comes to mind is some kind of lecture or step-by-step guide, probably even with a bit of interactivity (but not always).

Nowadays not everything that is called a "tutorial" provides for the presence of a real tutor (alas and alack!). However, the presence of a person under whose supervision you are faced with solving practical problems is the very essence of tutorials.

Not least, in the academic environment, the tutorial has never been the ultimate method of acquiring knowledge, since, first of all, it was only a part of the educational process. It is impossible to imagine this practice in isolation from other equally important components of education.

But that's in a perfect world while what we see is what we get. As a rule, all the tutorials have a form of extremely compactly gathered information on a very specific topic, quite often in a problem-solution format. There is no depth in this - everything is simplified as much as possible. However, from a practical point of view, this method of presentation is extremely effective, since it does not take much time and often we get exactly what we were looking for.

Who needs tutorials?

Not beginners.

First of all, tutorials will be useful for people with a background, specifically in two cases: either you need to cast an eye over some technology as soon as possible, or you need to solve some problem avoiding big time expenditure.

However, if you are just making your first steps in programming, then tutorials can be your “optional subject”. Moreover, it is better to give preference to the materials that were prepared directly by the creators of the technology being studied. For example django framework and flask micro-framework.

How to learn writing code from scratch?

If you have never written code in your life, but are determined to learn, then I can give you the following tips:

• Formal education. If you have time and money, then getting a formal education makes sense. In a school, you will receive a substantial foundation, which won’t go amiss in the modern world. However, obviously, this option is not suitable for everyone.
• Bootcamps and courses. This option will not give you a comprehensive basis, but it will allow you to get some knowledge and skills in a fairly systematic way. It's not ideal, but in my experience, most people get into the profession this way. Also, a lot depends on the quality of the courses. If you have any doubts about the “curriculum”, then it is better to ask the opinion of experienced developers or scroll through some forums/chats/etc.
• Speaking of experienced developers. The ideal support for your transformation into a programmer is a curator with a broad tech background. If you are able to find such a person among your acquaintances, then you are lucky - this is the jackpot! The main benefit of tutors is that they can coordinate your learning and will not let you go astray. In addition, they are always ready to give you an expert opinion.

Tutorials for Coders: Good or Evil?

Tutorials are a thing to be used wisely. Do not think that you can become a specialist by reading articles or watching videos on YouTube. However, this does not mean that they are useless - not at all! 

If you are just beginning your acquaintance with the world of programming, then start with bootcamps and find yourself a "tutor" among your friends.

Remember, not everything depends on you. If after watching hundreds of tutorials you only feel frustration, then this is a sure sign to change tactics. Just keep going towards your goal and you will succeed!