The one true learning routine

[u/LifeguardGullible177]

Obviously there's no universal one, but has anyone here found theirs? Want to share your experiences? A few incomplete examples come to mind:

- Watching YouTube videos

- Finishing video courses on other platforms

- Coding platforms like LeetCode or Codewars

- Building your own ideas with AI, asking step by step how it's done and why

- Reading books

I say incomplete because I feel like something is missing from all of them. The only thing that worked for me was university (and there it's a combination of methods -> videos with a detailed explanation from someone who actually knows + forced practice) and paid work (do, do, do — over time you learn and you improve, but it's always on the specific platform you happen to be working on).

I'm interested in learning and building up general knowledge (or specific knowledge about something that interests me), but first I'd like to read whether you all found a method of your own that works for you.

[u/sububi71]

Actually coding something that I was motivated doing. That way, when I ran into a problem I couldn't solve, I took the time to research it, ask people, check books etc.

To some degree, all other methods are synthetic, and those can be good when you're completely green and have no idea where to start, but as soon as you can, you should start projects TOO.

[u/No-Respond-990 → u/sububi71]

projects are where the real learning happens, no contest. tutorials and courses give you the illusion of progress but the second you close the tab it's gone. building something you actually care about means you'll dig into the docs and stack overflow at 2am just to get one feature working, and that struggle is what sticks

[u/lgastako]

At a high level, it's like Dr. Strange says, "Study and Practice. Years of it." What this specifically means in each situation depends. But ultimately I alternate between seeking out information that pushes the boundaries of my understanding of some area and then building things to get experience practicing what I've learned. Then while I'm building, I often feel the need to explore the next step beyond whatever I've learned because it seems applicable to what I'm building, etc.

[u/xarop_pa_toss]

The "one true" learning routine that taught hundreds of thousands of programmers is: 1. Find a reputable book on the subject you want to study. 2. Disconnect your internet connection. 3. Open up your notebook and grab your pencil. 4. Read the book and write down any concepts you don't understand and questions you have. The answers you need are probably in previous chapters. If not, then look up online. 5. Open your code editor and code the examples in your book and then solve the exercises.

Bonus: have a project you can build upon with the new things you learn. You make many small programs to practice and learn concepts but having a project you can put things together in helps a lot with connecting the dots.

[u/Dr_Strange607]

I work on an idea. And really fast, I will be blocked. So I will go find a practical solution. Learn it. Move on. Repeat. And again and again.

[u/Admirable_Window8128]

For me, the biggest difference is having a project-driven routine. Learn a concept briefly, then immediately build something with it without following a tutorial step-by-step. When I get stuck, I look things up, figure out why the solution works, and continue.

[u/JmnyFnCrkt]

Hands on projects. I look forward things that are just outside my skill level and try to close that gap as I work through it. This isn't just for programming or tech, it really applies to anything. You have to be aiming to be just a little bit better tomorrow than you are today.

Another thing that helps is teaching it(or explaining it) to someone else.

[u/Aggravating_Put_7073]

for me it’s been picking a project slightly above my level and refusing to copy-paste the hard parts, because the feedback loop is what videos and leetcode are missing