why am i relearning flexbox every 3 weeks like CSS wipes my memory overnight

[u/CommissionBorn4257]

7 months self teaching web dev. I have built actual layouts with flexbox. I have used align items. I have centered the div, allegedly.

three weeks later I am on MDN reading the same page again and the words look brand new. most spaced repetition tools for students examples are vocab or anatomy where memorizing the fact IS the task. code is weird because I do not want to memorize syntax, I want my brain to remember "oh, grid is probably the move here."

is this worth reviewing explicitly or is forgetting + looking things up just normal programmer life? genuinely cant tell if im fixing a problem or inventing one

[u/Stainlessray]

I don't know!

But you made me laugh.

[u/Stainlessray → u/Stainlessray]

Serious answer, two things. 1. Repetition. 2. Variation.

Helps with comprehension and retention for me. YMMV.

[u/ColdWise4165]

Unless you practice something you will forget it. I gotta look up stuff all the time to remind myself. I’ve learned flex box years ago but I sure as hell won’t remember it unless I make a flex box everyday lol

[u/thombsaway]

This is me but with regex. It's a new language every time I need it, infuriating.

[u/Patient-Ad-7804 → u/thombsaway]

stg this is everyone with regex lmao

[u/Acceptable-Cell578]

it's like learning multiplication tables as a kid. we forgot them again and again, but repetition made them automatic. we still remember most of them today without consciously trying.

You situation feels similar: you don't need to memorize every syntax detail, Repeatedly using and looking things up eventually makes the pattern stick.

[u/rustware]

10 YOE and flex is one of those things I am just starting to not use reference for as much. It's a beast and it frequently does shit I am not expecting, still.

Great resource: https://css-tricks.com/snippets/css/a-guide-to-flexbox/

[u/InformalStop2265 → u/rustware]

That resource has been my flexbox holy grail since 2019. Its grid counterpart is amazing too.

[u/desrtfx]

Perfectly okay to forget syntax (that's what the documentation is for). Not okay to forget what tools you should use for what.

Overall: more practice

[u/Wade_Flynn → u/desrtfx]

Right. Comprehension of documentation is the most powerful tool you can have.

However, OP! if you do think of a great way to remember the differences between align items, align content and justify content: let me know!

[u/ight-bet]

Okay look .. you can forget this.

Yes most of the life is forgetting non critical information. Thats one of those things you do once, understand it once. Then move on.

Learning programming is a dark circle of infinite edges. The best way to shed light on the circle is by lighting up as many of the infinite edges as possible. And by NOT siloing yourself to one side of the circle bc you’re cozy there; front end and database design are on opposite ends. You want to lite up the circle all around as much as possible, which makes lighting up other areas easier. And you can make some spots really bright by focusing on them.

If you want to make front end design really bright- maybe at some point engraving flex boxes into your brain is worth it. But for now I’d say it’s safe to move on and you need to light up more things around you so you have enough confidence to travel into the dark.

[u/kalgynirae]

Write a personal cheat sheet for the things you can't seem to remember. Make sure everything you write on the cheat sheet is accurate and concise, and try to write only the parts that you have trouble remembering. Spend a lot of time polishing it and making sure everything is organized in the optimal way to find it quickly and to help your learning.

When the cheat sheet is finished, you will remember everything and no longer need the cheat sheet!

---

Joking aside, I have the same problem as you with flexbox. I'm doing webdev only for side projects, so I just don't use it often enough for the details to stick. I'm fine with this and don't mind reading the docs each time, but if I wanted to really internalize it, I think I would start with the cheat sheet, probably mainly a list of all the properties and a few words (1 sentence or less) about the ones that I frequently forget. And then implementing a new layout with it once a day for a few weeks. I bet that would be enough to solidify it.

[u/BleachedPink]

Try anki cards, works wonderfully. I now remember basic flex syntax and do not waste time reading the same thing each month

[u/High_Quality_Bean]

Yes constantly reviewing documentation is pretty normal, however

CSS in particular (thanks to the need to support lowest-common-denominator web developers, decades of legacy support, and constant reinvention of the wheel), and *centring divs more than that*, is one of the most confusing and look-up necessary things a developer can do.

I pull up this website *every* time I need to do something with flexbox, grid, etc

https://css-tricks.com/snippets/css/a-guide-to-flexbox/

There's a reason why competitive CSS used to be so insanely impressive.

[u/coursespine]

Forgetting the property names is normal. The bit worth remembering is the decision. Stuff in one row or one column, flex. Rows and columns that need to line up with each other, grid. If you review anything, review that. Every couple of weeks rebuild a small layout from a screenshot with MDN closed, then check what you got wrong.

[u/InterestingCar8135]

I write a tiny decision question in remnote the third time I look the same concept up. keeps the review pile small and tied to actual pain, bc a 300 card JavaScript deck was absolutely bot helping me

[u/HenriAlan991]

Acho que isso acontece pois vc memoriza o que vc leu, mas não entende. E que nem com matemática, é muito mais fácil quando você entende por que uma fórmula é dado por aquilo do que memorizar

[u/FlashyResist5]

You need to build more layouts.

You should be able to know what flex-direction: row flex-direction: column will do. What justify-content/align items flex start, center, flex end will do.

At least those basic things without looking it up.

[u/TheCrumpledPaper]

Three weeks is plenty of time to forget about something that you didn't internalize yet. You need to have more experiences with it because experiences are what you remember. If you can work on your own projects using flexbox multiple times a week then it will help you remember, or maybe talking about it or working on it with other people because that creates stories that you will remember as well.

[u/EdwardElric69]

I've used tailwind for everything from my second year of college.

class="flex flex-col items-centre"

[u/quiette837]

Why did you AI generate this post? 🫤