Hey guys. Wanted to post this for a little support or a bit of a motivational boost.
I’ve been trying to get to grips with Java Script for about a month now, and I am finding that nothing is sticking. I find myself not being to figure out basics that I’ve revisited. Anyone have any tips on helping to memorise things? What projects, if any, would people recommend to start with in terms of using Java Script? I find it difficult to figure out how to use JS in terms of putting it into practice.
Book “You don’t know JS” (free online) was helpful for me.
JS made more sense. I still forget most of methods etc, but I understand HOW it works, which makes finding things easier.
The goal is not memorization. It is literally impossible.
It is completely normal to looks up documentation when you get stuck.
It will probably take a couple of months before javascript starts to feel more comfortable.
That’s what happened with me.
FreeCodeCamp has a few that require a good amount of JS knowledge to finish. However, there is a distinct difference between doing projects, and learning the language syntax. Put simply you can’t do projects if you don’t know the language syntax. Solving problems with the language requires at least some understanding of the syntax, otherwise you wont have “enough tools in your toolbox” to do the project with the language.
Don’t focus on memorizing specifics, rather focus on learning what the language can do. Then remember by doing. You will instinctively remember more if you use what you need to remember often. You also will learn pitfalls and how to debug your own code the same way. The more your practice, the more you will need to remember, and the more you will need to debug, as such you will automatically memorise without trying.
Finally, its worth pointing out that everyone has their own method, and learning programming is as much about learning what works for you as it is learning what you want to learn. So try different things, and keep going back to where you find your “stuck” to see if your progressing. Learning this stuff doesn’t happen overnight, but you should be able to at least gauge your progress at the smallest level, so you can see some kind of progress with whatever approach your taking. If you aren’t, if you don’t remember what you learned yesterday, or any day before that, then maybe its time to rethink your learning approach, and find where your going wrong.
I used the M1M0 app (iPhone) in addition to FCC . That app compliments the material here and held my hand a little more and was very repetitive. I did an hour of M1MO in the mornings first thing and I found that when I came to FCC for lessons and challenges, things from M1M0 where sticking.
M1M0 didn’t have any ES6 or Regex and they had just started putting in some OOP for JS. An hour everyday for 3-4 weeks and I was thru with all the M1M0 lessons and felt more competent approaching FCC JS lessons. I was doing FCC lessons nearly everyday too.
That worked for me, I’m thinking of trying out the SoloLearn app too as another routine to add in the morning since the other app helped me out and I liked it.
Edit: there was also a competitive edge to M1M0 which worked for me… you will see if you download it. I’m almost thru with the JS on FCC and am looking forward to going after challenges on CodinGames and CodeWars after I finish, you may be interested in those too. If anything tho, M1M0 worked out great for me.
Thanks for the help folks. Lots of great advice. I’m slowly becoming a lot more comfortable with JS, and can definitely see the improvements, just getting impatient with myself. All part of the process
