Hi Everyone its SooMitt, and I have this is a very simple and straight forward question.
What are some of the things you guys do to help yourselves memorize Programming/Coding terms, elements and functions for the many different scripts and languages HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, Javascript, JQuery…etc?
What I’ve been looking for are flashcards and flashcard apps for my phone. I’ve seen all kinds of apps available, but I just can’t seem to find one that thoroughly explains it well.
What are your opinions? Is there such a great emphasis on remembering all the tiny details? I don’t think I can code everything just with my memory alone. I need to have another screen open with reference documents and definitions all the time. I’m just curious as to what all of you think and what works for you?
someone may be along with a good suggestion for flash cards or something…
But in the meantime it’s just practice, practice, practice. As you build the projects it will start to stick and you’ll find yourself writing lines of code that you had to look up last time.
Also, no one can remember every css property and value, or every tag, or every JS method. Everybody looks up syntax. Multiple times a day for me.
In the Web Developer Bootcamp (sorry for the show=off title), Colt Steele keeps referring to all sorts of docs on internet. He says it’s part of what we’re supposed to learn : not remember everything but being able to find it when needed.
Besides I really don’t think that there is anything else except practice. I do find myself remembering terms better and better, and with that reading documentation is a lot less intimidating.
[ I have sticky notes, though. And because they ALL pop up when you open one, you quickly start to remember them because it’s just sooooo annoying. I basically “study” (the word is too strong) them so I can kill them ]
If we’re talking about actual syntax (the rules of a language), it really is just a matter of using it over and over. For me, physically writing something down helps it stick a bit, so when I’m learning a new language I will write down things that I’ve had to lookup (whether it’s the first time or the tenth). I just do so on scratch paper and throw it away the next time a tidy, because it’s the act of writing that helps.
If we’re talking about jargon or industry terminology (like “syntax” above), the best thing you can do is just hang out (virtually and/or IRL) with programmers. As you continue to learn and gain context for what they’re talking about, the jargon will work its way into your vocabulary. And, of course, don’t be afraid to ask!
I wouldn’t worry about it. Figure out in the moment what you need to know to do what you need to do and, over time, that which is important will emerge and become second nature. Memorizing is not worthwhile.
Actually there might be something - if you like it.
I’ve started using (poorly) Jekyll - not with the idea of publishing a blog but as a way of taking notes faster and more effectively, plus the flexibility of re-arranging the notes later on.
Also typing code is much faster than in handwriting.
And doing that allows you (and makes you want) to organize what you learn - with the bonus that now everything is cleaner and more easily accessible perhaps than (in my disgusting notes scattered all over my room).
The method I use is fairly simple, I pair program with friends who are interested in learning a technology, when they ask about something I try to remember where did I learn about it, that way I keep terms fresh on my mind.
]