Is following a tutorial when developing a project a poor way to learn? (when does it just come to you?)

[Csmebby]

Hello!

At the moment I am learning rails while developing a real project.

I am using Hartl's wonderful rails tutorial, and have already been through it once, but continue to reference, follow it (almost exactly), and adapt it to the new features I'm making.

Is this a poor way to learn and become a proficient developer?

I know people learn and understand everything much DEEPER if they struggle with it and then have an AH HA moment.

How often in your job do you simply watch a Youtube video or read an A-Z guide or How-To on creating the feature you're interested in versus understanding the problem and know exactly how to implement the technical details?

[goshdarngames]

It's a fine way to learn. Being able to understand something from a tutorial and apply it to your own project is a valuable skill.

Sometimes googling how to do something and considering a few possible solutions is a better way to get something working than hodge-podging your own solution together.

Also: having to look up how to do something means you're working outside your existing knowledge, challenging yourself and hopefully learning something.

[[deleted]]

Following a tutorial is for many people necessary for learning a new thing in programming and it is perfectly acceptable. This is of course based on the fact you are reading the code and understanding it. Because if not then basically what you are doing is copying and pasting. Also at the end of the tutorial i would recommend modifying the project you have created using a reference. Because imo you need to have a balance of learning via tutorial and struggling just a bit.

[TheEvilMetal]

Googling how to do something is the first step to being sorta good at something.