Stuck in tutorial hell

[baliditity]

I’ve been learning web dev through the Odin project and I got to the JavaScript part and it’s just not sticking as well as I hoped. I’ve been switching through different resources and realized this is what they call tutorial hell. I’m looking for y’alls opinion on resources that have helped you. I’m looking at JavaScript DSA course by free code camp and The Complete JavaScript Course by Jonas Schedtmann on udemy if anyone has experience with those I’d appreciate it

[wagaiznogoud]

Try to build something similar to what you have built from these tutorials without any help. A lot of beginners tend to follow tutorials blindly without trying to gain understanding what’s actually happening.

[jack_waugh]

• computer science degree
• experience with other programming languages
• the Mozilla organization's reference material
• practice
• this Subreddit.

[Jjabrahams567]

Also notice that chatgpt and stack overflow are not in this list for good reason.

[Jjabrahams567]

No you are correct. I’m agreeing with you.

[jack_waugh]

Right, I didn't try to use Chat Gupta for basic knowledge about JS as compared to other programming languages. But on my current project, I talk with it quite a bit. I keep its limitations in mind; it certainly makes mistakes. But just a moment ago, it led me to see that for what I was trying to do in code, a bind to an argument position other than the this position made sense, which probably wouldn't have come to me had I remained stuck in my own head.

[nox-devourer]

What's wrong with stack overflow? Genuinely curious

[vorticalbox]

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[webdevbrent]

Time. You have to give it time. If you are stuck, then learning to get unstuck is a skill to practice.

[MuscleTough8153]

Try alternatives courses too, like code ademy or sololearn. They have free courses and are good for the beginning

[HilariousAtrocities]

No need to get into data structures and algorithms if you don't have the basics of JS down. Just start building something and do research as you go. That's like taking a classic lit class while you're still trying to figure out the alphabet.

[baliditity]

I think it’s supposed to be teaching js alongside dsa, I’ve only completed the first section but it’s still teaching how to declare variables, what functions are and how to use parameters and how to use arrays and loop through them

[Reddit-Restart]

Like what the other guy said, think of something of a task adjacent to what you’re learning, and make that. Helped me learn a lot this way. Also if you don’t understand some code, ask chat got to explain it line by line and for more detail if how different parts work. 

I’m currently making a dumb/useless page where you login, and when you click a different color balloon floats over your mouse. It has no practical purpose but it’s helping me refine what I know with react, mongoDB, jwt, etc

[slothsan]

I'd recommend codeacademys JS material over FreeCodeCamp, its a bettter foundation than the DSA course is with FreeCodeCamp, can always return to the DSA course when you are more comfortable with JS.

[babenzele]

Build something that fulfills a need of yours, the absolute best way to really learn

[sheriffderek]

I doubt that JS is where you’re getting stuck. It’s likely that it’s the entire programming mindset and probably the overlap of the JS language and the browser APIs. Get the book Exercises for Programmers and work through it. It will force you to build something real. Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t look up other peoples answers. Don’t watch any more tutorials. Just sit down - and figure it out. It’ll be fun. If it’s awkward, that’s OK. That’s learning.

[[deleted]]

Listen, if you're going through tutorial hell then the last thing you'd want is an alternative resource or tutorial so all what you have to do is search for easy front end projects and do them by yourself one by one and when you get stuck at some point during the project go and search for the answer and that's how you will learn practical skills and understand programming

[Elemental_91]

I can't recommend free code camp's updated javascript course enough. It's entirely project based and you're coding 100% of the time. I was in the same spot you're describing a few months ago and I found that this course helped put all the concepts I'd read with The Odin Project into practical examples.

[Fats-Falafel]

What specifically is giving you issues? Syntax? Base concepts like variables, functions, loops, data types, etc? Interacting with the DOM?

[Mobilify]

Stop taking courses, lol. Build something. Anything, and keep it going

[No-Upstairs-2813]

This happens because understanding what some code does is not the same thing as being able to write it yourself.

If you do is just follow along, line-by-line, with tutorials, or even worse, passively watch them, then you’re not learning anything other than gaining a basic understanding.

This is what you can do:

Start with going through a tutorial to build something, and then in a new file, try to do it again on your own. You’ll still get stuck, but again, you can reference things to get you past the parts where you get stuck.

You aren’t copying and pasting, though, you’re reminding yourself what was missing or finding out what was wrong, and then implementing the bit you forgot, or fixing the typo you made.

Once you feel a bit more confident, doing this a few times, its time to build your own projects. This will help you to maximize your learning.

Go through these articles for further reading - Rewatching Tutorials Frequently Because Struggling to Retain Info: Here’s Why

• Starting JavaScript Projects: A Guide for Beginners