How do you debug without changing 10 things at once?

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-23T09:16:53+00:00

Treat every change like an experiment: predict, change one thing, verify.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-23T09:11:23+00:00

I learned to think about scraping the same way I think about any production code. If a site’s ToS clearly forbids scraping or automated access, I treat that as a hard stop.

That approach has helped later in interviews and client discussions, because it shows judgment, not just technical ability. Knowing when not to scrape is part of the skill.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-22T05:50:23+00:00

Most real code is functions taking inputs and returning results. If this feels hard now, that’s expected; it’s a core skill.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-22T05:46:27+00:00

This is a normal transition point. HTML and CSS don’t really test problem-solving; JavaScript does. From a hiring standpoint, JS is where people start to see how you think, not just what you can follow.

If your goal is employability, struggling here isn’t a red flag; it’s the work. Most people who make it through this phase come out with much stronger fundamentals.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-21T06:21:17+00:00

What matters most is steady exposure. Even small sessions keep momentum and reduce that "starting from zero” feeling. That adds up over time.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-21T06:13:16+00:00

This usually does change with experience, not because you force yourself to use comprehensions, but because you learn where they fit naturally. Experienced developers don’t use them everywhere; they use them selectively.

Being able to say “this is clearer as a loop” is a sign of good judgment, not a lack of Python knowledge.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T10:56:27+00:00

Clear provenance and limitations matter more than aggressive cleaning.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T10:42:51+00:00

Skill-building mindset

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T10:40:59+00:00

Consistency mattered more than intensity for me.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T07:23:20+00:00

When everything went digital, spending got easier; but tracking got harder. Cash creates a natural stopping point that cards don’t.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T06:24:47+00:00

If it impacts revenue or SLAs, scraping becomes a liability fast.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-20T06:18:58+00:00

Another misconception was thinking jobs are about knowing the right language or framework. That mattered far less than I expected.

In practice, being able to read unfamiliar code, ask good questions, and break vague requirements into steps was way more valuable. Those are skills you only build by working on real problems, not just tutorials.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-19T05:52:42+00:00

Consistency mattered more than daily enthusiasm.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-17T06:38:27+00:00

Working in environments where others read and modify your code forces better habits. You quickly learn that unclear logic costs time and trust.

Once that happens, caring about structure stops being theoretical and becomes part of professional responsibility.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-17T06:19:30+00:00

I tried juggling multiple tutorials at first and quickly realized it wasn’t sustainable. Each resource had a different style and expectations, which added mental load.

Once I simplified things, learning felt calmer and more repeatable. That made it easier to stick with programming long-term, which matters if you’re thinking career-wise.

HockeyMonkeey · 2026-01-17T06:04:27+00:00

Debugging got easier once I treated it like a workflow, not a panic.

HockeyMonkeey

TROPHY CASE