How can you learn new web development languages?
Web development is a dynamic and exciting field that offers many opportunities for creativity and problem-solving. However, it also requires constant learning and adaptation to keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and standards. How can you learn new web development languages and expand your skills and knowledge? Here are some tips and strategies that can help you on your journey.
Before you dive into learning a new web development language, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it. Do you want to create interactive web pages, dynamic web applications, or data-driven websites? Do you want to focus on the front-end, the back-end, or both? Do you want to work with a specific framework, platform, or tool? Depending on your answers, you can narrow down your options and choose a language that matches your goals and interests. For example, if you want to build user interfaces, you might consider learning React, Angular, or Vue. If you want to work with databases, you might consider learning SQL, MongoDB, or Firebase.
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I'd like to offer a counterpoint: while having a clear goal is beneficial, there's also merit in embracing uncertainty and free exploration in web webdev. The landscape is so vast, mutable, changing so fast, that rigidly defined objectives can sometimes blind you to random discoveries—those unplanned forays into obscure libraries or langs. There REALLY are new Javascript frameworks every day. Specific goals can guide you, but an openness to the unexpected can enrich you, equipping you with a diversified skill set that's more resilient to the industry's capricious winds. So, even as you aim, allow room for a little "aimlessness"; it's often in those 'unplanned detours' that you stumble upon some most valuable lessons. Embrace them.
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The BIG reason why I chose JavaScript is that as a beginner. For beginners in programming, opting for JavaScript is a smart move. Its all-encompassing nature, serving frontend, backend, and mobile tech, makes it an ideal starting point. Having a strong basics of any programming language makes path easier to learn other languages.
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In order to achieve your goals in web development. It is essential to follow the structured learning approach and gain hands-on practice. And setting a clear plan is one of the priorities.
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Before delving into the realm of learning a new web development language, its essential to have a clear understanding of your objectives. Are you aiming to craft interactive web pages, dynamic web applications, or else? Do you plan to concentrate on the front-end, back-end, or perhaps both aspects of development? Are you considering a specific framework, platform, or tool? By answering these questions, you can narrow down your choices and select a language that aligns with your goals and preferences. For instance, if your focus is on constructing user interfaces, you might want to explore languages like React, Vue or else. Alternatively, if database work piques your interest, learning languages such as SQL, MongoDB, or Firebase be valuable.
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This is why I fell in love with Javascript (and now TypeScript!). I can use them in almost any context. Reusing my current knowledge is like a superpower. Learn it once and use it with major frameworks and libraries like React, Angular, Vue, etc. Use it with node.js to create CLI scripts. With Electron to build desktop apps for any OS. With react-native to build mobile apps. Maybe it's not the best in all those environments, but it's very good nonetheless!
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There are two categories for web development; front-end and backend. Do research to become familiar with each category. One way to do research is to search for front-end developer jobs and look at the job descriptions. This can help show you what you need to learn. After you've done research on different technologies, write down your favourite and then study the basics of each topic. I'd recommend studying technologies that work together. For example, a basic website has the following technologies that work together: - Server (hosting) - SQL (database) - Java+Springboot(backend) - JavaScript/HTML (frontend) Good luck with your learning journey!
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Almost every week i get news about new framework for frontend development. And there is plenty of php developer job openings on other side. My advice is start with anything you want and don't be discouradged with news like php is dead or no one will use React anymore. Even Jquery still very popular skill to gain.
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I recently learned that Austin Community College's Software Factory teaches React to U.S. Army students. So, the choice of a language may be made by your employer. Therefore, I believe my attitude towards learning is even more important than the choice of language.
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Keep in mind that a bigger company (SAP for example) can sometimes use “own” private tools. This means that if you decide after few years to go to another company, the time you have invested in learning the technology will be lost forever. (Unless you decide to leave SAP for another SAP partner for example)
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When selecting a language or framework, it's crucial to consider the associated community and ecosystem. In any case, a strong grasp of JavaScript is essential. You will employ it for front-end development, and it can also be used on the back-end with Node.js.
Once you have chosen a language to learn, you need to find reliable and relevant resources that can teach you the basics and beyond. There are many online courses, books, tutorials, blogs, podcasts, and videos that can help you learn new web development languages. However, not all of them are of high quality, up-to-date, or suitable for your level. You should look for resources that are recommended by experts, peers, or reputable sources. You should also look for resources that cover the topics and concepts that are relevant to your goals and projects. For example, if you want to learn Python for web development, you might look for resources that teach you Django, Flask, or Web2py.
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A problem many people have when learning to code with no other experience in the tech sector, if they don't know who is reliable and relevant. That is part of the reason why I learned via a coding bootcamp; I could trust what I was learning was bang up-to-date, and also skills that employers were looking for. If a coding bootcamp is not for you, FreeCodeCamp is a great resource.
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After selecting your desired language, the next step involves sourcing dependable and applicable learning materials. Various online courses, books, tutorials, blogs, podcasts, and videos are available, yet not all ensure high quality or relevance. Prioritize resources endorsed by experts, peers, or reputable platforms. Seek content that directly addresses your objectives and project needs. For example, if you're interested in Python for web development, focus on resources teaching Django, Flask, or Web2py. This tailored approach optimizes your learning journey.
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Ask friends or colleagues working in the web development industry what resources they can recommend. People in your network will often be willing to help you and can guide you by suggesting reliable and relevant resources that they themselves have used in their journey, that you may not have heard of.
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The free tools are wonderful, but sometimes you may find it necessary to obtain formal, guided help. Your local community college may offer affordable classes. I found I qualified for scholarships. This basically made my courses "free".
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An often overlooked factor in learning (or other) resources, is that they must be up to date. Especially in the fast-moving web development field, resources are out-of-date fairly quickly. It helps to look at the official documentation and, after a look at the quick-start guide for an overview, check for a "breaking changes" or similar section. If you know what the old vs. new syntax looks like, you'll be able to quickly identify whether a certain resource is explaining things in the new, supported, way and not an old, deprecated way.
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One of the best online platforms you can adapt to learning new web development skills is Udemy. With both free and paid course being made available, your learning curve meets no boundaries!
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I always learn by building. First, I select a language that I want to learn. Then I come up with an idea for an exciting project with the potential to expand over time. Then I begin. This process helps me to learn the basics of a language/framework while setting up the project. Subsequently, as I come up with new ideas for various features that I would like to see on my project, I get to learn more and more. Remember, make sure that your project is scalable so you can continue adding features and tools perpetually.
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Places like YouTube and course platforms are amazing, but realistically, only a handful of videos are 'reliable'. Effectively you're at the mercy of the instructor or when the video was released. Depending on what you are looking for, I would say to always visit the official documentation and GitHub pages. These tend to be the most up-to-date and provide detailed explanations and sample code; it's also increasingly common to see links to 'approved' sources, either for extending something or explaining it. General information can be found on the Mozilla Developer Network (MDN), while Assessibilty updates can be found on W3C 'Everything in moderation' comes to mind. A bit of knowledge from multiple sources will help stave off bias.
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To learn web programming or web design, online courses are available like linkedin, udemy etc. Apart from these, youtube itself is a good resource.
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To swiftly learn new web technologies, start with foundational concepts. Explore online tutorials, documentation, and interactive coding platforms. Engage in hands-on projects to reinforce your skills. Follow industry blogs, join coding communities, and attend webinars for updates. Practice version control with Git and collaborate on open-source projects. Stay informed about emerging trends, attend conferences, and leverage resources like MDN Web Docs. Continuous practice, curiosity, and a proactive approach will accelerate your mastery of evolving web technologies.
Learning a new web development language is not only about memorizing syntax, rules, and commands. It is also about practicing and applying your skills to real-world scenarios and challenges. You should look for opportunities to practice and apply what you learn by doing exercises, quizzes, projects, or tasks that test your understanding and creativity. You should also look for feedback and guidance from mentors, instructors, or peers who can help you improve and learn from your mistakes. For example, if you want to learn JavaScript for web development, you might join a coding challenge, a hackathon, or a community project that requires you to use JavaScript.
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I start by reading any official documentation first, most have a ‘quick start tutorial’ for a brief idea of how to get up and running. After that, I usually do a structured video course tutorial from a well established instructor. Then the next step is to go away and start building things, you’ll get stuck along the way, so at that point refer back to topics that you are unclear on and re-study, use google and stack overflow. By working through your own projects you’ll cement the things you’ve learned and fill the gaps on the areas you are still trying to understand. Doing your own small projects is the best way to learn in my opinion.
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Having been stuck in 'Tutorial Hell' in the past, I can vouch for how essential it is to keep practising. As little as 10 to 15 minutes a day solving problems and trying different ways to approach something is, without a doubt, the best way forward. It keeps things fresh in your mind and it prevents you from feeling like you are running on a hamster wheel when trying to move forwards. The sooner you realise it's not a memory game, or 'copy the video', the easier it becomes. We learn best from encountering problems and making mistakes. You learn to overcome things, recognise pitfalls, and eventually, you'll develop a mindset which keeps you feeling in control, even when things are broken.
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It’s a lot like the music game. You gotta get in the studio (or the IDE) and lay down those tracks. Syntax? That’s your lyrics. But without delivery and flow, it’s just words on paper. Find those real-world scenarios. They’re your live gigs, where you get to flex and see what you’re made of. Exercises, projects, challenges? That’s your mixtape, your proof of work. And like any artist, feedback is gold. Those mentors and peers? They’re your A&Rs, your producers, guiding you to drop your best track yet. And that JavaScript example? Dope. Jumping into a coding challenge or hackathon is like hopping on a feature with a big artist. It’s where you learn, adapt, and shine. It’s about more than just the bars, it’s about the delivery.
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If you're starting from scratch and don't have a portfolio to show prospects, set yourself some personal projects and follow through to completion. Document your journey on social media and through blog posts, and when you're done, write it up as a case study with a demo. Your next project should bring more complexity than your last one, so you're continually challenging yourself and growing your skillset.
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People learn in different ways. I learn by doing the most, and The first thing I learn about anything at all is how to debug it. This allowed me to play and explore which is how I learned most of what I now know. Still doing this every day! For frontend developers, this means learning how to use every feature in the devtools. Learning how to debug node.js and so on. This is a lifelong investment.
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Mastering a new web development language surpasses mere memorization of syntax and rules; it entails practical application in real-world contexts. Embrace chances to practice through exercises, quizzes, projects, and tasks that evaluate both comprehension and innovation. Seek feedback and guidance from mentors, instructors, or peers to refine your skills and learn from errors. For instance, if JavaScript for web development is your target, consider engaging in coding challenges, hackathons, or community projects centered around JavaScript application. These experiences enhance your proficiency and problem-solving abilities.
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Everyone here has added valuable advice. I follow similar practices. I also enjoy daily coding challenges. For example you can practice Python with Coddy or Java with W3Resource.
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The more you practice, the better you will become. If you get stuck, don't be afraid to ask for help from mentors. There are many people out there who are willing to help you succeed.
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These days, many companies are providing free plans. When you learn web technologies, use one of the free hosting options and create a website. Implement what you learn and see it yourself online. This may be useful later to demonstrate to your prospective employers how you learned and practiced online.
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Take a new tech stack and recreate a project you are familiar with. Solving new problems and learning at the same time is a recipe for disaster.
Learning a new web development language is not a one-time event, but a continuous process. You should keep learning and exploring new features, libraries, frameworks, tools, and best practices that can enhance your web development skills and knowledge. You should also keep up with the latest trends, innovations, and standards that shape the web development industry and community. You should also keep an open mind and a curious attitude towards new web development languages that might emerge or evolve in the future. For example, if you want to learn Ruby for web development, you might follow the Ruby on Rails news, blogs, podcasts, and conferences.
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I have a special advice for juniors: Focus on the basics first! Trends, languages, frameworks, and libraries come and go. If you spend all your time following them you will be confused, fatigued, and overwhelmed. Don't rush to learn React with TypeScript before learning: HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Typescript in this order! However, another common mistake is trying to learn EVERYTHING about one topic before moving on to the next. This is humanely impossible. Instead, learn the most important pieces then move to the next topic before you get bored and give up. Then spend the rest of your life learning the rest as you grow like the rest of us :)
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In the dynamic world of web development, continuous learning is not just a choice; it's a necessity. The rapid pace of advancements in web technologies demands adaptability and a proactive approach to stay ahead in the game. 🚀💻 The technology stack that is considered cutting-edge today might become outdated in a few years. ⏳🔄 Web development is a dynamic field with a diverse set of languages, frameworks, and tools. Therefore, staying curious and embracing new challenges is paramount for success in this field.🌐🛠️
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Languages, libraries, tools? Those are your albums, your mixtapes. And you best believe they’re always coming with something fresh. Stay ahead of the curve. Web development’s moving at light speed, and if you ain’t evolving, you’re missing out. Trends, standards, best practices – these are your playlists; they define what’s poppin’ in the scene. That open mind you’re talking about? Essential. Tomorrow’s wave might not even be on the radar today. So, be curious, always be on the lookout for the next big hit in the web dev world. Taking Ruby as a case? Ruby on Rails is like that underground artist that everyone in the know is vibing with. Keep an ear out – tap into those blogs, podcasts, and conferences.
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Keep an eye on emerging languages and frameworks. You don't have to be an expert immediately, but you should be aware of and understand where the industry in your niche is heading. You never know what requirements a prospective client may ask for, and if you know an alternative solution, that could put you ahead of the others.
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While you should keep up with what's current, you also need to develop an intuition about when it makes sense to follow or diverge.
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Learning is a continuous process. Keep updating yourself on the technologies and techniques. You may find a better technique that can save time, money and effort. Always be ahead in doing things faster and efficiently by learning continously.
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In my experience I have been focusing only on my career goal: back end and the tech stacks of the project of the company does it have. Learning new features of a web dev language is a must. Just browsing and reading the code change history on IDE and the git repo helps me a lot.
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Adopt a mindset of continuous learning and exploration in your journey to master a new web development language. Stay updated on novel features, libraries, frameworks, tools, and best practices that elevate your skills. Keep abreast of industry trends, innovations, and standards that define the web development landscape. Cultivate openness and curiosity towards emerging or evolving languages. For instance, if Ruby is your focus, stay tuned to Ruby on Rails news, blogs, podcasts, and conferences. This approach ensures your skills remain cutting-edge and adaptable to evolving demands.
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To echo other comments, focus on the basics first. It might feel like you are missing out when you hear of the latest 'must-use' frameworks, but trust me, you will struggle and either burn out or become disheartened. For example, languages like TypeScript and React rely on you knowing Javascript. Rushing ahead, you'll never know which bit belongs to which part. You'll double the amount of work you have to do. Approaching problems becomes harder, or worse still, you begin to make shortcuts because you don't understand. "Don't run before you can walk". It's not a weakness - coding is hard. Practice, patience and perseverance. It's a marathon for sure.
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It’s so important to keep in mind that web development is a dynamic and exciting field that offers many opportunities for creativity and problem-solving. However, it also requires constant learning and adaptation to keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and standards. Don’t be afraid to try new things and always be willing to learn new languages and be up-to-date with all the changes in the languages.
Learning a new web development language can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be challenging and frustrating at times. You should not feel alone or isolated in your learning journey. You should connect and collaborate with others who share your passion and interest for web development. You should join online or offline communities, forums, groups, or networks that can offer you support, advice, inspiration, and opportunities. You should also share your work, ideas, questions, and feedback with others who can appreciate, critique, or collaborate with you. For example, if you want to learn PHP for web development, you might join the PHP community, the Laravel community, or the WordPress community.
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Learning a new web development language is bit challenging task for a Fresher but can be easier for someone who is experienced in IT industry. So lets break it into two parts: 1) For Fresher: Fresher always face this issue when started his/her carrier in the IT industry. I suggest, please clear your fundamentals like loops, if else conditions, OOPs concept etc. Once you know this you are very much comfortable and you can easily learn any other language. 2) For Experienced: You just have to understand the syntax of that particular programming language and the fundamentals like loops, if else conditions , oops concept etc are same for all the programming languages. Experienced can easily take up and work on any programming language. Thanks.
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I've found Discord communities to be super helpful, especially CSIT servers because of the wide variety of languages, skill levels, and experience.
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The process of learning a new web development language can be both enjoyable and challenging. To mitigate feelings of isolation and frustration, seek connection and collaboration with like-minded individuals. Engage with online or offline communities, forums, groups, or networks that provide support, guidance, inspiration, and prospects. Share your projects, concepts, queries, and feedback with peers who can offer valuable insights, critiques, or even potential collaborations. For instance, if PHP is your target, consider becoming part of the PHP, Laravel, or WordPress communities. These interactions enrich your learning experience and expand your horizons.
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There are several communities available for people to connect in the development space. Depending on how involved you want to be, Discord communities offer a quick and easy way to jump into a given topic. It is becoming increasingly common to see access to members of development teams which allow you the ability to ask questions and communicate directly with people behind languages and frameworks. Others might offer a Slack Channel or similar. Outside of Discord, you have 'X' (formerly Twitter), which has an active developer base, and who could forget Stack Overflow!
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Collaboration and teamwork are essential for the success of any project. When people work together, they can share their knowledge and expertise, which leads to better outcomes. They can also learn from each other and grow as individuals. Joining communities that align with your goals is a great way to find collaborators and mentors who can help you achieve your goals.
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Try to grasp the fundamental concepts behind a language, framework, or library. There are fundamental concepts on which the entire world of software engineering is based. When you understand them, learning a new language comes down to learning new syntax.
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João Nascimento
Software Developer
(edited)One way to stay motivated in your journey is to build something whose end you can envision. A product that you can stop developing, admire and let it rest. Even better if it is something useful or funny, like an automation for a tedious task or a silly website to share a niche meme. When I say product, I really mean just a program that had a beginning and a foreseeable end; you might add features later if you will, but even if you don't, it will nonetheless be complete.
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Find an open source project which interests you. Larger projects are likely to provide huge opportunities for learning a new language (I learnt Ruby and VueJS through contributing to the GitLab project).
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Beatrix Ducz(edited)
I don't think that anybody and everybody should learn to code. I still think that computers should be used by scientists to do complicated calculations, and the stuff that we use it for should be put back to elementary school and be learned by the age of 14, like calculus and grammar. People start their life being expert on css and can't write a sentence properly and can't communicate to other people. That's insane. If someone has a serious problem, that needs a computer to be solved, they should hire people who can code. And only those people should code who are interested in solving problems, not those who think this is the best and fastest way to get rich. I'm fed up with coders who learn wordpress then close their eyes and ears.
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Find a project that touches your heart. A website for your parents business. The app you wished for. An art project you are dreaming on. Don't follow tutorials to built another To-do-List or a chat interface. Go with what you keeps awake at night. Because you need a lot of energy. Don't waste time with comparing all options (there are too much). Trust your feeling. Do you like the design, can you understand the documentation, is there a nice way to start? In your career in Tech you will never stop learning. And knowledge let you replace technologies. So stop reading and start doing!
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I recommend joining a few hackathons and becoming familiar with the API they provide, it’s usually a new language. I learned a few languages this way or an open source community. Try to search GitHub repositories for open source projects, Bounties are another fun way and reason to learn some code new language jargon and getting compensation is a win!
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If you are serious about learning a specific set of languages to break into tech, consider joining and paying for a bootcamp that is in person. The best way to learn is to immerse yourself in coding, learning with an in-person community and getting one on one help, and building your references because as big as the world is, you never know when your friends and acquaintances can help you get in at companies you might want to work at, and sometimes your friends can voucher for you
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One thing that I have found helpful is rediscovering the Languages you claim to know. I was to appear for an AI based pre-interview programming fun test, but wished to be sure I am up for it. No I was not, therefore I decided to practice and revisit the functions, variants, loops statements in good old JavaScript, do some FizzBuzz etc. I read 75% of programmers on an average don't pass such tests. That turns out to be an inspiration to learn better and not a consolation to a generalist non programmer like me. There are plenty of sources to learn, but yes I agree doing it is the cutting edge way to nail it. Awareness of new Languages helps, so does the use case scenario.
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One important thing to keep in my mind is to understand the basic concepts completely before you dive deep into the hands-on approach and start building applications. Once your basic concepts are clear, you will be able to solve the problems quickly and learn steadily.
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