Hello everyone!
I'm writing the script for a new article (and video for my YouTube Channel) where I talk about Open Source and Web Development.
A topic I really feel connected about is the so-called Tutorial Hell. In short, it's that situation where you can get the result by strictly following tutorials, but as soon as you try to do something slightly different you're stuck.
I'd like to hear from you if you've ever been in a similar situation and how you escaped, or if you have suggestions for other developers just starting out, to avoid this blocker and maximizing the acquired knowledge from tutorials.
I'll include the most interesting stories and advices in the video if you want.
Thanks for sharing! :)
Top comments (8)
I can begin with my story. A couple years ago I dove in Game Development and there are a huge number of amazing guides and tutorials. I had a lot of fun during that time!
I learned how to make games with Unity and a big shoutout to Brackeys, one of the best YouTube channels with gamedev tutorials. They shared quality tutorials literally for everything and you can learn a lot of "building blocks" and specific features.
However by reading the comments in some video, many pals starting their development journey directly by following gamedev tutorials were struggling in connecting the pieces all together... and this opened my eyes as well!
Actually, I was in a similar situation even with a decent base of C# and programming in general.
How much time can be saved by learning how to properly use tutorials! That's why I wanted to publish an entire video on that... a tutorial on how to use tutorials, basically :P
I wasted last year in tutorial hell. it's depressing. the funny thing is it's scary to go out of the tutorial pargetory.
but if you want to learn programming you'll have to do it.
After trying and failing I am slowly getting out of the hell. I am building projects from Free Code Camp without going through the reading material. cause I know them. and if i get stuck I can just google and fix the issue.
Note: I am practicing React and Redux. I am too scared to build like projects like Twitter Clone, Dev.to Clone. so, I decided to go from building FCC projects.
Thank you for sharing your story!
Platforms and teaching-styles such as Scrimba are great because while it is a "tutorial", you're required to do challenges as you go. Having an IDE right there also allows you to play around with the code in real time. Another advice would be take the tutorial's idea but make the project your own thing. I mean modifying or doing everything slightly differently. That way, you have the tutorial more as a guide but are not inclined to just follow the tutorial blindly
Simple. Don't do tutorials
That's a bold statement but interesting, could you please expand it? :)
I think, and have always thought that they're not a good way to learn stuff. In my experience, self directed learning always has a far better result. Either set yourself a goal and move towards it using documentation as a guide, or just experiment and play - letting curiosity guide you and again turning to documentation when you get lost. These routes to knowledge are far more interesting, enjoyable, and rewarding.
Lewis Mumford, Humanist and philosopher of technology - 1970
Indeed, my style exactly. No time for tutorials of the video kind at all. Will consume one in written form now and again mostly if totally new at something, to get rolling. Before long I sometimes find myself writing doc about how to do what I needed to do that wasn't anywhere to find online but most of the learning is by doing and keeping notes (from which, if I feel it's worth sharing might emerge some doc).