DEV Community: Hassan Suhaib

Enhance Your Productivity with Code-Snippets in VSCode

Hassan Suhaib — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 17:56:13 +0000

I've been using a lot of Python27 recently and since there's no f-strings in it, I have to write a lot of code like this for debugging:

logging.info("This variable: {}".format(variable))

which I really hate.

Using Code Snippets has really been helpful in this regard since I can just type any letter combination that I have configured and get a boilerplate of what I want to code.

E.g. on typing plog I get:

logging.info('${1:placeholder}: {}'.format(${1:placeholder}))

and if I start typing after pressing enter, the placeholder 1:placeholder gets replaced with whatever I typed. Since in this example there are two placeholders, pressing enter will replace them both simulataneously.

If you have set a placeholder like 2:placeholder then you can just hit tab after you're done replacing 1:placeholder so that you can edit 2:placeholder.

Here's how you can do it in VSCode.
Open VSCode and press ctrl + shift + P. Type "Snippet: Configure Code Snippets" and hit enter.

Select a language (I'll select Python).

Then add snippets like so. Notice that each new line is a new entry in the body array.

Save the file.

Now let's say I type imndb

and press enter, it gets replaced with my saved code snippet.

Hope this was helpful in improving your workflow. Feel free to drop a comment and share with your friends.

What I learned in #100DaysOfCode

Hassan Suhaib — Sat, 13 Jun 2020 15:19:50 +0000

What is #100DaysOfCode?

'#100DaysOfCode' is a challenge where you have to write code or learn how to code for at least 1 hour a day for 100 days consistently. You have to tweet about your progress daily using the hashtag and commit the details of the progress on a Github log. You can find more details about the challenge at 100daysofcode.com

How I started it?

I was casually browsing twitter and as I had followed some developers, I found some people talking about it. I clicked the hashtag and eventually landed on the site mentioned earlier.
At first, I was a bit hesitant to start it because I knew I was very inconsistent and I loved to procrastinate but I thought to myself: "You are a computer science student and it would be a shame if you don't do this challenge." So after some contemplation, I convinced myself to start this challenge. This journey began on February 13, 2020.

FreeCodeCamp

Most of the people start this challenge by signing up on freeCodeCamp because it is very beginner-friendly and teaches tons of stuff, so I did the same.
I started the Responsive Web Design Certification and completed it by making 5 projects. Then I started the JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures Certification. I finished up to Functional Programming but I wasn't understanding the JavaScript language. So I started Web Developer Bootcamp by Colt Steele on Udemy, where I learned to make small projects in JavaScript and Bootstrap 4 (A framework of CSS). I got bored with this course because it's designed to just teach the basics of Web Dev.

Getting intimate with JavaScript

I wanted to get my hands dirty with some real JavaScript so I started The Modern JavaScript Bootcamp by Andrew Mead. I highly recommend this course to all the JS beginners because the teaching style of Andrew is great and he makes you do little challenges at the end of every video, so you don't just watch the videos, you're are completely engaged in the course.
Here I learned advanced DOM manipulation, complex array methods, data storage, object-oriented programming, asynchronous JavaScript, Babel, and Webpack. Don't worry if these terms sound cryptic to you because I didn't know them either when I started this challenge.

Building Projects

During this course, I built two projects: Notes App by coding along with Andrew and Todos App as a challenge. But after the course ended, I made a recipe app to practice the skills that I had learned.

CS50

Meanwhile, I also continued Harvard's CS50: Introduction to Computer Science taught by David Malan in which I learned C, Python, and SQL. I solved all the problem sets which gave me a really hard time. This course made me understand coding on a deeper level. I will tell you all about this course in detail in an upcoming article.

Skills Learned

Following are the skills that I learned during my journey

HTML/CSS
Bootstrap 4
Git/GitHub
Working with the Terminal/CLI
JavaScript
DOM Manipulation with JS
Fetch API in JS
ES6
Babel/Webpack
Python
SQL
& other miscellaneous stuff.

Visual Representation of the code I wrote

This amazing site sourcerer.io gives an idea about the code that I committed to GitHub after starting my journey to this day.

Advice for beginners

Beginners and Code Newbies, if you want to stop getting intimidated by the fear of learning how to code or if you want to tackle procrastination and become consistent, then my advice to you is to just do this challenge. The future is uncertain but the decision that you make today is going to decide what's going to happen next, so make that decision now! I guarantee that by the end of the course you will have learned a lot of things.

Some resources for online free learning

freeCodeCamp
Codecademy
Code.org
SoloLearn
I will recommend CS50 if you quickly want to take it to the next level.
There are some awesome YouTubers that teach coding, you can check them out! My favourites are Tech with Tim and Traversy Media.

My tips

In addition to the tutorial's code, write your own code. You'll understand things better this way.
Define your own pace, don't compare yourself with others!
Even though the challenge allows a little bit flexibility, try to stay consistent.
Don't rush! Make sure you completely understand the current topic and then move on to the next one.
Instead of sticking to tutorials, complete one and start building your own stuff.

Conclusion

This challenge made me not just a better coder but a better human being.
It taught me how to stay consistent and get over procrastination.
I have learned skills that are very important to excel in my career.
I learned some stuff that isn't even covered in tutorials.

You can achieve it too! You're just one decision away.

Do students know this?

Hassan Suhaib — Tue, 12 May 2020 10:26:03 +0000

Did you know that if you're a student and currently enrolled in some course, you can get a free GitHub pro account, access to many online learning resources, and developer tools for free?

Well, I didn't know about it until recently, which means that I have wasted two and a half years of benefits that I could've availed during my course of study. But, better late than never, right?

GitHub offers this pack called Student Developer Pack where you get the benefits mentioned above and all you have to do is sign up on GitHub and fulfill these requirements.

A Quick Overview

This program offers tons of stuff to choose from. Here I have mentioned some of the highlights of the program:

For those interested in Data Science

If you want to become a Data Scientist then using this pack you can get free three months access to DataCamp which is an awesome platform to learn Python, R, and all the stuff related to Data Science.

Miscellaneous Learning Resources

If you're interested in Web Development then you can get a free 6-month subscription of Frontend Masters or a 1-month subscription of OneMonth. If it's other programming skills that you would like to develop then you can get a 6-month subscription of Educative.

Preparation for Interviews

This pack provides 3-week access to Interview Cake which can help you prepare for your next interview.

Domains

Want to set up a portfolio site? Get a free domain name for one year from NameCheap, Name.com and .Tech Domains using this pack.

Unity for Game Developers

If you want to step up your game development skills, then you can get free access to Unity and its resources while you're a student.

Tools for Developers

GitHub offers a huge list of tools that you can use like Heroku, Bootstrap Studio, Arduino, MongoDB, etc.

So go ahead and register in the program to get these benefits and make the most of it. Happy learning and happy coding!

If you would like to discuss anything, then feel free to drop a comment or head over to Twitter, that's where I usually hang out.

I Made my First App in JavaScript!

Hassan Suhaib — Thu, 07 May 2020 11:44:14 +0000

Today marks the 85th day of my Journey of #100DaysOfCode. For those of you who don't know, #100DaysOfCode is a challenge started by Alex Kallaway in which you have to code daily for at least an hour a day for the next 100 days.

Alex Kallaway ⚡️Follow

Creator of #100DaysOfCode & #100DaysOfX (Trouble)maker of http://zerno.app Author @ DoTheOpposite Weekly Newsletter: http://dotheoppo.site/newsletter

My Journey

I started my journey by learning HTML and CSS on FreeCodeCamp. At the end of the first course, I made 5 Responsive Web Designs needed to get the certificate and I got it.

Then I started learning JavaScript on the same platform but I just couldn't get the gist of JavaScript, especially ES6. It drove me nuts so I stopped and started a Web Developer Bootcamp by Colt Steele on Udemy. He taught JavaScript with DOM Manipulation which made it fun but it was simple stuff and ES6 was not covered and neither the complex stuff like Array methods, fetch API, promises etc.

So I bought another course: The Modern JavaScript Bootcamp by Andrew Mead and I gotta say, this is the best investment I have ever made in my life! During the course, there are numerous challenges that you have to do by yourself and it pushes you to write your own code.

I learned a lot and for the first time, I was totally into JavaScript. When the course ended, Andrew suggested that the students make a Recipe App. I thought it's going to be a piece of cake. But boy was I wrong! It took me FIVE days!

The work begins!

First I worked on the HTML and CSS part of the app, but I wasn't so interested in the design and I just wanted to move on to the JavaScript part. Worked on the logic for the next 3 days. It took me this long because I'm relatively new to this stuff. On the 5th day, I debugged my app and uploaded it. Now I know, it doesn't look anything like an app with a perfect design and logic but still for me, a JS and CSS CodeNewbie, I deserve a pat on the back for building something.
I am going to keep building trivial projects like this one to hone my skills and get a grip on knowledge. Check out My Recipe App

Why am I telling you this?

Because I want to give this advice to all the Code Newbies and beginners out there to get out of the loop of endless tutorials and build stuff of your own. You will get stuck frequently, it's part of the process. Google it until you find the solution. This will improve your problem-solving skills and build your confidence and once you complete something decent, it will boost your morale and motivate you.

Conclusion

In the end, I will say that no matter how many tutorials you watch, the real learning starts when you open an IDE on your own, create a new file, and start writing code. You will learn all those little things that aren't and can't be covered in tutorials. Good luck and happy coding!

Did my Computer Science degree help me?

Hassan Suhaib — Sat, 02 May 2020 12:33:44 +0000

First, let me tell you a bit about myself. I am an undergraduate in Computer Science and currently, it's my 6th semester. These days I am doing the #100DaysOfCode challenge and learning CSS and JavaScript(there's a semester break going on due to the Corona Virus). Why am I writing this post if my degree isn't even complete yet? Well, I would like to share some thoughts with you.

I saw some posts debating whether you really need a CS degree to build a career. My answer? Well yes, but actually no.

Let's have a look at both aspects, shall we?

Benefits of Computer Science Degree:

They teach you the very basics i.e. the bits and bytes of the computer. Knowing this tremendously improves your understanding of how the computer works.
There's a great focus on Data Structures and Algorithms(They're very important).
The course material is great.
The assignments and quizzes make you feel accountable and force you to do hard work.
There's a whole batch of students with you and it improves your teamwork skills.
There's always a professor or a mentor that can answer all of your questions and help you out when you're stuck.

Not so great aspects of Computer Science Degree:

These are very few but the thing is: they matter!

You learn a lot of stuff that you wouldn't even need at your job.
You have to study some courses that are totally irrelevant.
It takes FOUR YEARS!

The reason I'm telling you all of this is that I want to make a point: Learning on your own is also beneficial given that you stay disciplined and committed.

I have spent the last 80 days learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on my own from online courses and I am more confident in coding than ever before. Because previously I spent so much time delving into the theory(I didn't have a choice, did I?). In university, you do learn how to code and build stuff, but you have to spend so much time learning other things as well and you can't focus on a single subject. And of course, you don't get to decide your own pace.

Let me summarize these benefits for you:

Benefits of learning on your own:

You learn at your own pace.
You only have to focus on a single path, it may be Data Science, Web Development, Game Development, etc.
It can still take you more than a year to get there but still there's no minimum limit of 4 years.
You can start working as soon as you're confident and keep learning alongside it.

In the end, it's just your own choice and it depends on the kind of person you are. Neither way is easier. It requires hours of hard work and consistency.
So did my Computer Science degree help me? Yes, it did!