When you're learning new things in tech, do you use written stuff or videos more often? Why?

What do you prefer?

Are you a reader or a watcher? What is your preferred way to learn new things in programming, tech etc.?

Why?

Comments

[Ian bradbury]

I need both. Very often I'll watch a video or two and then go read the documentation.

Video begins the process of opening the door to new ideas but it's documentation that throws the doors wide open.

[icarusComplexz]

There's a few different learning styles that work best for me. I usually start with reading about something because that's the way that I learn the best. But, failing that, I watch tutorials.

What really makes me understand something is actually doing it, so regardless of where I'm getting the information, I won't learn anything tech related until I actually do the thing that I'm trying to learn. Tech is about the only field that I'm a kinetic learner in, it's very strange. Everything else I've studied, I've learned more by reading.

[John Turton]

I use both, but I start with the videos.

The videos either give me a quick window into the jargon or a realistic example of how it can be used. Videos also give me a quick glimpse of if said tech is worth learning at the moment, or if I need to find something else.

I then follow up with reading for the full deep dive.

[Jesus Enmanuel De La Cruz]

I'm a watcher but I combine both

[yaythomas]

writing. you read faster than you can watch!

also, less easy to get distracted by cat videos.

[Margo McCabe]

I think it's good to do a combination of all different learning styles, you might remember different things from different methods

[Michel Renaud]

Mostly written, but sometimes if I find a video that gives a bird's eye view of the whole thing then I might watch that first. It's a good starting point to know where to dig deeper.