Since I was a small kid I remember struggling learning. 

Learning path for me is a true pain! 

I admire people who in 3 months have achieved a basic knowledge of JavaScript for instance. 

Hi, I am Luc, and this is more like a testimonial than something that could bring any news on the table. 

Learning

While we all, as developers want to be on the wave and know all that requires for our jobs, we tend to look and admire new technologies and people who are fast learners, we tend to compare or at least want to be like them or learn those technologies fast.

We shouldn’t compare and we should focus on our journey. I know you’ve heard this so many times lately that it turned out into a cliché, but we should focus on fundamentals until we feel comfortable. Whether is frontend or backend, my technique is to learn fundamentals until I feel comfortable. 

Applying 

To learn to feel comfortable I apply and implement what I learn during the week on the weekend. 

It helps my mind to embrace new concepts and I need to look at them from different points of view in order to associate those concepts with something I already know as it has to make sense.

When it comes to applying, I just apply what I learned on projects I already have and I just “mutate” code. I know that perhaps this is not a common way of doing things, but it’s working for me. What I exactly do, is to take an old project (a form for example) and adding it more inputs, different colors, or more submit type buttons, with the goal of learning how to implement those new concepts.

Slow learning

I love JavaScript😍… I hate JavaScript😤! I know it’s confusing, but you’ll understand my special relationship with JavaScript if you, like me, are working with pure Vanilla as your main “engine” then you’ll know.

For a guy like me who will turn 43 on the last day in August, who never worked with anything at all regarding coding, it’s a struggle and I am a slow learner. Yes, I see advancements and I feel more comfortable than last year, so I will push forward, and yes I love to code, but I am a slow learner. I choose to be as I want to understand the fundamentals of JavaScript. I don’t care if it will take a whole year to grasp what I need to go to VUE or REACT, but I want to feel comfortable with basics. 

Epilogue

 While other coders skip to Libraries after a month and they continue to grasp the fundamentals down the road, I prefer to remain until I understand Vanilla. I have time, I don’t rush. Nevertheless either way is the best what suits you and according to your need.

I really hope that my small testimony will help you decide and establish what is best for you.

Until next time, have a good and productive week to come.