Thread by @refactorfiend

How do y'all like to ramp up on new tech?

🧵

For me, when the need for a new language, library, framework, shiny thing, etc pops up - i find that i usually take the same general steps

and the 7-bullet list i jotted down in my notes became this thread:

1. pick a language, any language. or framework, library etc.

no tech is perfect. don't sweat it the choice too much. they all have pros and cons - but do try to pick one that has good community adoption so you can get help when you run into blockers

2. commit. stop worrying about other tech for now. make space. no fomo here.

you're gonna need to commit some time, space, energy to this one thing for a lil while. so be kind to yourself and remove distractions as much as possible

3. spend first few hours on articles, videos, tutorials, etc.

doing is the best way to learn, but initially you'll need to spend some time learning the basics. read, watch videos, do a quick tutorial or course, whatever suits your steez. spend 1-2 days max

4. imagine an app you want to exist, or to extend or re-create

look around at existing apps you like, can you do a spin off of it, can you extend it, or make a simpler bare bones version? if you're at work, look at your existing systems' code bases and use your imagination

5. code it in the language you chose

this is the fun part. create your app, tool, utility, extension. bring your idea to life. manifest your vision. have fun.

6. don't give up on it

when you hit a snag, the documentation, google and stack overflow are your dawgs. work on it until you're satisfied with the app/s you built, or until you're confident about considering yourself "ramped up"

7. repeat steps 2-6 til u make that language bow down

some tech is more complex than others, so you may have to take more time on it. that's fine. this process of getting a good grasp of it is only developing stronger skills.

so that's basically my workflow. i've done a version if it many times over the years on both professional and side projects.

ive taken these steps for like every single language or framework over the years, easily 2-4 times a year

im actually doing it right now tryna ramp up on #graphql (im at step 4 now)

and i'll no doubt be taking the same approach in the next few months or so, into the future

how do you guys approach new tech?

btw i would categorize the above under #rapidSkillAcquisition #justInTimeLearning for experienced devs and #CodeNewbie alike

@threadreaderapp plz unroll