How do I research the web?

Prior to entering this field, I don’t know if I would have considered “knowing how to use the internet” a skill. However, soon after starting my Web Development degree, I learned how vital a skill it is. Especially for a developer. I have not yet created a single project or app without having to dive into the internet for answers to my questions about that specific project. The first place I look to is MDN Web Docs. This website seems to be the industry standard as far as documentation for developers goes. They provide a great way to navigate the site as well as examples and usage of the specific code given. Another resource I use is Stack Overflow, however, one must be careful when navigating their site since anyone can post a reply to a question. I try to stay away from tutorials on things like YouTube and Udemy because most of the code there is given to you and I personally feel it more difficult to learn that way.

What tips and tricks do I have to searching the web?

Tips and tricks I use to browse the web are:

  • Visit authoritative sources
  • Simply google your question and see if other had the same one
  • Read documentation
  • Only copy code you understand

The last of these tips, I have found to be quite important. Copying and pasting a snippet of code from another resource rarely works. In order for the code to properly work, you must understand the code and change it to work for your project.

What is “Tutorial Hell”?

“Tutorial Hell” is when you as a developer continue to just watch tutorials in order to solve your coding issues. The problem with this is that tutorials essentially give you the code you need to put in without allowing you to figure out the problem for yourself and thus impeding your growth as a developer. A developer is a problem solver and tutorials, if overused, can inhibit your growth as a problem solver.

How do I best learn development and JavaScript?

The way I best learn development and JavaScript are through the documentation, and asking for help. Countless times during my journey as a developer, I have had to reach out to a mentor or peer to look over and review my code. Reading and understanding documentation is one of the most important skills I think a developer can have. Most all the answers can be found in the documentation.

My recommendation for someone new to web development

My recommendation for someone who is new to web development about how to learn and develop that skill is to be like a sponge when it comes to absorbing information. Asking questions, whether it is to a real person or the internet is important. After asking, listen, read, and conceptualize. Try and figure out how that concept can apply to your project.