Many people try to learn JavaScript and give up. Then they say things like, “JavaScript is too confusing,” or worse, “Maybe I’m not made for web development.”
The sad part? There was no need to give up. All it took was a different learning approach.
In this article, we will cover some of the most common learning mistakes people make and how to avoid them. Many of these tips will apply outside of JavaScript or even web development, so there’s this bonus too.
Let’s dive!
Mistake # 1: over-analyzing instead of starting
It can be tempting to research all the information you can get before you start learning JavaScript. If you look, you will find information on how JavaScript is the best thing or the worst thing, or how you should be on this framework or this framework. You might also hear that you have to write JavaScript in a certain way, otherwise you will never be a “real” developer.
Whether these points are valid or not, nothing is worse than the six months to a year that you will lose agonizing instead of starting.
Just type a line of code. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be terrible. If you are starting out, you have already overcome one of the obstacles that prevent many people.
Mistake # 2: Learning a framework before learning simple JavaScript
JavaScript frameworks are built on top of vanilla JavaScript, so if you understand JavaScript, you automatically understand the fundamentals of using any JavaScript framework.
However, if you jump directly into a frame, you will end up memorizing without understanding. It’s like trying to write sentences without knowing what the words mean. You will end up memorizing random sentences instead of understanding how words work and how to put them together to create your own sentences.
If you go directly to a framework, it will be more difficult to learn and you will find it more difficult to adapt to another framework if you need to. If you first learn simple JavaScript, you have a solid foundation for understanding all the frameworks.
Mistake # 3: Taking the next step too soon
One of the most common mistakes is to jump right into understanding a concept.
I really struggled with this one because it is tempting to move on once you understand something.
What helped was to treat each concept as a new toy; It means taking a little time to enjoy what you have just learned. Play, experiment, see if you can do something new with it. You will learn a lot this way and you will remember it better too.
Once you feel you can apply a concept in your sleep, move on. It takes a little more time in advance, but it quickly accelerates everything.
On the other hand, if you rush, you’ll end up forgetting and having to go back for every little thing. It ends up taking much longer and can be discouraging. In fact, this is a common reason why people have said they are leaving JavaScript.
Mistake # 4: not breaking the concepts down
Learning is like a staircase: if you can take a step, you can keep doing it until you reach your goals. When something is difficult to understand, it is often because you are trying to take a leap forward instead of taking one step at a time. Of course, that seems impossible!
Concretely, I have seen situations where people had trouble understanding a piece of code. I would ask them to explain it, and they would be wrong in trying to explain it all at once. I would ask them to explain it again, but this time line by line, and that was when it made sense.
If something seems confusing, there is often a step that is skipped, so it helps to focus on smaller and smaller pieces until you find the blocking point. If a concept still doesn’t make sense after breaking it down, you will find it easier to seek help because it is easier to search for specific topics than vague ones.
Mistake # 5: Attempting a complex project too early
People who are just starting out with JavaScript often say something like “I’m just going to code a quick little social network”, without realizing the extent of what is involved. When the project turns out to be difficult, they completely abandon JavaScript.
I have written on projects in more detail, but the bottom line is that it is often easier to start with some basic concepts first. That way, you have building blocks in your toolbox when you start making projects.
To be clear, I am not saying to go too far and avoid projects for a long time. I just found it easier to start projects if I did basic things first, like displaying text in the browser or responding to a button click.
Mistake # 6: not practicing in real conditions
When you learn JavaScript, you could end up training in conditions that don’t correspond to real life. For example, you can type in the built-in code editor of a website, or you can depend on a pasted file from a tutorial.
These approaches can be useful for learning, but it is also important to try the material for yourself. It would mean using your own text editor and coding a concept from scratch.
If you don’t take a little time to practice each concept on your own, you will depend on the drive wheels. Then you find yourself in a situation where you’ve spent all this time learning, but you don’t seem to be able to apply it all by yourself.
Mistake # 7: Comparing Yourself to More Advanced Developers
One of the easiest ways to get discouraged is to compare yourself to more advanced people. This is because you are looking at where they are rather than how they got there.
To use a personal example, people saw my tutorials and asked me how I had written such clean code. They said they couldn’t write clean code like that, so maybe they weren’t made for JavaScript.
The truth is that my process was a mess. I experimented, made mistakes, looked at things, wrote ugly and ultimately refined code all in one presentable tutorial. People saw the polished version and assumed the whole process was like this. I also made these assumptions about the authors of the tutorial until I started to write mine.
The point is to focus only on what you are learning right now and you will improve. Keep repeating this process, and soon you will be at a point where others will wonder how you got there.
Mistake # 8: consuming information and not actually coding
It is easy to spend a lot of time watching videos and reading tutorials, but you will only really learn if you write code.
The dangerous part of consuming information without following through is that you will feel as if you are learning. Six months later, you will no longer be able to apply what you have learned.
Fifteen minutes of coding can often teach you more than an hour to consume information.
Mistake # 9: taking tutorials without understanding or experimenting
When reading tutorials, it is tempting to simply copy the steps in a linear fashion. This approach does not teach the problem-solving process, which usually involves experimenting and taking small steps in different directions. As a result, a person who follows tutorials in a linear fashion will often be unable to apply the knowledge afterwards.
So what is the solution?
Instead of copying each step, take the time to experiment. For example, if you’re doing a slideshow tutorial, test and show and hide the divs, then test the timing, then try another little piece. You will learn much more from experience than from the linear approach, and you will also be able to apply it better.
Key points to remember
If there is one thing I want you to remember from this article, it is that you will make the greatest progress by taking the smallest steps.
Whatever you learn, familiarize yourself with the fundamentals. Experiment with what you have learned and have fun.
It can be difficult at times, but it’s good. The challenge means that you are stretching your abilities, and that is what will make you improve. If everything is still too easy, it could mean that something has to change.
I hope it was helpful, and if there is anything that helped you learn JavaScript, feel free to share in the comments!
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