how I learned to code personal projects (use tutorials the right way)

Key takeaways:

Learning to code involves more than just following tutorials. True learning comes from building projects and understanding the underlying concepts.
When encountering difficulties while learning, be patient, allow yourself time to learn and improve, and seek help from resources like chat GPT or documentation.
Once you've completed a project, you can continue to develop your skills by expanding its features or creating similar, more complex projects.

Learning by Building Projects #

Start with a simple app idea, such as Tic Tac Toe, using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Following a tutorial to build the app without understanding the code is akin to "giving a man a fish" instead of teaching him how to fish.
To learn effectively, build a different version of the project from scratch, with modifications such as a larger grid or additional players. This forces you to think about why things work a certain way.

When encountering issues, use resources like video tutorials, written code, or chat GPT to help you understand the problem.
Avoid copying and pasting code without understanding it. Instead, ask chat GPT to explain the code to you "like you're 5 years old" and then implement the solution yourself.

Learning to code can be difficult at first, but as you gain experience, you will find that concepts become easier to understand.
Remember that learning compounds over time, so be patient and persistent in practicing your skills.
Give yourself time to learn and improve, and don't be discouraged by the expectations you set for yourself.

After completing a project, continue to develop your skills by adding new features to the project or creating similar, more complex projects.
For example, you could enhance the Tic Tac Toe game with a better UI, a counter for wins and losses, or a timer for each person's turn. Alternatively, you could create a more intricate game like Sudoku.
As you progress, you will rely less on tutorials and more on documentation for guidance on implementing features and solving problems.

Summary for: Youtube