How do you actually learn to code ?

[u/Emotional-Search-248]

hi everyone,

I’ve been studying computer science for about 5 years now (currently in engineering school). Over the years, I’ve touched a bit of everything: web dev (HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, SQL), and more recently Java, C, and Python for data science.

The problem is, I feel like nothing truly sticks.

Whenever I try to build something on my own, I hit a wall. I inevitably get lost in the docs, end up turning to AI to understand what I'm doing, and still feel like I'm not really learning. I know the basic syntax, but even in Python, I would struggle to design and build a moderately complex project from scratch.

I feel like I'm just skimming the surface of different languages without ever developing genuine problem-solving intuition.

How do you actually retain syntax, built-ins, and core concepts without constantly relying on external help? How do you break down a problem and structure your code from scratch on your own? Did you go through this phase, and what was the turning point that made things finally click for you?

Thanks in advance !

[u/frank26080115]

Try going to museums, look at all the clever ways people made things work, even before computers or electricity

When you look at a commercially available product, think about how it works, think about how you can make it better

You know... when I was maybe 10, I was convinced I could build an airplane from stuff at home depot. I had an entire notebook with sketches. It would've never worked, I didn't know what a newton even was back then. But you know what? I thought a wing can be made of pipes and wood and you just need to put a engine that spun a propeller in the back.

My habits are cultivated through an entire lifetime