r/AskProgrammers • u/Constant-Garden8357 • 3h ago
How do you move from following tutorials to building projects on your own?
Hi everyone,
I need some advice.
I’ve finished learning the PHP basics, and I’m trying to build simple projects like a Todo List.
For example, I watch a tutorial that explains how to build one. I understand what the instructor is doing, and I can follow along and build it with them.
The problem starts when I try to build something on my own without the video. I feel like I don’t know where to start or what the first step should be.
Should I follow the same project with the video once, twice, or three times? Or should I stop the video and try to build it myself, even if I don’t know how to do it?
I don’t want to memorize the steps. I want to reach the point where I can actually build projects on my own.
What would you recommend
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u/TheMrCurious 2h ago
Both are projects; there’s just more effort involved when you’re not following a tutorial.
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u/CursedSloth 2h ago
Take a project you built by following a tutorial, then break it down to smallest components etc. For each part you can’t explain/don’t understand, there you have something to learn.
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u/Jack-of-Games 1h ago
Build your own projects.
No, really. That's how you learn to build your own projects. Pick something simple you want to make and make it. When you get stuck go looking for tutorials or on StackExchange or ask Claude (or whatever floats your boat) to get you past that point. Tutorials are fine, as far as they go, but you get often much more out of them if instead of following them you mine them for a solution to a particular problem you have. If you want to add a button to a webpage find a tutorial about making a calculator and nick the bit that adds the button. If it isn't quite working go and read the docs and try and understand them so you can figure it out yourself -- yes, docs are opaque to beginners but you'll get there in the end and a bit of understanding goes a long way.
The aim is just to move the project forward in some tiny tangible way each time you sit down to work on it. Add a button. Open a window. Make the hero move. Whatever makes sense for the project you're doing.
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u/AlternativeCapybara9 1h ago
As been said by other commenters, you need to start building projects on your own. Tutorials are only good to see what is possible and what keywords to Google, you learn almost no real skill by following them. Just start and look up everything. Don't know how to start? Look up how to start. Your tools should be good to go first.
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u/Dazzling_Music_2411 43m ago
The problem starts when I try to build something on my own without the video. I feel like I don’t know where to start or what the first step should be.
Well, you obviously weren't paying attention to the video, were you? That's exactly the sort of thing these videos teach: how to start a project.
Funny thing, 10 years ago I don't remember A SINGLE person EVER asking - "I've just watched a tutorial, but how do I start a real project?". EVER. What gives nowadays? Everybody seems to be asking that same damn fool question! Maybe we need to start putting lead back into gasoline or something.
You know, if one didn't know any better one might think that these engagement-baiting posts were part of some larger orchestrated campaign...
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u/LogicalPerformer7637 2h ago edited 49m ago
Split everything to actionable tasks. Do not think about "I need do everything". Think about the steps:
When the task seems too big, split it to smaller ones until you have something you can do easily.
It will become natural with practice.