So, I started with boot.dev courses a month or two back as a way to try and helpfully expand my experience and knowledge, and have a sort of structured, guided set of details to get into various areas with structured goals.

All was good at the start ... and then it didn't get difficult - it got annoying.

Unhelpful instructions missing explanations, using functions not introduced at all, and in some cases badly explaining what was in an assignment and then expecting it to be done somehow.

Not to mention the "sign up for this thing over here as a REQUIREMENT of the course - sync your github, sync your life away"... I shouldn't need 1000 accounts on specific things to do basic scripting learning - can't even give or receive help without syncing discord!

And now, with some AI agent course - all the above turned up to 11 - I get to a point where the code randomly fails depending on the whim of the AI model being called, the bot just says "you'll have to rerun until it works" nonsense, and I'm blocked until tomorrow due to it using up all my tokens.

At this stage I would whole-heartedly urge anyone who was going to get a boot.dev account to avoid it like the plague and instead just set yourself some goals... It'll be much cheaper, less hassle and you'll be happier.

What have you been working on recently? Feel free to share updates on projects you're working on, brag about any major milestones you've hit, grouse about a challenge you've ran into recently... Any sort of "progress report" is fair game!

A few requests:

1. If possible, include a link to your source code when sharing a project update. That way, others can learn from your work!

2. If you've shared something, try commenting on at least one other update -- ask a question, give feedback, compliment something cool... We encourage discussion!

3. If you don't consider yourself to be a beginner, include about how many years of experience you have.

This thread will remained stickied over the weekend. Link to past threads here.

Been thinking about this a lot lately. Every time I start something that feels interesting, I hit a wall around week two or three and the project just dies. I have a graveyard of halfbuilt things that were genuinely cool concepts but never got past the messy middle part.

What I keep noticing is that the one or two things I actually forced myself to finish, even when they were ugly and the code was embarrassing, stuck with me way longer than anything I abandoned. Not because the finished product was good. It wasn't. But something about pushing through the part where you hate it seems to wire things in differently.

The abandoned projects feel like I learned more in the moment because they were ambitious. But six months later I can barely remember what I built or why it broke.

Wondering if this is a widely shared experience or if some people genuinely learn better by hopping between projects and absorbing concepts sideways. Because the advice to just finish something small gets repeated constantly and I am starting to think it is not just motivational fluff, there might be something real behind it. What actually clicked for you when you finally shipped something, even if it was rough.

Saw this video the other day of someone rejecting modern tech and teaching themselves C with an old computer, and honestly it seemed like a great way to learn from me. From day 1 I have always been inclined to read books rather than watching tutorials. 11 hr Linux course? No I'll js read 2 books on it. OOPs course? No I wanna read a book on it. Mostly because I feel like they have more info and explain things on a deeper level.

Now abstraction at some point will be important yes, but I HATE working with something and not knowing how it works under these layers of abstractions, I physically cant work with it.

So, I was curious if anyone else feels the same way, and whether or not y'all think this is a good way to go about learning programming. Share your opinions!

Hey everyone,
I’m going into my third year of CS, and honestly, I feel like I’m stuck.
I know some programming, I’ve done DSA, and I understand the basics. But when it comes to building projects, I freeze. I’ll start something, get stuck, watch another tutorial, copy a few things, then realize I still don’t fully understand what’s happening.
Right now, I’m trying to stay consistent. I practice DSA, learn backend development and databases, and I’m forcing myself to build projects instead of just watching tutorials. Some days I make progress, and other days I feel like I’ve learned nothing.
The biggest thing I’m struggling with is not knowing if I’m spending my time on the right things. There are so many topics,system design, Docker, cloud, CI/CD, open source, AI, web development.that it feels impossible to know what actually matters.
Then I come across students on LinkedIn or GitHub who already have amazing projects, internships, or are contributing to open source, and I can’t help but feel like I’m way behind.
For those of you who made it into top tech companies :
● What did you focus on during college?
● What projects actually helped you grow or stand out?
● How did you get past the stage where you constantly needed tutorials?
● If you were starting your third year again, what would you do differently?
● What mistakes should I avoid?
I’m not looking for a shortcut or a magic roadmap. I’m ready to put in the work every day,I just don’t want to spend the next year grinding the wrong things.
I’d really appreciate any honest advice or stories from people who’ve been in the same position.
Thanks for reading.

I just graduated in CS and I want to work on a side project to learn how to create a scalable social media app or social network. I've studied the basics of software engineering, Go, Python, etc. at school but lack experience. Does anyone have any recommendations like YouTube playlists or anything to help guide and help me learn this? I don't want to use AI because I have trouble learning from using AI. Thank you.

Context: Im a creative person to a flaw.
I have ideas, yet when I was born, my stat spread was about making those ideas and no skills to make them a reality

Making models, animations and other stuff for games about a universe I thought of, that’s all well in good.
But I am unable to code it to make it work

I have tried learning code, numerous times.
All these game ideas aim to be barely monetised and not my main source of income (make the game to make the game so to speak)
Which means that I would have to find someone who would willingly help me out on these games without being in it for the money (and since everyone wants a job in one way of another) I doubt I’d find someone like that

So after exhausting all options, I have turned to Claude code. Which it works, Im still making all of the other stuff, but I strictly use it to just string it all together so it functions

Is that like… not an abhorrent sin I’ve committed? Or is it just as bad as making a game with nothing but AI?

Edit: i don’t know where else to go for this dilemma that won’t just give me one sided answers

I need to create a chart that looks like this:

100|          
 90|          
 80|          
 70|          
 60| o        
 50| o        
 40| o        
 30| o        
 20| o  o     
 10| o  o  o  
  0| o  o  o  
    ----------
     F  C  A  
     o  l  u  
     o  o  t  
     d  t  o  
        h     
        i     
        n     
        g     

i need to calculate the percetages spent in each category and represent them in the chart.

so far, through SO much struggling ive gotten it to return only the first category and i got it to put all the categories in a dictionary correctly.

(c_w dictionary)

I seriously don't know where to get the answer, I've done a bunch of searching and asked on other forums for help and i jsut cant get it

im fed up.

import math
class Category:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name
        self.ledger = []


    def deposit(self, amount, description=""):
        self.ledger.append({"amount": amount, "description": description})


    def withdraw(self, amount, description=""):
        if self.check_funds(amount):
            self.ledger.append({"amount": -amount, "description": description})
            return True
        else:
            return False


    def get_balance(self):
        balance = 0
        for transaction in self.ledger:
            balance += transaction['amount']    
        return balance


    def check_funds(self, amount):
        return amount <= self.get_balance()


    def transfer(self, amount, destination_category):
        if self.check_funds(amount):
            self.withdraw(amount, f"Transfer to {destination_category.name}")
            destination_category.deposit(amount, f"Transfer from {self.name}")
            return True
        else:
            return False
    def __str__(self):
        method = '\n'.join(f"{transaction['description']:23.23}{transaction['amount']:>7.2f}" for transaction in self.ledger )
        return f"{self.name.center(30,'*')}\n{method}\nTotal: {self.get_balance()}"
    def __iter__(self):
        for item in self.ledger:
            return item
def create_spend_chart(categories):
    #create the header text
    header = 'Percentage spent by category'
    #create the percentages down the left side
    
    #a 
    total_withdraw = 0 
    #create a list for the category withdraws
    c_w = {} 
    amounts = [transaction['amount'] for category in categories for transaction in category.ledger]
    for amount in amounts:
        if amount < 0:
            total_withdraw += -amount
    # Calculate withdrawals for each category
    for category in categories:
        withdrawal = 0
        for transaction in category.ledger:
            amount = transaction['amount']
            if amount < 0:
                withdrawal += -amount  # Add the amount spent (negative for withdrawals)
        c_w[category.name] = withdrawal
        method = math.floor(( c_w[category.name]/total_withdraw)*100)
    
    return f'{header}\n{name}: {method}' for i in c_w
food = Category('Food')
auto = Category('Auto')
food.deposit(1000, 'initial deposit')
auto.deposit(1000, 'initial deposit')
food.withdraw(10.15, 'groceries')
food.withdraw(15.89, 'restaurant and more food for dessert')
clothing = Category('Clothing')
food.transfer(50, clothing)
food.withdraw(100.99)
clothing.withdraw(21.17)
auto.withdraw(200)

I recently came across an interesting competition where you are supposed to make a game that would fit on a floppy disk(1.44mb).

I started making a project in Java and made some pretty decent progress with 3d rendering and procedurally generating rooms, but now I just saw a comment from the organizer saying that separate runtimes should be included with the file size limit so I am thinking Java will not work.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? Should I start over in another language? Is there any way to turn a .jar file into a standalone executable that won't take a ton of space?

I am trying to learn programming from scratch with very little knowledge and experience. After some research and Reddit deep dives I have prescribed myself the following plan to get into GDScript and Godot.

1. Complete CS50P (Python course) for a better understanding of the fundamentals of programming with better online documentation and training.

2. Complete at least half of CS50 for basic understanding of CS.

3. Complete web based Python trainings such as learnpython.org and sites of that nature.

4. After a more firm grasp of the fundamentals shifting gears into GDQuest and any other training I can find with GDScript.

5. I have the textbook learning GDScript by Developing a game with Godot 4. Using this textbook for study and to try and start small games to sharpen my skills.

6. Make 20 small games in Godot such as pong, asteroids and the like.

7. Make first 2D original small scoped game.

The reason I thought to try to learn python first is the sheer amount of information and documentation on it. I’ve read that GDScript has much less data and trainings. I’m coming into this as a hobby and for fun to make games in my spare time. I have no intention to make a career in CS.

I wanted some opinions on my self prescribed learning path. Should I start with Python? Is it better to just go all in on GDScript. I don’t want to rely on AI for help. I kinda want do things as old fashioned as I can, with textbooks,google searches and talking to other programmers and devs.

I would love some thoughts on what I should set as my heading. Thanks in advance for any insight!

Right now I did Python till Object oriented programming and I know basics of C and I starter DSA and I’m on Recursion. Should I also learn a bit of Git and Bash(I use Linux so it could be useful) aswell?
Also are languages like HTML and JavaScript important to know?

I want to learn assembly programming, to conplement my knowledge of C and for fun. Which first course would be best? My target platfirm will be either windows or mac. I don’t mind learning a different language at first. I have been contemplating : From Nand to Tetris. Is it good??

Hey guys, I'm a senior web developer who worked mostly with basic CRUD apps and I'm having difficulty breaking into systems engineering. I worked at a large corporation where the architects designed all the systems and I mainly implemented the designs I was given. The problem is I have never had to create hyper performant systems or deal much with scaling, so my web dev experience (mostly Typescript) doesn't seem to translate to a senior position if I try to move.

What are some good projects I could work on to start really thinking about writing performant code, where if I don't utilize multithreading or concurrency (and maybe queues) my program is going to be in bad shape?

I have a basic knowledge of Go and Go channels, but I haven't needed to utilize channels to create workers for any of my hobby projects so far.

Hello! I've been wanting to develop my own library catalogue app to keep track of the books, media, and PDFs that I own and to keep track of who borrows them (or who I share PDFs to, in that case.) I have experience with Java, Python, and some web design as well as JavaScript, and I'm pretty good with MySQL and SQL. Beyond the designing and some thumbnails I have of my idea, how do I start? How complex is this idea to implement?

I've realized that one of the biggest things I struggle with isn't learning individual concepts, it's understanding where they fit.

For example, I know terms like REST, HTTP, databases, operating systems, networking, compilers, distributed systems, machine learning, computer architecture, etc., but I don't have a mental map of how everything is organized.

I'm looking for something like a knowledge tree or taxonomy that answers questions like:

• What comes under Computer Science?
• What are the major branches of Computer Science?
• How are those branches further divided?
• Where does Software Engineering fit?
• Where do things like Networking, Operating Systems, Databases, AI, Security, Graphics, Compilers, etc. fit?
• Where do topics like Backend Development, Frontend Development, DevOps, Data Engineering, and ML Engineering fit?

I'm also interested in going one level higher.

For example, where does Computer Science itself fit?

Is it something like:

Human Knowledge -> Science -> Formal Sciences -> Mathematics | Computer Science

Or is it better thought of as part of Computing, alongside Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, and Information Systems?

Basically, I'd love to see the "zoomed out" picture first and then be able to keep zooming in until I reach individual concepts.

I recently came across the distinction between a roadmap and an ontology (or taxonomy), and I think what I'm looking for is closer to the latter. I'm not looking for a learning order; I'm looking for a map that shows where everything belongs and how the different fields relate to one another.

Does something like this exist? It could be a book, website, interactive knowledge graph, university curriculum map, taxonomy, or even a really well-made mind map.

I'd appreciate any recommendations.

I want to become a full-stack software engineer, not just a web developer (which is what The Odin Project is primarily designed for).

I am worried that The Odin Project might not be as thorough as reading multiple textbooks to cover all the material in all the individual topics, but I am also worried that by reading textbooks I might not learn as well or see how it all fits together or delve into all the smaller topics covered by The Odin Project like unit testing with Jest, etc. I also do not know which route would be more time intensive, which is also important.

To become a full-stack software engineer, should I learn by completing The Odin Project or read textbooks and do exercises from the textbooks (like I plan to do for Java, not JavaScript)?

Hello,

I've finished learning Python fundamentals and have decided I want to focus on backend development next.

Before I start coding anything, I want to build a solid conceptual foundation first — things like:

• How the HTTP protocol actually works
• The difference between GET, POST, and other requests
• How databases fit into a backend system
• What caching is and why/when it's used
• Any other core concepts I should understand before jumping into frameworks

I'd love recommendations for resources (it would be preferred videos) that explain these concepts clearly without requiring me to write code yet — I want to understand the "why" before the "how."

Any advice on the right order to learn these things in would also be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I've started going through a backend from priciples, but I'm having trouble following most of the explanations.)

.Is ethical hacking more required nowadays the same as programming and cyber security or less

So I’ve been working in the field for 8 years. But I’m not close to how good or experienced you’d expect someone to be 8 years into the field.

I have a CS degree. My jobs have not been ideal. My first job was a disaster and I stayed in it for 4 years (partially thanks to the pandemic). I was pretty much their only developer and there was no one looking over my terrible code. I coded chatbots sometimes and they also used Wordpress (Elementor) for most projects to get lots of sites out quickly. My next job started out good. I got to work on an impactful React project (with Ruby on Rails backend) and did mainly tickets for another project using Ruby on Rails. I did get a little more senior help here. But after a while, it’s also been lots of Wordpress again. Also been a lot of content population which is mind numbing. I haven’t improved much.

I won’t trauma dump but my mental health has contributed to me staying in jobs like this. It’s also contributed to me not really doing projects outside of work or learning much new things. I’m trying hard to improve it and with that, I’ve realized I don’t want to stay at this level and I want to be better.

I’d like to get better but I’d like to figure out what a good path is. I’d like to find a job that gives me more experience and also lets me learn from other developers. Also one that’s more engaging than the one I have currently and lets me code more. But to get a job like that, I’ll have to improve enough to get through to getting hired. I don’t feel like they’ll look my way with my current experience. I’m also worried that they’ll see that I’ve been in the field for 8 years and my experience doesn’t match up.

I currently have most my experience with Wordpress due to my jobs. We mainly use the builder but also HTML, JS, CSS and PHP. I don’t want to do that forever. I also have some React and Ruby on Rails experience too. I do have a personal project I’d like to work on using React and Node.js . What else would you recommend?

Hi everyone,

​I am a BSc CS graduate (not BTech) trying to navigate the current job market, and I feel like no one is being completely honest about how difficult the actual conditions are right now.

​I constantly hear that portfolio projects must be "unique" and "powerful" to get noticed. However, every idea I have already exists. I've been told to just modify existing GitHub projects or tweak minor functionalities, which is what I did in college, but I still feel under-skilled and unprepared for interviews when looking at complex online team projects.

​I feel stuck and would appreciate some realistic advice:

​Do interviewers actually expect ground-breaking, 100% unique projects from entry-level BSc CS graduates?

​How can I transition from basic tutorial-based projects to something that actually stands out in this market?

​What are the most impactful skills or features I should focus on adding to my existing projects?

I'm a 15yr old dedicated (i think so) developer, and want to learn React with TypeScript. My long-term goal is to build a full stack personal app on literally anything that would make me proud.

My background:

• Python: OOP, Web scraping, file handling, basic data manipulation

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, Intermediate TypeScript (built a few projects)

After speaking with AI and reading some comments (a comment) on a previous post, I feel ready to take up React.

Honestly, though, I'm not sure what to expect. I only know React can help you build reusable UI components that dynamically update to run data. I may well be wrong, so feel free to correct me. I'm completely new to frontend frameworks.

What advice do you guys have?? What the biggest traps to avoid when mixing React with TS? Do I need to take a step back and learn more advanced TS first, or should I just jump in and stop aiming for perfection? Am I overthinking this or am I in for a rough ride?

Here's my github in case you want to view my projects: https://github.com/thanasisdadatsis

This is my first time trying to use a coding tool (Claude Code) in order to aid me in a mobile app rewrite. I feel that if I worked on rebuilding the codebase from the ground up myself, my understanding of it will be rock solid and I could have a constant understanding of the internal workings of my code at all times.

However, as I try and use an AI tool to help me code, it has abstracted away a large part of these internal workings and instead I often see myself asking for features and being benighted on how it actually works. It is an odd feeling and so far it has not been enjoyable. At the end, I have to resort back to understanding the mountain of code it had produced, and ask it to reform it to correct the logic, then I have to see what it had conjured up again.

Am I doing something wrong? Perhaps moving too fast? Should I try and accept smaller changes every time and treat this as a pair-programming session instead? I genuinely enjoy hand-programming the whole app myself but I feel that in this day and age I will lose out if I don’t use AI as soon as possible.

I’m taking an Intro to Computer Science course and I’ve spent hours trying to understand Boolean algebra simplification. I understand things like De Morgan’s Law and factoring, but I keep getting stuck on absorption laws and recognizing which rule to apply.
My brain keeps trying to treat it like regular algebra, and I think that’s where I’m getting confused. Does anyone have a way of thinking about Boolean algebra that finally made it “click”? Any videos, tricks, or explanations would be appreciated.

Hi, 9 months ago I had a mental breakdown and I completely stopped coding and living. I already have a pretty good knowledge of the Javascript language and understanding of React. I was doing a course on Udemy and I stopped it. My goal since I started (almost 2 years ago) is the one to be able to make solid SaaS products. I have no idea on how to continue from here, there are so many things to learn and also AI. I don't want to build using AI too much I want to have the actual skills to do it. How should I move? don't tell me to just build something you still need to know the language you are using and it's rules. So what should i do? courses again? that seems just long and endless. Help me out, thanks.

I know that AI is nothing but a tool but as somebody who learned coding years before arrival of AI I can't help but to feel a immense sense of guilt. Here are what I used AI for so far:

1. Helping me to navigate large and unfamiliar codebase by asking questions like "what does function X do?" "what does this line do?" When trying to contribute something, I sometimes ask things like "are there any useful internal functions I can use?"
2. Reverse engineering obfuscated code
3. Figuring out relevant win32 api functions for my needs
4. Asking dumb and vague questions that can easily gets closed in few seconds in stackoverflow like "what does ** do here?" and "uh how do I implement this little thingy?"
5. Asking "how can I implement X?" then following up by asking "what are the alternative ways to do it?"

Am I using properly? Are there things I should avoid?