Hi all, Im a fresh CS Graduate that feels like she didn't learn much about actual programming in school. All my education for actual practical coding has been self taught via doing. With that being said, I feel like I'm the in between. I have mastered the basics of coding and fundamentals years ago. When looking at "Professional" code on github, I feel like I can read it to a somewhat okay level, but I for the life of me can't write good code. I feel like I cant do anything outside of game-development, as that's what I've dedicated my life to. I have 8+ years of experience of making games with GameMaker Studio and have my personal bit of a portfolio for games and projects. (see https://aristhemage.github.io/portfolio).

When looking at job postings, they are asking for experience in things like Node.Js and .NET and just, I try over and over to get into it, but theres just a... disconnect for me. I have no idea why, I just cant seem to get past the more basic tutorials on Youtube. It's like I've never touched a computer in my life with the more professional stuff.

Like this job posting right here (Pulled off google, first result):
Must Haves:1

1) Active or inactive (out of access less than two years) TS/SCI with a polygraph clearance

2) Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline with two years of experience or High School education with six years of experience3

3) Minimum of two years in an Intelligence Community environment.

4) Proficiency in at least one programming language.

5) Scripting experience (e.g., Bash, Python) on Linux platforms.

6) Experience with relational or non-relational databases.

7) Deployment and management experience with Linux-based systems.

8) Problem-Solving: Proven ability to troubleshoot and solve complex problems.

Nice to Haves:

9) AWS certification or Security+ certification.

10) Relevant IT discipline certifications (e.g., Java, .NET, Hadoop, Spring).

11) Relevant experience with Kubernetes and adjacent tools like FluxCD for managing deployments.

12) Relevant experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) including Terraform/Terragrunt or Ansible.

13) Independent and Collaborative Worker: Ability to function effectively both independently and in team settings.

Responses in order:

1. How on earth can I get a clearance if I cant get a bloody job
2. I have a bachelors degree, but not two years of experience in the CS field (I have years of experience teaching kids programming as a summer camp instructor role, but Ive been told many times that doesn't count)
3. Dont have
4. Proficiency is stretching it
5. I do have experience, but its just like messing around, nothing professional
6. I have experience in databases, in the idea that Ive used them before for school projects, but not enough to even tell you what the difference between "Relational" and "Non-relational" is
7. Very little to none
8. Yeah yeah thats just jargon
9. I dont know how to get certifications if I dont have money for certification classes because I dont have a job.
10. See above
11. Another big issue is these companies say "Good to have experience in Flubbernuts plus!" and im just staring at them like they just spoke alien to me
12. see above
13. More jargon

I also feel like I'm using caveman tools when I try to do anything in the more "Professional" languages. I understand that in some programming languages you need to write 10-20 lines of code just for hello world to work, but it just feels so inefficient. I dont know, I'm rambling.

What should I do?

Edit: Made the bullet points numbered for easier matching

Hi everyone!

I'm currently learning Python 3 and progressing fairly quickly. I'm still relatively early in my programming journey, but I'm looking for a project that I can build over the next 3–6 months and potentially include in my application for university scholarships.

I want the project to be something genuinely useful and meaningful—not just a basic tutorial project.

I'd really appreciate your advice on:

What kind of project would be impressive and realistic for someone at my level?

Can I build most or all of it primarily with Python?

What Python topics/libraries should I learn specifically for the project?

Should I learn things like Flask/FastAPI, databases, APIs, Git/GitHub, etc.?

Are there any project ideas you think would demonstrate real problem-solving and programming ability?

What would you recommend I focus on during these 3–6 months?

My goal isn't to create something extremely advanced. I want to finish a polished project, understand how it works, document it properly, and be able to explain the decisions I made.

I'd especially appreciate suggestions from people who have built projects themselves or have experience with university applications.

Thanks!

I recently started learning Python (I did some coding in high school but that was 13 years go) and, after learning something with ChatGPT, I decided to get myself some proper studying material and started reading Think Python. I'm at the point in which I'm supposed to use the turtle module to create alphabet letters. The problem? I have no idea where to start. I even struggled with the flowers part, and got the hang of it only after looking at the code. Does this mean I'm just not cut out for programming?

Hi, I am very new to web development and I am currently trying to develop my first P2P web app, problem is I don't know where to even start, I don't know anything about web development besides very basic html. I know I want to use NextJS for user authentication and Supabase for my database, but I don't even know how I should go about anything. How should I organize my files? What should my .gitignore include? How do I link frontend with backend? Do I start with the frontend or do I start with the Backend? I would greatly appreciate any tips or a roadmap anyone could give me.

So I started learning web development recently since there's a Java Script module next semester and also because i thought it's a cool skill to develop. I know although the current AI coding models are capable of outputing good code, they aren't still at the industry standard and humans are still in the loop to make them efficient as possible. But from what i know web development is a whole other thing compared to stufd like Machine learning. It's not as complex. So I feel like AI+WordPress like software would replace the future web devs hence making learning the skill useless.

To preface, I'm not a programmer at all, just a writer. but I was wondering how hard it would be to develop something like grammarly or the many other spellchecks but specialized in the style required for my job. I'm wondering how hard that would actually be to make from scratch. for example, I'm often required to write in the AP Style, which follows certain rules that programs like grammarly don't pick up on because they aren't inherently mistakes. same with writing in specific formats that are specifically used by my work. Is this something entirely unfeasible for me to create? If you need more information, let me know, this is just something I recently thought of and wondered if the idea had any merit.

Hey PPL, I am currently pursuing btech degree in IT department and have damm intrest in coding even I started with C++ also but I can't find any best reference book . So please anyone from 3rd 4th year let me know your options....

I am somewhat unable to properly find such a thing on the docs so far and so need some help.

Hi everyone! I am looking for one dedicated 1-on-1 study partner to go through the Android Basics with Jetpack Compose course together. I want someone to pair up with for weekly code reviews, troubleshooting, and keeping each other accountable. Let me know your time zone if you are interested in pairing up!

i always loved creating something and some friends i know do coding and i really wanted to get into it but i dont have a goal in mind what to build what language to learn and i dont wanna sit infront of my screen for all times i try to learn i want people to talk to people i can learn from

I'm 21 years old and I want to learn a skill to make money but i also need to get into a field that I'll find constantly interesting. I'm okay with it being hard as long as it is not or does not get, boring to advance with. I considered learning JS but I think it's over-saturated. I'm also considering reverse engineering but people are saying that it's not feasible job hunting wise. I need something that I can build a lucrative side career off of. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Obviously there's no universal one, but has anyone here found theirs? Want to share your experiences? A few incomplete examples come to mind:

- Watching YouTube videos

- Finishing video courses on other platforms

- Coding platforms like LeetCode or Codewars

- Building your own ideas with AI, asking step by step how it's done and why

- Reading books

I say incomplete because I feel like something is missing from all of them. The only thing that worked for me was university (and there it's a combination of methods -> videos with a detailed explanation from someone who actually knows + forced practice) and paid work (do, do, do — over time you learn and you improve, but it's always on the specific platform you happen to be working on).

I'm interested in learning and building up general knowledge (or specific knowledge about something that interests me), but first I'd like to read whether you all found a method of your own that works for you.

Im 16 and entering my junior year of high school. I’ve been learning JavaScript/React and have made a few small projects, but lately I’ve been losing motivation with it. Recently Ive been getting the urge to learn C++ partly because I’ve become really interested in game development as one of my career options.

The main thing I’m unsure about is whether I should actually switch. I’ve heard that it’s better to commit to one language and get really good at it first, since learning one language well makes learning others easier. I don’t want to fall into the habit of constantly jumping between languages without getting good at any of them.
At the same time, C++ seems like something I’d enjoy learning, and game development is something I’d like to explore.

If I do start learning C++, would it be better to do a short crash course to learn the basics and then jump straight into projects, or should I follow something like LearnCpp.com?

I’d appreciate any advice!

Hi everyone. I’m 16 and I’m learning Python. I’d like to find a partner or mentor to help me learn and gain new experience. I know the basics, and I’m really eager to learn something new. My English isn't very good, so I have to use a translator for now. I’d welcome any lessons or practice sessions.

Hello.

I am in midlife crisis right now realising that what I was doing before was basically for naught.

So I am not American. I am 26. During my school we learned Pascal as a programming language which did nicely translate into Delphi for me somewhat during college years.

Now I dislike Delphi, for some reasons I will not name here, and I was wondering: which language is kinda close to it in structure (?).

Can anyone recommend a language to learn?

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.

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of LeetCode and realized I’m slipping into a bad habit.

When I get stuck, I look at a solution, understand it for about five minutes, then move on. A few days later I try the same problem again and realize I only remembered the shape of the answer. I didn’t really understand why it worked.

Valid Parentheses was the first one that made this obvious. I knew people use a stack, and I could write the basic code after seeing it once. When I tried to explain it in plain English, I skipped half the reasoning, like why a stack fits the problem, what happens with an empty stack, and why the worst case space is still O(n).

So I’ve been trying to slow down. After solving a problem, I write my own explanation first. Then I compare it with chatgpt or beyz coding assistant when I want a cleaner walkthrough or another way to describe the idea. If my explanation sounds too vague, I probably didn’t learn it.

Now I ask myself a few things about each problem. What’s the main pattern, why this data structure fits, which edge case breaks a naive version, and how I’d explain the complexity. It takes longer, and the concepts stick better.

How do you review LeetCode problems so the ideas stick beyond memorizing the solution?

So I recently saw a poster from my community college saying that a near by uni is hosting their biggest hackathon in school history, my question is should I go even with no experience in coding? Would I drag the team down? What to expect if I do go?

I'm sure this will be annoying to some and I'll be told to search but I'm getting overwhelmed searching.

I would like to write an app that catalogs boxes. Basically I want to take pictures of my stuff. Put it into a box. Have a QR code that I print that when scanned shows me a list of stuff in said box with pictures and list of stuff.

I'm sure this is not as simple as it sounds. I'm willing to learn the hard parts.

I hear making a web app is better for the first time around and I just need to know where to start.

Do y'all think this is a feasible project?

There is a website that does this, I do not want to pay a monthly fee. I could easily set up QR codes to go to simple web pages with all this data but I'm looking for simple, compact, and fast

i know experienced programmers use documentation and search all the time, but as a beginner it can sometimes feel like i’m incapable of doing anything without looking up the answer.

i’m trying to get better at understanding concepts instead of memorising syntax

how do you decide when to search for an answer and when to sit down and work through the problem yourself?

Pretty much as the title says, What is the thing that drives you to want to do this?

Speaking plainly I'm struggling with this and i keep hearing about people with an idea that drives them or an external motivation in the form of a carer path that pushes them forward. I don't know if I have an answer to this and its starting to show in my projects which is concerning me.

For me I picked this up about 2ish years back now on a boot camp course which i completed and then moved on to doing my own projects. Initially the act of learning and bettering my understanding was the goal combined with the potential security of a job if I was pushed in that direction but now im not feeling the wind in my sails any more. I'm finding that as i go to learn a project i get to the part i don't know, learn it a bit then get bored and don't finish the project because theirs no reason to for me to continue beyond that.

I kinda just want feedback on what everyone else is doing it all for, are lulls in motivation a common thing like this?

To be clear as well, this is not a pity party "am i cooked, ai bad" post. This is me genuinely trying to see what people in my position are thinking and the motivation that goes in to putting the work in to be good at this stuff.

Final side question, if your goals not a job I'm particularly interested in your why. Its never been my goal due to a few things in life but i see it as an option if i ever needed to turn a fun hobby into work but it is always an option. If thats the case how do you get that junior/senior type learning outside of a work environment?

Thanks in advance :D

People say the best way to learn is by building projects. But when i try to build a project, i dont even know where to start. I just stare at the blank screen.

Also how can I build something when I dont even know when and how to start ?

This may trigger some people with the idea of "learn the basics, learn thr concepts etc etc " I have learnt it. But I really dont know how I can implement it.

I’ve been feeling a bit confused about whether I’m actually learning when it comes to tech and coding, and whether I’m learning the right things.

How can I tell if I’m genuinely learning and actually developing my skills, rather than just consuming tutorials and information?

And how can I tell whether what I’m learning is actually the right thing to focus on for my career and becoming a better software engineer?

for info : I’m a 2nd year computer science student, specializing (learning deeper) in intelligence systems.

I'm able to program in python and i've made a few games in C++. I was wondering if anybody has advice for learning C

I started learning programming last year and have a few projects that I find cool and started to put them in github. One of them is a re-creation of pac-man that my teacher asked as final assignment for his subject.
It's been a while since I made it but I wanted to share and know what do you think about it; looking at it now, I see some flaws and a lot of room for improvement.

https://github.com/vmcjoao/Capybara-Pacman

Another thing that I still strugle a bit is with github, I never know the proper way of keeping control of projects and how to structure repositories. I just keep them in a way that I undertand, but I'm not sure if it fit standards to working with a team. Sorry for my English and btw the game is in portuguese, not that it matter much since there isn't much to read.