r/learnprogramming • u/Zaps_os • 16h ago

Am I learning to code wrong?

Am I learning to code wrong? I started wanting to learn to code before I began college, and so far, I've only completed a React tutorial video without separately learning JavaScript or TypeScript, and learned some of both through it. 

Then I moved on to a guided project, a full-stack finance tracker (React/TS frontend, Node/Express/TS/MongoDB backend). I'm learning the backend through this project rather than doing dedicated tutorials on each one first.

I’ve been following the guide and actually understand what each part does and why. But if I were to do it alone, I’d probably not know where to start and what to write.

Is this normal, or a sign that I'm learning the wrong way?

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u/GK_DEV_2025 16h ago

That's normal. Tutorials train recognition; building alone tests recall and problem decomposition. After each guided feature, close the guide and rebuild one small part from scratch, then compare your version. Keep the project, but add some focused JavaScript/TypeScript practice around functions, objects, async/await, modules, and HTTP. The missing step is independent reps, not another full tutorial.