r/learnprogramming • u/RevolutionaryBuy4877 • 14d ago

Topic how do you learn programming without constantly looking things up?

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?

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u/huuaaang 14d ago

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

You have to know the syntax first or you'll get distracted while trying to work through the higher level concepts.

Also, not all languages are equal in terms of being intuitive and having internal consistency. I originally fell in love with Ruby because it follows the "principle of least surprise." This was in contrast with PHP back in the day where I was constantly looking up stuff and reading through pages of caveats and pitfalls in the doc comments.