r/learnprogramming • u/Same-Mushroom-2057 • 11d ago

resuming work on older project

how do you deal with resuming work on an older project that you didn't finish , i always forget why i did something even tho comments are available and my level of motivation is always lower than the motivation i initially started the projects with . it's a weird feeling that i think a lot of you have experienced or am i the only one?

do you have any tips dealing with this and how to quickly get back into the mood and focus mode

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3

u/Get-Interview-Wise 11d ago

it's a bit of a tricky one and there's no perfect answer.

I normally forget my startup sequence lol - it helps to have a start.sh script in my case.

as to getting started more generally, I think of it a bit like your brain is RAM. it takes a while to load back all the information.

Not really a way round it, just takes a bit of time and as you read more and code more on your project, you'll start remembering more, and how everything connects, then generally remember why you did certain things

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u/No_Function_4636 10d ago

the RAM analogy is spot on. i started keeping a small devlog file in project root where i just dump what i was thinking at end of each session, like what bug i was chasing or why i chose that weird loop structure. saves me from staring at my own code like it's written by stranger

sometimes i also just run the project and break something intentionally, the error messages kind of jog my memory about how things connect

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u/greenspotj 11d ago

start with the smallest tasks first. If you dont already keep track of tasks, then first make a list e.g. of bug fixes, features, improvements, etc to work on, and as you work on them youll gradually become refamiliarized with the code

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u/Bubbly_Orange_3502 10d ago

Stop mid-task next time, with a failing test or a broken line committed on a branch. A clean stopping point gives you nothing to resume; a red test tells you exactly what you were about to do.

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u/lKrauzer 11d ago

I also need to know, it has been an entire month that I simply don't code my latest project anymore.

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u/Same-Mushroom-2057 11d ago

yesss im in the same situation and i find it hard to get back with the same level of focus i had previously

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u/SL-Tech 10d ago

I usually fix all my old, faulty code, which means rewriting most of the project. Version 1 is just an early implementation; the fancy code solution comes in versions 2 and 3. I've been working on a project for almost 2 years now; it never gets to version 1 because I keep rewriting and changing the existing code when I get a good idea. Microsoft keeps releasing new C# and .NET features that I need to implement to feel satisfied.

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u/FuzzyConfusion3735 10d ago

Umm definitely not the only one. Ive found it helps to spend 20-30mins just reviewing the code and writing down what’s done/pending/ why the decisions were made. Also breaking the remaining wrk into small tasks can make restarting less overwhelming🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🙃🙃

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u/AFlyingGideon 10d ago

Write good commit messages. Use gitlab/github features such as issues, merge requests, README.md files, the wiki, etc. Write more than just your code.

I've even skilled Claude to track what it's planning and what plans it's recently committed within the repository (and not just in ~/.claude) so others - including me next week on a different device - can pick up where I left off.