Welcome to /r/learnprogramming!

I find coding a bit difficult. What helped you improve? Any tips or resources that worked for you?

Hi everyone.

I worked as a Front-End Developer (React.js & TypeScript) for two years (2021–2023) before moving abroad to complete a Post-Graduation in Computer Science. During my studies I balanced a full-time non-tech job alongside my coursework, which meant my coding portfolio lay dormant, and I haven't written production code in roughly 3 years.

Now that I've completed my degree (3.9 GPA) and returned home, I’m feeling stuck on the best path to refresh my practical skills and get back into the market.

A few specific questions I'd love input on:

1. Stack updates: What major shifts happened in the React/TypeScript ecosystem over the last 2–3 years should I prioritize catching up on?
2. Refurbishing knowledge vs. courses: Is it worth taking a structured course to quickly repolish, or should I dive straight into building a complete full-stack project from scratch? Any specific updated courses or resources you'd recommend for someone with prior experience?
3. Portfolio strategy: How should I frame this 3-year gap (academia + non-tech work) on my resume/GitHub when applying for mid-level or junior roles?

Thanks in advance for any insights or advice!

Looking for Free Remote IT Mentorship 💻

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for a free remote mentorship program or someone willing to mentor me in the IT field.
I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Informatics, but I’m struggling to find a job and gain practical experience.

Because of that I’m looking for someone who can guide me, help me understand real-world projects, and give me advice on how to start my career in IT.

If you know of any free mentorship programs, communities, or individuals willing to help beginners, I would really appreciate your recommendations!

Thank you so much! ❤️

Something I've been thinking about while learning programming is how different it feels to understand a concept in a tutorial versus actually being able to use it on your own.

You can watch someone explain loops, functions, data structures, or algorithms, and everything seems to make sense at the time. Then you open a blank editor, try to build something without following a tutorial, and suddenly you don't even know where to start.

I wonder if this is just a normal stage of learning or if there's a better way to approach it.

For those of you who have been programming for a while, was there a particular point when things started to click? Was it building your first project, solving problems on platforms like LeetCode, reading other people's code, or struggling through bugs until you finally understood what was happening?

I'm also curious how you balance learning new concepts with actually building things. Sometimes it feels like there's an endless amount of material to study, and it's difficult to tell when you know enough to move on to the next thing.

I'd appreciate hearing what genuinely helped you improve, especially things you wish you'd done differently when you were starting out.

With all of the AI code thats out there now, I've heard people say that most code has lost the unique style of the developers. I can assume its just how they have structured the code and solved the problems but I'm not sure. If that is correct how can I have/develop that as I learn?

Hello, I have been practicing early exits throughout my code and was told I probably shouldn't be using them in small cases like the following where nesting wouldn't bring the code out too much, this is c++ code:

int findMaxInArray(const int arr[], const int num_elements) {  
  int maxIndex = 0;

  for (int i = 1; i < num_elements; i++) {
    if (!(arr[i] > arr[maxIndex])) {
      continue;
    }
    maxIndex = i;
  }
  return arr[maxIndex];
}

Hi guys,

I've been trying to get back into open-source contributions after spending couple of month working on personal projects.

I had 5 bug fix PRs merged into an OSS projects, and when I create those PR, I had no issue finding issue. But when I checked that same projects recently, there weren't any open issues left.
I've also looked through quite a few other projects, especially libraries I use, but I'm struggling to find issues that aren't already assigned or being worked on. (I've looked about 30 OSS)

Even when I find an issue, someone often opens a PR before I can fully understand and solve it, especially with how fast people can submit PRs using AI nowadays.

So I'm curious, how do you guys actually find issues to work on?
Do you just keep searching through repositories until you find something available? Or do you usually find bugs or improvements, and open your own issues?

Any recs would be helpful as well! I'm into ML and Data engineering, python or TS is preferred.

Thanks!

Hi guys I'm a high schooler who recently got interested in coding but I have been almost solely relying on ai. I know that I need to actually understand whats going on so I plan to learn how to code proficiently. I can code and understand basic python so far, but I am wondering if CS50 will allow me to progress more efficiently and faster.

How do I improve my coding ?

Hey everyone! Is anyone working on a Spring Boot project and looking for a contributor? I'm learning Java backend development and would love to collaborate, contribute to a real project, and learn from other developers along the way.

I am trying to learn python with crash course then move to CS50p.

i suffer from a learning disablity and i hear people with such disability still learn python.

How should i read the books entirety then make projects or should i read it all and connect what i want for projects?

i want to figure out the best way to learn for me.

Repo is here, welcome for contributions and anyone interested:
https://github.com/NHCM-dev/nwlibc

Trying to do a simple C standard library implementation for windows using WinAPI, which I think would be pretty useful for those who want to dive deep into C programming and learn about the mechanism about how programs really run

I am a student learning FastAPI nowadays is it any benefit of learning fast API in the future

Hello. I’ve been wanting to start actually learning more about different programming languages, specifically applications and languages such as C#. I am a learner who loves reading in order to discover new things, but already know a lot about how programming languages work, and how each functions syntax-wise. So I have two questions:

1. Are there any programming books that specifically work sort of like a dictionary with its documentation, where I can just look to a certain part to know about its syntax for a specific task?

2. Is C# the way to go for what I want? If needed I can elaborate further. I don’t have an exact thing I want to do. All I know is that C# is a language that works well to build applications and is able to still perform its own tasks math and science wise.

Thanks!

Hello, I'm gonna deviate a little from the usual questions that I've seen so far on this subreddit.

I'm 34 yo and have always had a passion for coding, scripts, mods, and the like. I'm not here to switch over to programming or coding for job-related reasons, but mainly for myself and expanding on my interests. With how fast AI has been "evolving," I'm getting more and more intrigued by the idea of working with it. I would love to make smaller games at some point, or more sophisticated mods for games I like. I understand that I do not "need" AI to help me code or study, but I feel like if I don't hop into learning how to properly and safely use it, I will miss out or slow myself down unnecessarily.

What would be a good way of starting to learn, for example, C#? There isn't really a strong reason why I have chosen C# over anything else, besides the fact that I have some basic knowledge of it. I've tried, and still am trying, to go through "The C# Player Guide" book, but I would love to integrate AI somehow too so I'm not left behind, if that makes sense. I do not wanna take shortcuts or want AI to write code for me so I can cheat, but I would like to work with it if possible.

Do people recommend me to get an OpenRouter account going and start working with it to help me learn, or are there other options that I haven't explored yet?

Again, my focus is on learning it. While I do have goals as mentioned above, I understand that I can't just do it overnight.

Hello! I've had a problem doing things I genuinely love, I have a huge passion for coding and it is so fun, but I suck at it T-T. I've been trying to learn for so long but I've never actually got anything to be able to stick, I'm still only 18 so I have time. I'd love to go to college but sadly I can't drive for many reasons and also I don't want to do online, it's not something that works for me. Recently (And this could possibly get looked down upon) around 6 months ago I decided to try and teach myself with AI and honestly it has worked wonders I've learned a good bit, except I have a problem which goes to a lot of other things as well, I start something no matter how passionate I am or how fun it is, Usually if I get distracted off of it for one day or even want to just take a break its like I stop doing it entirely, I was learning python for a month then stopped, 3 months later I started learning C# and I've got it down a lot, but I had to buy a new PC cause mine broke and I tried to do it again but like I stopped for some reason. Maybe some will say "Oh well then your not passionate about it" but I genuinely love it, I just get distracted and I dont know how to fix that. I do have an Attention Deficit Disorder so I thought maybe that could be why but I dont want to make excuses.

The only thing to really keep me on it which I loved and had so much fun was friends doing similar things like my friends did 3D modeling and I started it cause I wanted to learn it eventually and put many hours into it. But they stopped and I continued for about a month then stopped, but only cause I got distracted by some other things.

I have 2 years of experience as Java dev working as a consultant in DC area. I want to start applying for mid level roles next year but I feel like at my current role I not (and won’t) get any hands on experience for more advance issues other than fixing bugs and implementing small features here and there. My main concern is, regardless of what team I join, most of the projects are functional and it’s more maintenance. How can I gain more experience and what topics are expected for mid level devs to be efficient in.

I recently dabbled in react forms and got React Hook Forms setup to be used with my Zod schemas, it all works perfectly... that is until I reset the form. The reset causes the formState (to my knowledge) go stale as validation messages show that the title input is empty, but inspecting its value property through code and looking at the display of typed characters on the screen proves otherwise.

I tried multiple stuff and went through the React Hook Form docs, but tbh the docs were utterly useless as I couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. Interestingly tho, using watcher to re-render the react component causes all of it to work so I suspect its a synchronization issue, but I'm still starting out so I don't know for sure...

Schemas:

const PLAIN_DATETIME_REGEX =
  /^\d{4}-(?:0[1-9]|1[0-2])-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\d|3[01])T(?:[01]\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\d:[0-5]\d(?:\.\d{1,9})?$/;


const DISPLAY_TIME_REGEX = /\bMoments\b|[hm]$/;


export const taskSchema = z.object({
  id: z.uuid().default(() => crypto.randomUUID()),
  status: z.literal(["complete", "incomplete"]).default("incomplete"),
  title: z
    .string()
    .trim()
    .min(1, "Title cannot be empty")
    .max(100, "Title cannot exceed 100 characters"),
  description: z.preprocess(
    (raw: string) => raw?.trim() || undefined,
    z
      .string()
      .max(2000, "Description cannot exceed 2000 characters")
      .optional(),
  ),
  createdAt: z.iso.datetime().default(() => Temporal.Now.instant().toString()),
  deadline: z.preprocess(
    (raw: string) => raw?.trim() || undefined,
    z
      .string()
      .regex(
        PLAIN_DATETIME_REGEX,
        "Deadline must be a valid ISO 8601 plain date and time",
      )
      .optional(),
  ),
  priority: z.literal(["low", "medium", "high"]),
});


export const taskFormSchema = taskSchema.omit({
  id: true,
  status: true,
  createdAt: true,
});


export const taskViewSchema = taskSchema.transform(
  ({ description, createdAt, deadline, ...rest }) => ({
    ...rest,
    description: description,
    createdAt: formatDateTimeSince(createdAt),
    deadline: formatDateTimeUntil(deadline),
  }),
);


export type Task = z.infer<typeof taskSchema>;
export type TaskForm = z.infer<typeof taskFormSchema>;
export type TaskView = z.infer<typeof taskViewSchema>;

Form Component:

export default function TaskSaver() {
  const {
    register,
    handleSubmit,
    reset,
    formState: { errors },
  } = useForm<TaskForm>({
    resolver: zodResolver(taskFormSchema),
    mode: "onChange",
    defaultValues: {
      title: "",
      description: "",
      deadline: "",
      priority: "low",
    },
  });


  const addTask = useTasksStore((state) => state.addTask);
  const id = useId();


  const onSubmit: SubmitHandler<TaskForm> = (data) => {
    const result = taskSchema.safeParse(data);


    if (!result.success) {
      console.error(result.error);
      return;
    }


    addTask(result.data);
    reset();
  };


  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className={styles.root}>
      <div className={styles.group}>
        <label htmlFor={`title-${id}`} className="sr-only">
          Title
        </label>


        <input
          type="text"
          {...register("title")}
          id={`title-${id}`}
          className={clsx(styles.input, styles.inline)}
          placeholder="Title"
        />


        {errors.title && <p className={styles.error}>{errors.title.message}</p>}
      </div>


      <div className={styles.group}>
        <label htmlFor={`description-${id}`} className="sr-only">
          Description
        </label>


        <textarea
          {...register("description")}
          id={`description-${id}`}
          className={clsx(styles.input, styles.multiline)}
          placeholder="Description"
        ></textarea>


        {errors.description && (
          <p className={styles.error}>{errors.description.message}</p>
        )}
      </div>


      {/* Needs to be worked on: below */}
      <div className={styles.group}>
        <label htmlFor={`deadline-${id}`} className="sr-only">
          Deadline
        </label>


        <input
          {...register("deadline")}
          id={`deadline-${id}`}
          className={clsx(styles.input, styles.inline)}
          placeholder="Deadline"
        />


        {errors.deadline && (
          <p className={styles.error}>{errors.deadline.message}</p>
        )}
      </div>


      <div className={styles.group}>
        <label htmlFor={`priority-${id}`} className="sr-only">
          Priority
        </label>


        <select
          {...register("priority")}
          id={`priority-${id}`}
          className={clsx(styles.input, styles.dropdown)}
        >
          <option value="low">Low</option>
          <option value="medium">Medium</option>
          <option value="high">High</option>
        </select>
      </div>


      <div className={styles.group}>
        <button type="button" className={clsx(styles.button, styles.reject)}>
          Cancel
        </button>


        <button type="submit" className={clsx(styles.button, styles.accept)}>
          Save
        </button>
      </div>
    </form>
  );
}

i love results, i made a bit of tools, simple games and all and plan on doing allot more.

but the second i get into somewhat unfamiliar territory or my code doesn't run the first or second time i spiral, stop really thinking and just play with values hoping it works, that'll last as long as the problem isn't done

my leg starts shaking and my chest hurts, my breathing gets worse ect, avarage stress session

i thought it'd get better the more i solve problems but that doesn't really work, it only makes me better at solving problems i solved before, but i still stress when i mess them up. i tried music, breathing techniques and stopping caffeine intake, really does nothing for me

i am able to make stuff but the process is mentally tiring which i assume only makes it worse, and i take so so much longer than i should. this happens with any type of problem solving (especially math) but the most with programming, i'm wondering if anyone has experienced/knows how to deal with this and eliminate it

Hey everyone,

I’ve always dreamed of learning how to code and landing a remote job with a decent salary. I’m 27, living in Brazil, and currently studying Electrical Engineering.

My main question is about the current state of the industry. With new AI models dropping practically every week, all I see online is people saying entry-level tech is doomed and salaries are tanking. Is that actually true, or do self-taught newcomers still stand a chance in 2026?

Also, if you were starting from scratch today, how would you approach learning?

I completed CS50, absolutely loved it, and then naturally transitioned to The Odin Project (TOP). But honestly, my progress has hit a wall. I ended up beating myself up trying to get through data structures and algorithms it’s been pretty frustrating. Is TOP still the go-to path in 2026, or are there better alternatives for full-stack/web development nowadays?

and whats the fastest way of landing a job on the industry, fullstack?

Would appreciate any honest advice or reality checks!

For example, there is a for loop to list the difference of scores at each time (in JavaScript):

for(let i = 1 ; i < scores.length ; i++){
    console.log("Score changes: " + (scores[i] - scores[i - 1]));
}

If there is no score or only have one score, the loop would not run, which meets the current requirement.

I'm curious if you would prefer add the if-else deliberately like the following:

if(scores.length >= 2){
  for(let i = 1 ; i < scores.length ; i++){
    console.log("Score changes: " + (scores[i] - scores[i - 1]));
  }
}

in order to remind yourself or other teammates that this loop is designed for scores with 2 or more elements only (especially for maintain and requirement changes). Is it necessary?

Can termux be run with shizuku and get the same privileges and freedom as if my device was rooted??? If not what are the differences and limitations between the two? I'm just practicing on a cheap non-rooted android ran moto g 2025 phone. TIA

Hey everyone,

I’m 20, living on my own, and currently working a pretty tough job just to pay the bills. In my spare time, I’m grinding backend development under the guidance of my dad (a Senior Engineer).

My current status & stack:

• Stack: Python, Django, SQL, PostgreSQL, Docker, Git, REST APIs, JSON, OOP.
• Learning method: I don't code purely from memory. I search for solutions, watch tutorials, use LLMs, and — most importantly — cross-check AI answers against official documentation to filter out hallucinations.
• English level: Reading & listening comprehension is around B1–B2. I can read docs and understand native speakers easily. However, my spoken English feels like A2 — I get stuck and stumble over words. I recently started practicing with a native US speaker, but it's still tough.

Where my anxiety comes from: My brother recently landed a Junior dev role at a European company (the hiring process was in Russian because of the team structure). In my case, I'll need to pass technical interviews fully in English.

I’m constantly worried that:

1. The EU junior market is moving too fast and I’ll be left behind despite all this effort.
2. Relying on Google, docs, and AI means I'm "doing it wrong" or not learning properly.
3. My weak spoken English will instantly disqualify me during behavioral/technical interviews.

My questions to the community:

• Is my learning methodology (using AI + verifying with docs) acceptable for a Junior, or should I be memorizing more?
• How high is the language barrier for Junior Backend roles in the EU? Is basic tech-communicative English enough to get hired?
• Any advice on pushing through the fatigue of balancing a bad job, living alone, and studying?

TL;DR: 20yo living alone, balancing a bad job while learning Python/Django + Docker with my Senior dev dad. Reading B1-B2 English, speaking A2. Worried about EU market shifts and failing English interviews. Looking for feedback and reality checks.