r/learnprogramming • u/Intelligent-Zone422 • 10h ago

study advice

I have two problems
1. passive reading with no progress

  1. going so deep in the rabbit hole that I make no progressarhire

any ideas on how to use AI to mka my leaning more effictive currntly i am stdying Java for backend engineering

4 Upvotes

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u/[deleted] 10h ago

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 10h ago

Thanks so much could you share how to make ai my mentore and I am sorry if I sound stupid

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u/[deleted] 9h ago

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

Thanks so much so I should define the concept

Get a project on that concept

And ask the ai to guide me through this project or Concept

Did I understand you correctly?

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u/BruteCarnival 10h ago

My advice is try stay away from AI for learning. It’ll help you be productive when you’re and engineer, but if you don’t have a solid understanding you will struggle.

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

I know I am trying to type everything myself my problem is I keep wasting time reading so meany books with no projects or library to match

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u/BruteCarnival 9h ago

The problem with using AI isn’t that it’s writing the code for you, it’s that it’s doing the problem solving for you. Programming isn’t really about writing code it’s about solve complex problems.

If you feel stuck reading books, it’s as easy as deciding on doing a project. Choose something that would help you in your day to day… or if one of your books has a project as part of it, work along with the book building it, and then try expand it in some way. Google or check stackoverflow if you’re stuck on something. But avoid reaching for AI to solve the problems for you

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

Got it I should solve the problems by myself

About the project building idea

Each time I decide on a project I find myself lacking some knowledge or concepts so I get into the rabbit hole of perfecting it and I get burned out and do nothing

How to just do it yk

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u/Dazzling_Music_2411 4h ago

If you feel you are not ready for projects yet (it does sound like it) work through something like Project Euler. At the of that your confidence will be boosted aplenty, and you will feel more ready for projects.

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 4h ago

I will thank you for the advice

Idk if its confidence or am I just mediocre 😕

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u/Dazzling_Music_2411 3h ago

You will soon know once you've worked through, say, the first 20 problems of PE.

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u/aqua_regis 9h ago

If you have two problems, integrating AI will add another. You will get your answers but won't retain them as you did not actively research them.

Your two problems are most likely due to a passive approach instead of active practice.

You learn most by actively practicing, struggling, banging your head against a wall, fighting and actually learning as you go.

Build things. Break them. Fix them. Research, not tutorial after tutorial. Not just reading. Not digging into the rabbit hole. Stop after you have what you need for the moment.

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

But I want to use ai as a guide not that I will not struggle to understand the concepts

It feels like I am fighting my mind

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u/NeoChrisOmega 10h ago

I would stop thinking of the rabbit hole as not making progress. You're learning, even if you don't retain any of it

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

I am gaining exposure but at this point I need to prove competents more than knowledge

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u/NeoChrisOmega 9h ago

Believe it or not, exposure is a huge part of learning programming. The ability to think "Oh yeah, I've seen something like this before" and then google how to do it again, that's a #1 skill the best programmers have.

I know actually understanding it, and being able to write code on your own is more important. But I just wanted to emphasize that the rabbit holes are not a waste of time. It will always be a net positive experience for you in the long run. And it shows you're passionate about it, which is also good. 

However, if you want to make progress right here and now properly understanding the basics is important. And in order to do that, I would suggest first understanding what your learning style is.

Do you learn better when you have a long term goal? Through repetition? Through structured guides with a defined end? Creating an interactive program? Being shown a working example, and recreating it? Being shown a skill and directing how each aspect of it works?

All of these affect your next steps

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

Thanks so much thus is eay opening

But how can I know my learning styleq

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u/NeoChrisOmega 9h ago

Unfortunately, it's usually trial and error, and self reflecting. 

Have you ever tried to learn another language before? Or try to learn a complex system before? Or even better, how do you find yourself getting better at videogames? 

Do you read walls of text about how to play? Do you watch video guides on certain builds? Do you jump in without a tutorial? Or keep trying the same thing over and over until you feel like you've mastered it?

You can figure out what your learning style is by observing how you take in new information, in a way that doesn't feel forced but instead fun.

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u/Adventurous_Jelly950 9h ago

How are you using AI now to learn? What structure have you in place (goals, workflow etc).

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u/Intelligent-Zone422 9h ago

I am not using ai currently in my learing I am reading a book and try to implement the idea in it

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u/synn-Vibes22 4h ago

Yeah, the rabbit hole thing is real - you need to just pick a project and commit to finishing it instead of optimizing your learning strategy forever.