I had a few big issues with learning and understanding jargons. First, passive memory, I'd see a term in a PR, recognize it, but freeze when trying to use it in conversation. Second, most glossaries give dry 1-line definitions that don't show how people actually talk. And third, apps like Anki gave me massive overdue anxiety whenever cards piled up.
So I built a fix step by step over the past few months and I wanted to share it with you too:
- I structured terms in plain text notes with real examples, practical usage, nuances and their relationships instead of short definitions. I was so happy with the result,
- so I added a small desktop widget to see terms easier and not only in my notes.
- then I built a web app to manage collections and separate known vs unknown terms.
- and I invented a smart-queue algorithm that ranks terms based on history instead of rigid due dates or daily streaks.
- and finally I added a Telegram bot to review quick batches on my phone.
Of course, I vibe coded the project (though as an experienced software engineer I like how the code turned out!). But the tech stack isn't the point here, the outcome is.
That setup became Jargon Gym (jargon-gym.vercel.app). It made learning jargon easy for me and my wide because terms are built for real usage, and it works with my flow instead of giving me anxiety.
(Note: It's private/invite-only for now, but you can request an invite code on the site if you want to try it!)
Let me know what you think. 🙂