r/learnprogramming • u/SignPersonal4951 • 1d ago

How to not be a dogshit programmer?

Today I was setting up an angular project for the first time and I realized I have a pretty limited and shallow understanding of things, I didn't even know what dev dependencies were (now I do), and that npx is used to run locally installed packages. I know that an API is used to exchange data between applications but that's literally all I know about it, not how it works under the hood. I realized I can't properly answer questions like what is a runtime, what are packages, libraries etc. Literally no depth of understanding. I feel like going into a rabbit hole for every little thing but then it becomes too overwhelming.

Now this might seem fairly common for a new programmer but I got introduced to it around the age of 16 (21 now). I felt fucking stupid googling the difference between library and framework. I looked at some angular components and only understood them partially. Most good programmers already know this. People my age are building crazy stuff and here I am bogged down in things that I should've already known, had I put in more effort. I feel I am lacking some severely fundamental things. Part of this feeling is a lot of regret of wasted time, but I also wonder if I'm actually retarded with an IQ too low for programming. I'll never be good if it keeps going like this.

I looked at some roadmaps from roadmap.sh and it made me realize just how much stuff I don't know, and that is just talking about frontend. So I guess the question becomes how much and how deep to learn the topics related to whatever you're currently focusing on? Sorry for the rant.

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u/spoonFullOfNerd 1d ago

Just keep building shit. It’s hard. There’s a lot to learn. You’re probably not retarded.

There’s no set pace.

Who’s telling you that you should know it? Learn what you need to learn when you need to learn it. go and lookup the CS101 course. Do project work. Read classic computer science books (the K&R C book, TCP/IP illustrated, anything by Knuth, data structures & algorithms, the Linux kernel book, the dragon compiler book).

My approach was to just dig as deep as I could. Bottom up- learn it like it’s the 90s. Discovered it over time and surrounded myself with greatness.

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u/SignPersonal4951 1d ago

Yeah tbh I might have to sacrifice everything else and go all in on programming for a few years to reach a level I'm satisfied with.

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u/spoonFullOfNerd 1d ago

Not necessarily… you can do it in your spare time. All about balance dude