Does anyone else feel less overwhelmed writing code on paper first?
Posted by naqabposhniraj@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 13 comments
I noticed something about myself while learning web development and wanted to know if others relate to this.
When I follow a tutorial and type the code directly into the IDE line by line, I start feeling mentally overwhelmed after some time. But if I take the same code and write it on paper first, even if it’s long, it feels much calmer and easier to process.
On paper, I feel like I understand the structure and flow better. On the screen, my brain feels overloaded much faster. I still enjoy programming and thinking through the logic, so it’s not that I dislike coding itself.
At the same time, I sometimes doubt myself and wonder if this is an inefficient way to learn. I’m not talking about doing this in a real production environment, but while learning, is it okay or even useful to approach things this way?
Does anyone else learn better away from the IDE first, or is this just a beginner thing?
HashDefTrueFalse@reddit
My programming exams were all on paper in exam halls, so I got used to writing code and dry-running on paper long ago. It can be very useful, but most of the time I instead use paper to doodle ideas and diagram solutions, or help me follow along when reading something long and complicated, rather than writing code.
Whatever works for you. As fancy as everything has gotten these days, it's hard to beat pen and paper for quickly getting something free-form down and out of your mind.
grantrules@reddit
I certainly don't think copying a tutorial line by line is a great way to learn in general, but if writing it on paper helps you more than writing it on screen, go for it.
naqabposhniraj@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the reply. What would you suggest is a good way to learn?
grantrules@reddit
Books, small steps, exercises, projects.
naqabposhniraj@reddit (OP)
Oh yes, absolutely. I’m mainly learning through books, doing exercises, and following structured courses/tutorials. By “tutorial,” I mostly meant guided learning content rather than just blindly copying code from random videos.
Ieris19@reddit
You’ll have to eventually graduate to choosing something to do and then research how instead of following someone else’s structure.
I’m a bit of a fan of the trial by fire, once you know your basics, pick a simple project and just figure out how to do it. There’s ton of beginner project ideas out there for inspiration if you’re having trouble figuring out what is “easy and simple”.
Once you get the hang of the easy and simple projects, pick something more complex and go for it.
Tutorials and guides are good to get a feel for the basics, but after some point they’re just a waste of time.
Coding is the easy part, you can get AI to do that, before AI there were offshore programming farms that would code for next to no money (at least compared to western salary standards).
The true value a developer brings is understanding how projects are laid out, what needs to be done to achieve goals, what are the right tools for the job, breaking down complex problems into concrete simple steps. Writing the if statements and loops is really the least important part of a developer’s job
huuaaang@reddit
Learn by doing. Just start coding your own. Don't just copy someone else's work line by line.
notenoughproblems@reddit
takes longer to write by hand and allows your more time to sit with the code and process it. writing pseudo code is common practice for similar reasons. you write half baked code to make sure you understand what you’re doing and why, and then write it out completely once you think you have it.
InsanityOnAMachine@reddit
I mean if I ain't on the computer nearby, yah sure I will obsessively write stuff over and over on paper. there are also some really neat sites that take the pressure off, like https://play.rust-lang.org/?version=stable&mode=debug&edition=2024
When you don't have to make a whole folder and everything on your computer, sites like this make it really fun to prototype
DTux5249@reddit
Writing on paper is good - planning anything before writing code is good, and people don't do it enough. Following a tutorial line by line is bad.
I'd recommend watching the tutorial, and following it by section (i.e. watch a full segment of coding, and follow along by memory) if not watching it in its entirety and trying to replicate it.
After following the tutorial, be sure to add something new to the system as well. Can be simple, just be sure to add something of value.
SchemeWestern3388@reddit
I try to avoid any cutting and pasting, and find typing it out slows it down enough for me to understand it.
Also, I do a lot of little charts and pseudo code before I actually start implementing something fresh. I will sometimes discover that my idea is fatally flawed, out at least that I hadn’t thought out the details. Better then than after coding a few hours down the wrong path.
kellylikescats@reddit
I have a hard time doing screen-to-screen as well. Maybe try adjusting your IDE settings to see if there’s a color scheme that is more comfortable for you. Try taking time to read and understand what the code in the tutorial is doing, write out pseudocode on paper, and then use that as a reference when writing your own code. You will learn better that way.
JohnBrownsErection@reddit
Doing the planning process for new code on paper is how I was taught - basically to figure out the overall structure and logic through some pseudo-code and then get the syntax down afterwards.