3 HUGE Things I Wish I Knew When I First Started

I stared learning code in high school, it started out as a small project that I wanted to learn to understand more about the software that I use on a daily basis.

Now, I'm learning how to code my very own game using C++.

When I first started I didn't have many resources available to me. I often watched videos and asked other developers for their insight on how to do the most simplest lines of code. However, I was meet with no response or no videos to explain exactly what I do. So Instead I've done these three things in order to help further my reach and understanding on C++.

So If you’re just getting started or even if you’ve been coding a while—here are 3 things I wish someone told me sooner that I'm sure will help you out.

1. You Don’t Need to Learn Everything

It’s tempting to try and learn JavaScript, Python, React, Node.js, Docker, Git, GraphQL, Rust, Go, Kubernetes... all at once. Stop. Pick one stack. Go deep. The rest will come later.

2. Googling Is a Skill

Senior developers don’t know everything off the top of their heads, they’re just really good at searching for the right answer.

If you’re stuck like I was:

• Google the exact error message




• Try phrasing it differently




• Add the language or framework (e.g., react cannot read property of undefined)

Bonus tip: Look at GitHub issues for obscure errors—they’re gold.

3. Community Matters More Than You Think

Programming can be lonely. Find your people. Join a Discord server, contribute to open source, write posts on dev.to(Kind of like I'm doing). You’ll learn faster and feel less isolated. This makes all the difference!

Thank you reading to the end, that was alot. Hopefully some of these tips can help the newer ppl, and even the pros!