What to do next

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1.57/5 (3 votes)

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Hi, im a hobby programmer that is struggling about what to do next.
I started with c++, then went in deep a bit, learned the stl and read some books of medium programing level (linked lists, graphs and that stuff).
I want to have a good knowledge base before start projects (majorly apps and games), now im learning MySQL, java, javascript and a bit of directx but i dont know if im taking the right path or just learning secondary things. Im looking for some advice about what should i learn to become a competent developer.
thanks.

Posted 9-Mar-15 7:20am

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[no name] 9-Mar-15 13:57pm

Seconding Griff's proposal. Pick some medium sized project and try to implement it from A to Z. You'll notice a lot of opportunities to delve into some specific technologies along the way. And chances are good you'll know what you want to do/learn next when you're done with it.

3 solutions

Solution 3

:D thx for the replies, u are so fast O.O
I wanted to know a bit of everything to have all possible tools to solve future problems, but reading ur replies maybe is better start a "big" project and find them on the way, i will follow ur advice thx n.n

P.D. i dont have a lot of ideas of what could be a huge but wearable project for me, could u link some pages with low-medium level projects to get some ideas?
thanks again ^^

Posted 9-Mar-15 10:21am

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-09T07:31:00

Solution 2

You should know better yourself, everyone chooses on one's own. How about learning in depth? Knowledge is not a sum of languages and platforms. How about learning computer science, mathematics? How about learning languages to cover most important different paradigms?

Remember:

Alan Perlis wrote:
A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing.

—SA

Posted 9-Mar-15 7:31am

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov

Updated 9-Mar-15 10:14am

v3

Comments

Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan 9-Mar-15 15:46pm

+5, you've written a great answer there.

I agree to what you've said, in a way that if one keeps learning more and more languages or platforms, there are more chances for him to loose grip on all of them, he would get confused. Then to apply them in real, he might get confused in which namespace to use, which assembly to reference and that is not a knowledge.

You're directed him in a great way, for Computer science, Mathematics etc. He should master one language, and then apply it on different phenomena to test himself... Then once he believes he knows that language (it takes well mostly more than 10 months for me to fully understand a language's basic; note the word-play), then he should continue to the next language and so on.

Anyways, Sergey sir, the URL is either broken or needs some parameter to query for that qoute. That was a 404.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 9-Mar-15 16:22pm

Thank you, Afzaal.

I fixed the link.
I cannot agree on one item, "should master one language", but not due to fundamental reasons, rather, due to real-life situation. So far, knowing only one language is most usually equivalent to not knowing programming at all. This is just the reality. That's why I suggested "to cover most important different paradigms". Nearly all single-language people I faced (there are less and less of them) did not understand general programming to the extent that I consider them not knowing that language. You can only understand one if you go out if its limits. For example, you can understand C++ parameter passing only if you have good understanding on how it looks in assembly language and CPU instruction. People really understanding JavaScript and it's prototype-based object programming only if they have a good idea on how to write an interpreting using some "traditional" OOP language (object would be based on property dictionary, prototypes chain would be implemented as reference chain, and so on).
—SA

Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan 9-Mar-15 16:28pm

Oops, that is my mistake, I did mean to say the same as you are, but I think I missed "first" in that, to make the sentence as, "He should first master one language, apply it on...".

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 9-Mar-15 17:30pm

Great.
Cheers,
--SA

OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-09T07:28:00

Solution 1

Use it! :laugh:

Stop learning new stuff, and concentrate on getting a couple of medium-to-large projects under your belt. New is good - but solid experience is really worthwhile. (And you'd be surprised what you learn doing it - normally that you should have started completely differently :laugh: )

Posted 9-Mar-15 7:28am

OriginalGriff

Comments

Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan 9-Mar-15 15:47pm

Wider the surface, less the depth to make the area equal. You're right, OP needs to fully learn the language he is using right now, before moving on to some other language. He would loose grip of all of them in an attempt to increase his wit and knowledge.