He’s able to do it because hes seen things…
thats why hes a senior dev! He developed his knowledge and ability to understand code, even in a language he doesnt know, due to time and experience.
This experience really brings to the forefront the importance of collaborating with others with more skill and experience, that’s how you grow and progress. Kind of the big reason why, although I would love to work remotely and independently one day, that day is not today…I dont want to be the smartest person in the room. I have far too much to learn and too much room for growth.
So yeah, why would it make you depressed that a senior dev knows more than you, a junior dev? That should be encouraging and inspiring, he just gave you a glimpse into what the future holds for you as you progress in your career!
So yeah, my suggestion, if you want exposure to senior devs and be able to learn from them, maybe hold off of freelancing and working on your own. Its not clear if this senior dev works at your company or not, since you said there are no senior ones there…but…unless you are the only dev at your company, there are surely other devs at higher skill levels around you. Take advantage of that, talk to them, show interest in what they are doing, let them know what you are working on.
For sure, next time you hit a wall at work, ask someone for help…dont strugglie with it on your own, especially not for days. Its in the teams best interest to unblock you and keep the project moving.
Even if the person you ask doesn’t know the answer, they may be able to connect you with someone who does. You wont know what they know, or who they know, until you communicate with the people around you and ask. And for sure…you will learn something from them that will bring you that much closer to senior dev level.