Hello!
After my first couple weeks here, just got my first adrenaline rush by completing a challenge I was stuck on for the day (still in the Javascript challenges 
).
But I don’t FULLY understand what I did like I understood the previous html/css/bs challenges. Should I stick around until it clicks? Or should I move on and assume the future challenges would help to clarify everything?
Thanks for helping out a new guy!
I work professionally as a web developer now, and I still feel mystified about some things. A lot of times, I have to jump on a codebase that I’ve never seen before, in a new framework, and just figure out how to fix a bug. My point is, the world of software is so huge and complex, you’ll never feel like you fully understand everything. On the other hand, if you just keep at it long enough, things will begin to “click” and you’ll feel a lot more confident in yourself.
I got stucked too with Javascript, it was so much harder than HTML and CSS, and I still struggle with it (I’m with the react challenges).
I’d say stick with it. It takes a lot more work than a couple of exercises like HTML/CSS did. JS is proper programming. We just don’t think like programmers yet so solutions don’t come easily, I most of the time don’t even have an idea of how the exercise can be solved…
But the most rewarding part is to make the program work (even if you don’t know how you did it). You should definetely keep at it.
As others have said, you won’t fully understand everything at first, unlike other subjects like math.
Mathematics, you may actually need to fully understand addition before going to multiplication. However, learning programming languages is like learning a foreign language: you gotta keep practicing and using it. You start off with simple words and some memorized sentence structures. Then eventually you can more fluidly create you own sentences. But you gotta review and use past learned material, otherwise you’ll forget. Cheers and good luck!
Being cognizant of your progress and learning is a great start to learning more deeply.
tl;dr hang in there and keep on practicing and reviewing learned material
Thanks for the advice! Figured I should keep moving forward, but just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing out on building a good foundation if I kept going!
Well, don’t just solely rely on what the different FCC map and challenges teach you. Because it’s incomplete and cannot possibly cover everything.
See other materials/references to learn more details.
For example:
If the FCC challenge/map is all about dealing with arrays and array manipulation, then check out what MDN says about arrays, and all it’s related methods and functions.
Scan/Read the page, then go back again to the FCC challenge. There will be “less mystery” now looking at the code, and hopefully you’ll get an idea on how to complete the challenge, or improve your current solution.
Got this from the FCC mailing list. I had some formal CS training in high school and college, and I’ve been a hobbyist for years. Although I understand the FCC philosophy of scaffolded learning, I surmise that many are in your boat. You write the code, but without understanding all of it (I don’t the first time either), but feeling like you are missing something. If you are truly lost, you probably need a more formal CS course or two, and then come back to web development to apply what you’ve learned in a modern context. This article does what I haven’t seen other advice do - tells you which classes to take to fill the gap:
Impostor syndrome is big in the software world. you’re not alone in that regard
It’s a good idea to keep going, because forward progress will help motivate you.
It’s also a good idea to work in cycles, working through older material at a later time.