What I Do As A Developer When I Get Stuck

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2 min read

When I first started learning to code, I was constantly concerned about forgetting syntax or functions, or having an idea but not knowing how to execute it. But then I realized I was putting too much pressure on myself because I couldn't keep everything in my head at the same time. I met a senior Developer and asked him how he does it, because to be a senior Developer you need to be able to wake up from your sleep and debug, and he laughed and said that's a lie... "even senior developers ask questions". He said, "We ask Google and our colleagues," and then he introduced me to a website called Stackoverflow, where I realized I didn't have to know everything all at once. I can always expand my knowledge when I get stuck.

Right now, when I'm stuck, the first thing I do is SLEEP. It's strange, but I always take a nap to relax, or I eat or watch a movie, because debugging or not knowing what to do next can be overwhelming. I also try to reach out to friends who have more experience than I do, which is why it is important to make a lot of good friends in tech.

Secondly, I consult Google. I mean Google should be every developer's best friend because you can always copy and paste an error from your console into Google.

If you look at this image below you will notice an error in my terminal

Screen Shot 2022-08-28 at 10.53.50 AM.png

All I have to do is copy that error and paste that error on Google

Screen Shot 2022-08-28 at 10.56.06 AM.png

And google does the magic for you

I also consult the documentation of the framework/library I'm currently using (highly recommended). Last but not least, I belong to a variety of communities based on my expertise. These include Web3 communities, React developer communities, Technical writing communities, and other areas where I routinely post queries on various problems. Twitter is a great resource as well. Simply ask your question using other hashtags like #devtwitter or #100daysofcode, and people will be happy to help. The developer community is really warm and kind.

I hope I was able to share how I overcome hurdles as a developer, and always remember to eat and rest, because sometimes the real reason you are stuck is because your brain is shutting down due to stress. You can read one of my articles on How to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a developer