DEV Community

Cover image for How Did I learn React in 10 months
Adriano Lupossa
Adriano Lupossa

Posted on

How Did I learn React in 10 months

I always see questions like that how many time is need to learn some new technology.

The truth is you can't learn a new language/framework in 5 hours (yes I'm talking about that immersive course of 10 hours).

So I decided to write something's based in my small experiences.

Before starting learning react it's a good idea to pratice ES6 features,that can make your life easier.

Note: This is not a silver bullet or the secret way of learning react, it's just guide that will put you in the right way, you decide if you follow or not.

How did I start with React

I started learning react reading the documentation. Most of us start learning the things in the "wrong way", we getting started with courses and tutorials then when we have troubles we dive into documentation.

Documentation it's like a manual guide, we just ignore it and start using the things, then we go back to them when the things don't work well.

We can avoid much pain if we start in that way, documentation will give you a deep knowledge about the technology and you will learn more fast and in a detailed way more than a course or tutorial.

React documentation it's one of the most well write documentation, you can learn through tutorial or step by step.

I highly recommend getting started reading the documentation, that's made a lot of difference for me.

Practice, practice and practice

Just reading the documentation will not make you a pro without practice.

I did read the documentation every single day, and practice step by step each functionality.

Read it's the 50%, practice it's the other half. You have to practice every single commands and tips. See the results by yourself and understand how the things work deeply.

You will learn more fast and in the right way if you practice the things.

Dive into a Project

There is something's that you will discovery only if you dive into a project.

You can learn more if you build small or big projects. The project can be a Todo list or a simple chat, but needs to be challenge for you.

When you dive into projects you will find new complex problems, that will increase your level as react developer.

Build real projects made all the difference for me, I found new problems and discovered better ways of doing the things.

So dive into a projects when you're a learning.

Conclusion

When you feel more comfortable working with React, you can watch courses and videos tutorials.

You will notice a big difference. I think this tips will help you getting started in the right way.

Top comments (12)

Collapse
 
hiboabd profile image
Hibo Abdilaahi

It seems so obvious to start with the documentation but that is what I NEVER seem to do and I go straight to tutorials and courses haha. Great article, I've started learning Vue.js this week and this article has made me realise where I'm going wrong. I'll start with the documentation first and implement what I learn. Thanks.

Collapse
 
adrianolupossa profile image
Adriano Lupossa

I'm happy that the article did help you if need some help, you can send me a message 🙏

Collapse
 
aslasn profile image
Ande

I came from the java world and you know the oracle docs. Then some youtube fellows made interest in other language and technologies. Youtube's persuasive design made me stick in youtube and bhoa. I turned into another tutorial follow. Instead of spending few minutes in docs, i wasted hours into videos. Modern docs are quite readable though. Like 70% docs, 25% tutorial, 5% fun. and all mixed together.

Collapse
 
rootz491 profile image
Karan Sharma

Hey man, i am trying to learn java too, but the official Docs sucks. Suggest some resource to learn it. BTW I'm from C/C++ background 😬.

Collapse
 
alfredqbit profile image
Alfred Sepulveda • Edited

Like with most languages (including programming), one can engage the learning process using a SCRUM-like approach - iteratively, functionally, and bootstrapping. If you become top-heavy with reading documentation-tutorials or diving prematurely into extended example code snippets, you will elongate your learning process or even fail to meet your timeline goals for learning. This is akin to top-down and bottom-up approaches respectively. They are not an efficient means of obtaining a working knowledge of a subject matter.

If you are going to engage in a code snippet, use documentation to learn the component parts of it before you improvise it. Do not stick for too long a period of time with that improvisation of the code snippet because it may outlive its usefulness as the best way to accomplish your algorithmic purpose. Jump to other approaches within the language and/or others' approaches. You will always produce code that will be more efficient, correct, and elegant than others' or worst than others' respectively. The learning process never ends and then once you start reaching star status with one, it dies a death, being replaced with a better language. That is what it means to be homo-sapien in a homo-sapien society.

Additionally, you may have considered giving a very brief intro or description of React (i.e., a 5-year-old javascript library for interface development, View part of MVC, VDOM binding, with scalable fast component-based server-side rendering).

Collapse
 
leob profile image
leob

I also started by reading the official docs, but for the rest I wasn't as disciplined as you, didn't practice systematically, which is bad if you want to learn something really well. But reading the official docs as a first step is a winner.

Collapse
 
andrewbaisden profile image
Andrew Baisden

The best way to learn something new as always is to just build projects. It's a no brainer but still many get stuck just following a tutorial blindly. Once you make that break away and start doing what you want to do it is game changing the ideas just flow when you see how capable you are.

Collapse
 
ucefidel profile image
Youssef Idelhadj • Edited

Thank you so much for all of this advices and tips. It's a huge article. Can you give us some projects to clone it and increase our skills?

Collapse
 
adrianolupossa profile image
Adriano Lupossa

Sure, I will share my repository with the projects

Collapse
 
momin profile image
Md Abdul Momin

Oops no, I was joined bootcamp first . .

Collapse
 
patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Edited

You aren't being clear how much learning is learnt. Cutting point? Suitable for junior positions?

Collapse
 
stereoplegic profile image
Mike Bybee • Edited

I've been using React for about 5 years, and I'm still learning it. It has evolved so much, so quickly, that I don't think I'll stop learning it any time soon.