DEV Community

Cover image for #DEVDiscuss: Memorization and Learning to Code
Brian Bethencourt for The DEV Team

Posted on

#DEVDiscuss: Memorization and Learning to Code

Time for #DEVDiscuss โ€” right here on DEV ๐Ÿ˜Ž

Inspired by @bycdiaz's Top 7 post, tonightโ€™s topic is... Memorization and Learning to Code!

Memorization has long been touted as one of the pillars of learning to code effectively, but is that really the case? In the post above, @bycdiaz addresses the anxieties many feel about forgetting concepts and syntax and refutes the idea that good engineers have everything memorized.

Questions:

  • Do you use cheat sheets to help you remember specific syntax or commands? How useful do you find them?
  • Are there any IDE features or plugins that you use to reduce the need for memorization?
  • Do you find some programming languages easier to memorize than others?
  • Any triumphs, fails, or other stories you'd like to share on this topic?

Top comments (4)

Collapse
 
fyodorio profile image
Fyodor • Edited

The title is a bit misleading fwiw

Collapse
 
devencourt profile image
Brian Bethencourt

thanks, you caught my mistake

Collapse
 
jimmymcbride profile image
Jimmy McBride

Why memorize something you can look up? It's helpful for sure, but it's value is less than knowing the steps to take to build something or solve an issue. It's really just the difference of being book smart vs street smart. The insights you gain from actual experience is where the real value lives.

Collapse
 
ranggakd profile image
Retiago Drago

Not me thinking it was Memoization instead of Memorization ๐Ÿ˜†