Why Tutorials DON’T WORK (And What To Do Instead)

If you're struggling to learn to code it's likely you're missing something big. In this video I'll break down the most important thing to do if you're not making progress.
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[@keltiquewood]

I have been coding for 23 years. DON'T TOUCH THE KEYBOARD UNTIL YOU HAVE THE SOLUTION CLEAR IN YOUR MIND! 🙂

[@AndySterkowitz]

Amen! I’ve learned this the hard way 😆

[@johngonzales1163]

😞😳😮

[@AU24097]

This has to be the singular best piece of advice in this comment section

[@johngonzales1163]

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayuuuuummm!!!!! Just like that?????😔🙄😳😯

[@houssssouheib9969]

That's my nigaa

[@alltruth881]

thanks man. I think "tutorial purgatory" is a perfect discription of what this state of mind feels like. Building your own projects really transforms your problem solving skills. You learn more

[@ogunkayodeoluwaseun9348]

same here

[@SurfingTheMentawais]

This channel is one of the very best on KZbin for its straightforward and useful advice. Thanks Andy.

[@AndySterkowitz]

You're very welcome....thank you for the kind words!

[@hoquang1386]

Awesome video. Thanks Andy. But in my opinion, I think there is a sweet spot between "too much tutorials" and "actually coding". I mean too little knowledge will make you feel lost, but too much knowledge won't help either

[@AndySterkowitz]

Agreed; definitely a sweet spot.

[@lesalmin]

I think tutorials do work. It's just about choosing the right tutorial at the right moment: you need to have some project going on and the problems related to that in your mind, when you start to look for the right tutorial for your needs. If you just watch tutorial after tutorial without any current need for all that information I'm quite sure it won't work.

[@iorekby]

Watching dozens of hours of coding/syntax tutorials and hoping it will make you a developer is like reading every page in the dictionary and hoping it will make you a playwright.

[@AndySterkowitz]

Lol well said

[@stalluri11]

Watching is of no use but if you type the tutorial you will start understanding the nuances a bit better. I learn coding by endless typing of tutorials. It works believe me...

[@victoriadathan2675]

@@stalluri11 Facts. I be doing that too. Make notes out of the tutorials. I started re-learning Java and made notes for every section of the video so far and it sticks in my brain. Make up your own examples too as you go along works as well. I like to use Notepad to make notes.

[@humann5682]

@@stalluri11 But aren't you just learning by rote then rather than internalising the actual concepts by typing along? Learning by rote teaches you little, it just allows you to masquerade in a shallow way until you start applying for jobs. You might know how to type out a method in code, but do you understand methods? Do you know how /why methods get stored (e.g. Per instance basis or not?)? Do you understand the pro/cons of methods etc...

[@stalluri11]

@Hu Mann what I experienced is typing tutorials invokes mental discipline. And this will also improve syntax knowledge. if a code needs to be written later you will quickly recollect from your typing experience. Of ourselves you need to understand what you are typing. If not understood it's of little use

[@Platinum989]

Thanks man! Your videos are a light for those in the tunnel of transition!

[@Avarn388]

Thank you. This is the biggest problem I need to work on alongside time management. So your steps are great. This will definitely help me. :)

[@matiasmarino7914]

Thanks for all the information you share. I am actually working and studying to become a programmer and your videos had help me a lot.

[@SlimBloodworth]

Thanks so much, Andy! Such useful info!

[@RVRayRay]

Just getting started… So glad I found your channel.🙏

[@daniyellaharmon]

Thank you for your amazing content Andy!!

[@JackieSiperko]

Best video ever!! kind stuck right now and need to start progressing. Thank you!

[@AndySterkowitz]

Glad it helped!

[@DoMa94]

Thank you for this video! Tutorial purgatory is especially crazy in everything art related, so many "things i wish i knew" "X amount of tips to improve instantly" and many many more by 100s of people. You could watch 100s of hours of "tips" but if you never actually start, its gonna be all worthless. As you said just knowing the basics and then practising is way more effective than watching all that nonsense

[@infinteuniverse]

Tutorials are for beginners. I'm a little over 1 year into programming. Most tutorials are maybe 30% actual implementation at best. First 10 min "ok guys install nodejs and all these dependencies" second 10 min "ok, set up vs code..", third 10 min '"ok guys, process.env... package.json.. eslint blah blah blah", fourth 10 min "boilerplate code" final 10 min "ok, here is how you do it."

[@PRASHANTKUMAR-il4ob]

Quick videos improvement recommendations: Please provide different section/segments for titles or topics you discuss in videos (youtube feature for creator), it will be very helpful for viewers to find right content in long videos. BTW love your content🥰🥰

[@alevieirareis]

great tips ! Thank you!

[@ingmarsen]

Very good video , very good advice !!!! Thanks , man .

[@prasanthravichandran626]

Great video!! Thanks buddy

[@victoriadathan2675]

Thanks so much! This really helps. I am truly stuck as well. I am trying to gain experience with programming by building the digital clock app you recommended in the different types of projects video, but I am getting no where. I do use tutorials as well and reading the technical documentation for java. Perhaps I should start out with just the simple coding challeneges first to build my weakness of problem solving.

[@lucasfernandes9381]

For me the biggest difficulty is the first two steps. Great video, Andy!

[@AndySterkowitz]

Thank you Lucas!

[@CreativeTutorialsWeb]

Thanks so much Sir you're really helpful

[@omaracelys3217]

AWESOME VIDEO ! one of the best

[@centrumsaiyan7623]

Watching coding tutorial and expecting to be good at it, is like watching football and expecting to be a world-class footballer. Sadly, I've learnt this late in my career. Hope you don't do the same mistake, you can be rockstar developer but spending your energy, time and money at wrong learning techniques will play big role in your career motivation.

[@Prasadavajjhala]

so true. the focus should be why we apply a specific method/logic not how! At first glance familiarity (repertoire of various methods) take a while to build. Far too many students grasp concepts within silos, but fail to understand the application. When doing a course, I will review the content at least 3 times, for familiarity, then application and context (spaced repetition).

[@codybishop7526]

Hey man, have you ever considered creating a Udemy Course on programming? Not like the basic tutorials, but more along the lines of "how to think like a programmer". Give classes on these higher-level, out of the box aspects to programming.

[@myrusEW]

Hey man, I subbed because it seems you understand the troubles of learning on your own and I've recently watched a lot of your videos because I'm getting back into it after about a year break. I don't remember a lot of the syntax perfectly, or when to use certain types of code. Are tutorials gonna help with that? I've been following along on a project or two and something comes up ( for example nested for loops) and I pause and think about it for a while until I can make the connection to what that code does.

[@GChief117]

Point is get more accustomed to problem solving. Solving with the medium of syntax youre accustomed with.

[@mikaeljacobsson1437]

Do you think about the balance between the theoretical and the practical and how it might be different. I got into building things and then programming them and i need the practical part but the theoretical part is more important for me. Roughly i would say that its 60% books and 40% doing. Haven't done much of those online tutorials but my books are important. They give me a deeper understanding of how/why/etc. While the practical part gives you a different perspective and get to see how things work visually.

[@funtari7]

Nice one Andy. 👍🏽

[@HiiImChris]

As a green ass noob, I started this year in software development in a engineering division at a university and previously I was in medicine before realizing it was not for me after about 3 years. Prior to that I knew ZERO information about what a "coding" even was. So far I'm about 1 year in and I just want to share that I have followed many tutorial series. They are for one thing only, they help give you confidence and familiarity with general topics, syntax, and what not. However they WILL NOT provide you the most valuable skill, which is complex problem solving. You need to have the ability to be comfortable with the environment and the better you understand how things are related and function, the more you can confidently build meaningful working structures in response to a given problem. That skill can only be learned in one singular way, sucking balls. You will have to get stuck, struggle, and fail, because those things are what push you to step outside your comfort zone and begin developing solutions without doubt. You're better off working 2 hours on a piece of code that ends up not functioning but pushed your understanding, than 8 hours on code you know is going to work, or doesn't challenge your current level. Note, this is just my experience and perspective so far in a year, also I feel this channel actually mostly addresses human psychology equally as much as coding, which can be abstract and complex

[@AndySterkowitz]

Hey all I made a small mistake in the video; Edabit does NOT offer a 1-month free trial; they will however give you 15 free programming challenges. My apologies on that! If you're interested in what they have to offer go and check it out yourself here: edabit.com/?ref=andy.

[@chempsyofficial3216]

Thanks this helped allready, 1 hour ago i had copied from tutorial how to activate end screen when i complete level.. now i have that same in my very own project without tutorials or even google and i actually know what is happening.. added debug.logs to check if everything works till i collide with finish line in game.. then made code to activate end screen that wasnt built yet so checked that activation with debug.log aswell before i actually made that.. i should keep doing this so i should avoid more errors!

[@JonesDi77]

Good information.

[@maurolimaok]

Nice video. Thanks.

[@jacobl7451]

It's like using a manual while putting together furniture. Nobody reads the manual front to back and then starts building.

[@ukwuteyinoreneojo4159]

You are the best 👍 and I have subscribed

[@kekenny6648]

Hey man, just wondering which computer you’re using for your programming work ? Thank you 😊

[@kubataiupov1245]

Very helpful video

[@AndySterkowitz]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marwaeltayeb]

I need to make a video to learn hot to plan the idea of the project before coding for example driver apps or order food apps or booking apps

[@Razvanh29]

What if I watch tutorials and code along, while I also _deviate_ from the tutorial(s) and I manage to make useful and nice applications? Do you think tutorials work in this case? :)

[@ryukz8453]

The only time i watch tutorials is when i want to implement a specific syntax like ( how to implement a search bar in the app).

[@brianbitange6650]

Thanks for this Andy, did the recipe have to be spaghetti(code) though?😂😂

[@AndySterkowitz]

LOL

[@usamahussain4461]

I don't know what's wrong with the society i live in. People even try to rebuke or belittle me when i say "I will first write the algorithm and rough sketch and the code on paper to really understand and get into it". They would say "Yeah waste of time, we don't do it, we are at that level that we do not require it". Such things really downgrade myself and i feel let down and what not. But watching your videos makes me confident again in the approach i follow and believe in.

[@AndySterkowitz]

I'm a big fan of doing what works for you. Some people can do this thinking in their head but I am more of a whiteboard/pen & paper thinker for difficult problems.

[@usamahussain4461]

@@AndySterkowitz yeah, I can't do that since many things come popping up in the mind at once and one could easily get lost in those thoughts. Also some of those possible and crude solutions leave, never to return. But, doesn't it become problematic during job? One simply doesn't have enough time to write even the most important pieces of code and then code on IdE?

[@ImNotImpressed01]

My work flies 10x better when I plan before coding. Keep it up. Because as the problems become more complex that skill will come in handy. I used to be that person. Just doing it all in my head. But the projects get more difficult and there's no way of keeping track of a project without breaking it down into smaller parts and then crossing off those smaller parts first. I'm now learning to do it the right way

[@usamahussain4461]

@@ImNotImpressed01 thanks for the advice. :)

[@keatonhatch6213]

I think another tip to me would be to refrain from finding complete solutions to the problem until after you pass all the tests on the problem. Then go read others solutions and see how others confronted the problem why their solution works. Not only do you figure out the problem your own way but you also learn another way to solve the problem so in future alike problems you have two ways of possibly solving it.

[@abelkeinz7028]

Good video. Thats my problem. If i watched tutorial video i would totaly understand whole code BUT if you give me simple javascript task i wouldnt know how to do it.

[@mexarrinha]

Great content! Even tho i started coding a few years ago(on and off) i have to say I'm a bit lost. I started in java, then i moved to c# because unity3D uses c#. Now I'm learning solidity, it is easy to pick up. The problem came when i saw i needed Javascrip, python. Basically I'm all over the place. My goal is to get a job in Blockchain development and in my spare time keep developing games. In what order should i start learning? Thks

[@tonytony-fc6gq]

My problem with project building is i actually dont know what i dont know ( what am i supposed to know?)

[@YannMetalhead]

Good video.

[@bimboadesoye4894]

As a complete newbie. How long after watching tutorials should you start building projects? I assume a decent amount of knowledge would be needed to to start with the projects? I guess my question is how much knowledge?

[@ImNotImpressed01]

You should be building "projects" every step of the way. Even if it's just a menu driven project in the IDE. That's pretty much all you'll be able to do until you learn a framework and start building stuff with an event driven interface. But Once you get through 3/4ths (better an entire text book ) on the language you're learning (once you've learned recursion at min or binary trees ) then you will have most of the fundamentals of a language down. After you've learned that it's time to build away. But learning a language is just the beginning. Next up is learning the key words/ syntaxes of whatever framework/ platform you've decided to build your project on. And depending on the complexity you might need to use other tools and libraries on the net. Just whatever you do, stick with a language, learn it to its entirety and then build.

[@gplus46]

I'm just at adding img and videos, finally realizing the imgs didn't work, not sure whats going on with the videos the work but only a black screen and the controls appear wtF! Any advice, I haven't found anything on the web. But I've found several different ways to embed videos, even copying and pasting at best I get the black screen described above or nothing at all:/

[@randyanderson6923]

I've been stuck in a cycle of coding tutorials for months now, thinking I am lacking any proper management of my time due to College (Am in my final year right now in the Software Development track). I have been jumping to many different Programming Languages (Java, Python, C#) but I keep feeling like I am trapped in a cycle. I pick up a Programming Language, study it for a few weeks, get started on building a project, I get distracted for a couple of days, my mind ends up in a blank when I try to think of the beginner syntax (Self-Doubt then ensues), Rinse and Repeat. With so many resources available on hand and looking at other "pro" developers speaking in those tutorials, I start to think to myself I am not good enough and feel as if I am going about things the wrong way. Having finished the first-half of my final year in college, I am honestly scared that I won't be able to learn the necessary fundamentals needed for a job. How would you go about breaking out out of this cycle? Any advice or pointers into the proper would be greatly appreciated!

[@tonytony-fc6gq]

I know where your coming from

[@sfk1991]

I strongly suggest that you focus on a language that you are comfortable with. Dig deep into it. Ask yourself about what you really want to do and don't try to be a jack of all trades. Once you are really deep into Syntax and object oriented fundamentals, learn data structures and algorithms, this will get your problem solving skills going. Last but not least, learn which tools, the pros are using and finally practice a lot. Write your thoughts on paper before typing.

[@naniv]

I think my brain wants to remain in tutorial purgatory because it thinks "hey at least im doing something positive in my day by teaching my self how to code"

[@hemlock_solution]

"Tutorial Purgatory" - earned a sub today.

[@tengkurangohcitizen4069]

Do you think a 40 year without previous coding skills can learn and become a front end web developer freelancer in one year?

[@waffle8364]

Another thing I hate about coding tutorials is they never show any testing code along with it. Testing code is most of the code you write.

[@ak-up8fg]

useful video. You got a sub

[@stalluri11]

To keep yourself motivated its ok to start typing tutorials otherwise we may stop doing anything

[@Vibestr]

My biggest issue is point 1. I just jump into the problem without thought. What do you mean by rules and constraints at 2:13? It would be good if there are any other guiding questions a developer should ask themselves before approaching a problem

[@goldenwraft5362]

I think rules and constrains means the input should go through a specific path without breaking which can cause various amount of issues. If I run my code will it run correctly or what if I put in a different input that I expect? Those are some of examples that you could ask yourself when writing code

[@Vibestr]

@@goldenwraft5362 Thank you for your feedback. Regards

[@hajji384]

Sorry guys , I'm Newbie web development, HTML CSS and JavaScript. How should I learn concepts fast . ? I learned some like CSS how to change background color when hover on button, fonts , Color, so. I need how to keep these concepts and learn new things?

[@cooleymike1]

Excellent video, this alone has helped me a ton, thanks Andy.

[@AdobadoFantastico]

Wish I'd seen something like this a few years ago.

[@larissasaad7378]

I've tried that and got stuck on step 3.

[@mikaeljacobsson1437]

Building robots is one of the most fun ways to learn and improve programming skills.

[@jpaulc441]

I really wish more people would just be willing to tell the harsh truth - that some people will NEVER be able to code no matter what. Sure it's good to think positive and keep trying but eventually it's just best to give up and stop torturing yourself. I've always wanted to learn how to code, since I'm an artist who has made graphics for games and often receive comments like "I wish I could play a game with your style of artwork". I'd love to make an indie game but I can't code and working with others is another skill I struggle with. I've tried on and off to learn various programming languages for nearly two decades but I've come to accept that I lack the mental capabilty and there's nothing I can do about it.

[@histoking6632]

You make graphics? like the scenery, the characters?

[@easyeli728]

Thank you Andy for everything. Can we collaborate on something together? Software engineering, music, stocks, or maybe fitness stuff Thanks, D man

[@gapko8]

Can anybody help me please? How does one actually study programming. Like if I waanted to be a history teacher I would take a history book and learn everything in the book. But how do I actually study programming. I have the will and I have the time, all I need to know is the how? Thank you.

[@nikfp]

I have one method that might help you, and understand that this is just my opinion. As I see it, there are two main areas of focus for learning programming. The first area to focus on is fundamentals of programming that will apply to any language and any work that you will do, which will be the basics of variable assignment and data types, loops and conditionals, functions, values vs references, and some concepts on how computers work such as stack frames, stack vs heap, mutability, concurrency and asynchronous execution, and so on. You can get a lot of this with the FreeCodeCamp javascript course and that would probably be a good place to start, and all you need for that is a web browser and an internet connection. For some of the things that course doesn't cover directly you can google to find great videos and articles explaining things. Once you have a good grasp of these items it is very helpful to dive into data structures and algorithms as well, and understanding Big O notation and time complexity. If I were starting from the beginning again I would probably start with Javascript because of it's popularity - the learning resources are far more abundant in the JS space than anywhere else. I would steer clear of lower level languages like C, C++, and even Rust and Golang until you have a firm conceptual foundation to work from. (But definitely look into those languages and the areas they are used down the road!) The second main area to focus on is what YOU want to do as a programmer. Front end and Full Stack get a lot of attention across the internet, but there are many other realms of programming that you can consider. Some examples are machine learning, Data Science, cryptography, cyber security, IoT, industrial Automation, mobile development, and Cloud Computing, just to name a few. Each realm will have it's own set of tools, conventions, and best practices that you will need to learn about. Don't try to learn them all at once unless you want to have a nervous breakdown. Watch some "What is..." videos on each area of programming that you come across, and if it looks interesting you can go deeper on it. Eventually you will find yourself gravitating toward something or a few interrelated things, and when you do you can start to learn the intricacies of the languages and tools used. The last thing to keep in mind is that programming is all about solving problems as Andy said in the video, but it will also take a mindset of curiosity and the stubbornness and patience to push your way through roadblocks. Some things will seem harder than you think they should, but lean in to that and you will be rewarded. For me, one example was events in C#. It took forever to click in my mind, but once it did I was able to a lot of powerful things, and since I understood the concept I could easily understand the similar pattern in Javascript. You will have a lot of these moments as you learn and grow. Hopefully you find this helpful, and happy coding!

[@gapko8]

@@nikfp thank you bro, appreciate it

[@TheTimeProphet]

Actually I find tutorials useful, but I did start programming on a Sinclair ZX-81 in 1981. We had to read programming books, and I spent years typing programs into a 1K computer. Other langauges like C++, php etc are all easy after that.

[@aguiremedia]

Does this video not need a disclaimer that its a paid promotion?

[@costelinha1867]

4:24 Instructions unclear: wrote a script that clicks the like buttom 350 times.

[@AndySterkowitz]

LOL....well done

[@josephsekavec5232]

I think tutorials are a great preamble to problem solving. Some problems such as some found on Code wars are fucking nuts though.

[@mayank4156]

Don't give up.

[@elo9689]

I was in tutorial hell now I mostly use them to find a solution to a problem, tutorials can be a huge waste of time instead of directly coding and thinking your own way

[@christophert8419]

This is what Steve Jobs meant by “learning how to program teaches you how to think”

[@Justfunny352]

Finally 😭😭

[@19991]

im watching this but i didnt complete even 10 hours of tutorials and im still learning little by little wish me luck

[@humann5682]

The key is to do short bursts and not try to rush it all. Do 10 minutes a day for a month. Then add 5 minutes a day after a month, then 5 again after another month. Don't try and sprint up Everest. Take your time, enjoy it and you'll get there. You need consistency to be a programmer, not haste.

[@georgidimitrov9878]

Our problem is problem solving! Ironic isn't it? Would you break this problem into small chunks? What are the small pieces that make up this problem?

[@glenn2595]

Socrates knew not everyone is smart. Not everyone is capable of making logical decisions and when it came voting he believed it to be a skill that has to be taught and that not everyone was capable of learning it.

[@davidjacobs3090]

If you're reading this ,you are going to be great😊

[@Alias_Reign]

I clicked the link and got a 1 day free only, not a month

[@AndySterkowitz]

Ah shoot my bad...I made a mistake here. It's not a free month but 15 free challenges. Apologies on that...I'm updating the description.

[@Alias_Reign]

@@AndySterkowitz no problem brother, it happens.

[@bradleyhenderson1198]

Pro Tip: Read and understand Code Complete

[@Sergeant_Camacho]

I suck so bad when I do regular “problem-solving” (like round an specific number or quantity, looping in arrays with numbers, etcetera) But I work/learn better when I solve a “real problem” like identifying why a function doesn't work in a “real” app (product manager, bill app, or whatever). I think everyone has a different way to learn a skill.

[@lancemarchetti8673]

I agree with this. That's why I mostly download the videos as mp3 and listen to the coding tuts while I'm driving. I picture what is being explained on my own imaginary whiteboard! You should try it... 😃

[@abenezerteshome520]

I am the first viewer of this video thank you

[@nate6692]

Ironically this came up when searching for tutorials NOT on youtube. So tired of idiots rambling unscripted because they have a web cam. I can read much faster than I can watch, even at 1.5x speed (which is the speed at which I watch 90% of youtube tutorials).I think the problem is two fold - #1 the vast majority of them ARE on youtube, and #2 - the search engines are heavily biased towards youtube

[@nested9301]

Get unstuck that's what she said

[@manuelgonzales6483]

First❤🔥❤

[@destinationunknown9237]

A tutorial of not listening to tutorials eyyyyy

[@destinationunknown9237]

The it factor is commitment and will

[@FoxHoundUnit89]

Edabit is $39/month billed monthly || $120/year billed yearly || $299 for "life". In case anyone else wants to go try it but isn't sure how much it costs. I didn't realize it was paid when I checked it out after another video, without the affilate link. I like the layout but it takes a solid 10+ seconds every time you submit a solution even on the Very Easy challenges. I don't know how much code you end up writing in the more difficult challenges but if it keeps scaling up as the scripts get longer I would definitely get sick of my time being wasted by waiting for it to check my answers. Whether it's worth the price or not is really up to the individual so I won't speak to that, but for me personally it's not.

[@AndySterkowitz]

That's not good! I've never had that experience or heard that from the many people I've recommended it to. I hope it's not representative of how they are running things.