How do you guys learn something new? Do you first learn things deeply and then implement or straight away start using it? I find it confusing sometimes.

To me this is how I do it:

Damn near everything is based around a particular architectural design or a set of protocols already well defined by the community in order to do something specific, be it secure an app with JWT or implementing design patterns on a language stack etc.

Take MVC for example, this design pattern must be understood properly in terms of the theory behind it completely. Once you understand how a model relates to a controller and how this manages data into a view etc then and only then can you start(speaking generally) implementing it on code.

With something like Android for example, learn the way the API works and how each app works as a self contained system and the patterns that move it along and then learn how Java fits in the equation as well as learning proper object oriented patterns etc.

Theory first, code later.

But that is just what works for me, it may not necessarily apply to others.

Just do whatever it takes

I start using it for whatever reason brought me to new thing, get to decent level by using and reading specs, then do a full read-through to fully understand all the fine details and under the hood stuff.

It depends on what you are talking about. Frameworks? Tools? Languages?

I learned Lua, Python and Ruby by simply reading a book. Never did I intent to use them, but I find it rewarding to learn how things are done outside my field of expertise. That really enhanced my perspective.

Methods like Design Patterns or Regular expressions got into my head lightly by experimenting directly with what I read in the books.

Frameworks and engines like CrystalSpace, Ogre3D, Allegro, SFML, GTK or Qt I simply learned by doing some tutorials and then experimenting on my own.

Other things like Bash, Perl or for example Boost, I got into by simple try&error. And the internet of course.

I fear you have to figure out yourself which the best method is for *you* in each individual case, though...

@AleCx04 Yeah, that actually makes sense. Thanks alot. I'll try to follow.

@Charon92 That's how I do it now 😅
But then I wonder if I actually learnt something or if I'm missing stuff

@ravijojila That's a nice way. I usually want to implement as fast as possible, so I don't learn most of the stuff. This way I can come back and learn thoroughly

@Yamakuzure I was asking generally. I don't learn anything if I don't intend to use it in the near future, unless it's a course in the college. It's straightforward to learn languages, but with frameworks and tools, it gets a little tricky. True, I need to figure out what works for me :)

Usually just read the introduction / getting started section and do some basic tutorial stuff just to get a better understanding of what I'm getting myself into.

From there I try to apply it to my own projects. If I get stuck, I go back and read the more advanced stuff and I ALWAYS (most of the time, sometimes?) make sure I use the correct standards best practice on most things. Learning as I go. Might not be the best way, for me it works.

@Charon92 so, basically this?