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forum >> Programming questions >> HTML / XHTML / HTML5 / CSS

To Many Codes, To Little Memory
Posted Feb 10 2012 at 11:55 AM by
Pete Woodhead (petewdhd) 		I'd like to know how others can possibly remember all of this code, especially in the beginning? I'm just starting chapter 5 of mini book Two and it's all I think about. At this point I'm just parroting along with the book playing with a few changes as I go to get a feel for what happens, but certainly I constantly am going back to the book to look up the code.

Having said that I notice that I can go out on the web to other code sites and I'm actually able to follow part of whats being said there. So, obviously some it is sticking. Still I'd like to know how others do it. It seems unlikely that it can all reside between the ears, especially for someone like me who isn't actively coding.
AuthorMessage
Andy
 Posted: Feb 12 2012 kl. 4:50 PM
I hear this comment a lot. Likewise, some of my students are amazed at my apparent memory, because I program in several languages. However, there\'s a secret. You don\'t really need to memorize!

OK. At some point, you do need to learn the code, but it\'s like this: Do you drive to work or school? Have you memorized the route? Probably not. Yet, you know it. You can get where you\'re trying to go, and you can even find your way around when there\'s a traffic jam. I don\'t see people coming up with flash cards.

I think you \'memorize\' code pretty much like you \'memorize\' routes. Just do it a lot.

The XHTML 1 Strict DTD is an absolute nightmare to remember. I DO NOT HAVE IT MEMORIZED! - And I wrote the book!

You absolutely do not need to memorize this thing. Copy and paste my template, or add a template to your favorite editor.

One great thing about programming - You do it on a computer. There\'s nothing at all wrong with using Google to look up details, or keeping your documentation open as you write. I still do it.

I can\'t encourage enough using a helpful editor. I really like Komodo edit (the free version.) It recognizes what language you\'re writing in, and pops up help. If you\'re building CSS, for example, and you type \'b,\' you\'ll get a list of all the attributes that begin with \'b\' that make sense in the current context.

With that kind of help and a lot of practice, you\'ll be able to write code without looking things up before you know it...
Stephen Reed
 Posted: Feb 12 2012 kl. 5:21 PM
I doubt even many of the best programmers have memorized more than 10-20% of a serious programming language.

It's like English, you just have to learn the grammer (speaking of grammer, most programming languages share very similar structure) and then you can easily look up any words you don't understand. The ones you use often, you eventually remember.