{"id":3482,"date":"2025-05-01T07:02:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T07:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/01\/how-would-i-learn-to-code-with-chatgpt-if-i-had-to-start-again\/"},"modified":"2025-05-01T07:02:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T07:02:27","slug":"how-would-i-learn-to-code-with-chatgpt-if-i-had-to-start-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/01\/how-would-i-learn-to-code-with-chatgpt-if-i-had-to-start-again\/","title":{"rendered":"How Would I Learn to Code with ChatGPT if I Had to Start Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Would I Learn to Code with ChatGPT if I Had to Start Again
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Coding has been a part of my life since I was 10. From modifying HTML & CSS for my Friendster profile during the simple internet days to exploring SQL injections for the thrill, building a three-legged robot for fun, and lately diving into Python coding, my coding journey has been diverse and fun!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned from various programming approaches.<\/p>\n

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The way I learn coding is always similar; As people say, mostly it\u2019s just copy-pasting. \"\ud83d\ude05\"<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When it comes to building something in the coding world, here\u2019s a breakdown of my method:<\/p>\n

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  1. Choose the Right Framework or Library<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Learn from Past Projects<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. \nBreak It Down into Steps
    <\/strong>Slice your project into actionable item steps, making development less overwhelming.<\/li>\n
  4. \nGoogle Each Chunk
    <\/strong>For every step, consult Google\/Bing\/DuckDuckGo\/any search engine you prefer for insights, guidance, and potential solutions.<\/li>\n
  5. \nStart Coding<\/strong>
    Try to implement each step systematically.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    However, even the most well-thought-out code can encounter bugs.\u00a0Here\u2019s my strategy for troubleshooting:<\/p>\n

    1.\u00a0Check Framework Documentation:\u00a0<\/strong>ALWAYS read the docs!<\/p>\n

    2. Google and Stack Overflow Search<\/strong>: search on Google and Stack Overflow. Example keyword would be:<\/p>\n

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    site:stackoverflow.com [coding language] [library] error [error message]<\/p>\n

    site:stackoverflow.com python error ImportError: pandas <\/strong>module not found<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \u2013\u00a0Stack Overflow Solutions<\/strong>: If the issue is already on Stack Overflow, I look for the most upvoted comments and solutions, often finding a quick and reliable answer.
    \u2013\u00a0Trust My Intuition<\/strong>: When Stack Overflow doesn\u2019t have the answer, I trust my intuition to search for trustworthy sources on Google; GeeksForGeeks, Kaggle, W3School, and Towards Data Science<\/a> for DS stuff \"\ud83d\ude09\"<\/p>\n

    3. Copy-Paste the Code Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n

    4. Verify and Test<\/strong>: The final step includes checking the modified code thoroughly and testing it to ensure it runs as intended.<\/p>\n

    And Voila you just solve the bug!<\/h2>\n
    \"\"
    Photo by\u00a0Stephen Hocking<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Isn\u2019t it beautiful?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    But in reality, are we still doing this?!<\/h2>\n

    Lately, I\u2019ve noticed a shift in how new coders are tackling coding. I\u2019ve been teaching how to code professionally for about three years now, bouncing around in coding boot camps and guest lecturing at universities and corporate training. The way coders are getting into code learning has changed a bit.<\/p>\n

    I usually tell the fresh faces to stick with the old-school method of browsing and googling for answers, but people are still using ChatGPT eventually. And their alibi is<\/p>\n

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    \u201cHaving ChatGPT (for coding) is like having an extra study buddy -who chats with you like a regular person\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    It comes in handy, especially when you\u2019re still trying to wrap your head around things from search results and documentation \u2014 to develop what is so-called\u00a0programmer intuition<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t get me wrong, I\u2019m all for the basics. Browsing, reading docs, and throwing questions into the community pot \u2014 those are solid moves, in my book. Relying solely on ChatGPT might be a bit much. Sure, it can whip up a speedy summary of answers, but\u00a0the traditional browsing methods give you the freedom to pick and choose, to experiment a bit, which is pretty crucial in the coding world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    But, I\u2019ve gotta give credit where it\u2019s due \u2014 ChatGPT is lightning-fast at giving out answers, especially when you\u2019re still trying to figure out the right from the wrong in search results and docs.<\/p>\n

    I realize this shift of using ChatGPT as a study buddy is not only happening in the coding scene, Chatgpt has revolutionized the way people learn, I even use ChatGPT to fix my grammar for this post, sorry Grammarly.<\/p>\n

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    Saying no to ChatGPT is like saying no to search engines in the early 2000 era<\/strong>. While ChatGPT may come with biases and hallucinations, similar to search engines having unreliable information or hoaxes. When ChatGPT is used appropriately, it can expedite the learning process.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Now, let\u2019s imagine a real-life scenario where ChatGPT could help you by being your coding buddy to help with debugging.<\/p>\n

    Scenario: Debugging a Python Script<\/h2>\n

    Imagine you\u2019re working on a Python script for a project, and you encounter an unexpected error that you can\u2019t solve.<\/p>\n

    Here is how I used to be taught to do it \u2014 the era before ChatGPT.<\/p>\n

    Browsing Approach:<\/h3>\n
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    1. Check the Documentation:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Start by checking the Python documentation for the module or function causing the error.<\/p>\n

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      For example:
      \u2013 visit\u00a0https:\/\/scikit-learn.org\/stable\/modules\/<\/a>\u00a0for Scikit Learn Doc<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

      2. Search on Google & Stack Overflow:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      If the documentation doesn\u2019t provide a solution, you turn to Google and Stack Overflow.\u00a0Scan through various forum threads and discussions to find a similar issue and its resolution.<\/p>\n

      \"\"
      StackOverflow Thread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      3. Trust Your Intuition:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      If the issue is unique or not well-documented, trust your intuition! You might explore articles and sources on Google that you\u2019ve found trustworthy in the past, and try to adapt similar solutions to your problem.<\/p>\n

      \"\"
      Google Search Result<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      You can see that on the search result above, the results are from W3school \u2013 (trusted coding tutorial site, great for cheatsheet) and the other 2 results are official Pandas documentation. You can see that search engines do suggest users look at the official documentation. \"\ud83d\ude09\"<\/p>\n

      And this is how you can use ChatGPT to help you debug an issue.<\/p>\n

      New Approach with ChatGPT:<\/h3>\n
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      1. Engage ChatGPT in Conversations:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Instead of only navigating through documentation and forums, you can engage ChatGPT in a conversation. Provide a concise description of the error and ask. For example,<\/p>\n

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        \u201cI\u2019m encountering an issue in my [programming language] script where [describe the error]. Can you help me understand what might be causing this and suggest a possible solution?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

        \"\"
        Engage ChatGPT in Conversations<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        2.\u00a0Clarify Concepts with ChatGPT:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        If the error is related to a concept you are struggling to grasp, you can ask ChatGPT to explain that concept. For example,<\/p>\n

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        \u201cExplain how [specific concept] works in [programming language]? I think it might be related to the error I\u2019m facing. The error is: [the error]\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

        \"\"
        Clarify Concepts with ChatGPT<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        3.\u00a0Seek Recommendations for Troubleshooting:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        You ask ChatGPT for general tips on troubleshooting Python scripts. For instance,<\/p>\n

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        \u201cWhat are some common strategies for dealing with [issue]? Any recommendations on tools or techniques?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

        \"\"
        Using ChatGPT as coding buddy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        Potential Advantages:<\/h2>\n