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by soapdog 1830 days ago
The best strategy in my opinion is to build something that aligns with some of your hobbies or favourite things. Do not attempt to "solve a problem" or "do generic exercises", build something that ties up with something you already enjoy.

For example, if you're into some kind of sports, build a software that helps you keep track of it. If you like cooking, build a recipe tracker. You know the gist.

By building something that helps you with some of your passions, you'll feel more connected to it and more engaged with the project.

This does not need to be a product, or something you'd try to sell or market. Build it for you. Share it with those people you like, if you feel like doing it, but build it for you.
1 comments
Yajirobe 1830 days ago
What if anything I can come up with that aligns with my hobbies has already been done?
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brundolf 1830 days ago
You almost certainly will never do something novel while also learning a new language. And even beyond the learning phase: I've found that getting past this mental barrier of "whatever I build has to be useful" is essential to getting enjoyment out of side projects. Find it in yourself to enjoy the process for its own sake.
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okaram 1830 days ago
But it hasn't been done by you, in that language, right? Yoy are doing it mainly for learning.

Also, you will find you end up with a somewhat different feature set, get to fix what annoys you.

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b3morales 1830 days ago
This is potentially a source of inspiration! Two simple options for example: your goal is to exactly reproduce the existing thing; or there are parts of it you don't like and want to improve on.
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soapdog 1825 days ago
It doesn't really matter if it has already been done. It is actually good because then you can compare and try different things, or add the same features to learn how hard it is.
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privong 1830 days ago
> What if anything I can come up with that aligns with my hobbies has already been done?

That depends on what your goal is. If your aim is to learn the programming language, code up that program/task/tool even if someone else has already done it.

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BoiledCabbage 1830 days ago
Why is it relevant if it's already been done?
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