iOS Tutorials Vs Own Project

[PriapusZA]

Hi guys,

So as I continue to learn more about iOS development and programming in general each day. I have noticed something...

When I follow a tutorial which shows a new concept to me and how to implement such things - I follow along and "get the jist" of how it works.

However, when I decide to start a small, test app to try the new concept out I find two things happen:

1. I learn a lot more and understand a lot more of what's going on
2. Obviously a lot more thinking comes into my project and I enjoy it more.

Maybe it's just me.

I think tutorials are excellent at teaching new things - but there is no better way to learn than doing it one your own. For me anyway.

Anyone else experience the same thing?

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I rarely do complete tutorials. I just use tutorials as example code with explanation so that I can learn how to use APIs in my own projects.

 

[MeUnix]

I agree with you 100%. I use tutorials to get an idea of what to do, then I take that information and apply it myself through Xcode. I've also found that this is the best way for me to pick up on new concepts and ideas.

 

[Duncan C]

Hi guys,

So as I continue to learn more about iOS development and programming in general each day. I have noticed something...

When I follow a tutorial which shows a new concept to me and how to implement such things - I follow along and "get the jist" of how it works.

However, when I decide to start a small, test app to try the new concept out I find two things happen:

1. I learn a lot more and understand a lot more of what's going on
2. Obviously a lot more thinking comes into my project and I enjoy it more.

Maybe it's just me.

I think tutorials are excellent at teaching new things - but there is no better way to learn than doing it one your own. For me anyway.

Anyone else experience the same thing?

Yup. Nothing is as good for learning how to do something as actually doing it.

Tutorials can be useful in learning the stesp for complex, multi-step tasks, but they only take you so far.

 

[MattInOz]

I'd agree with others dive in to your own project.

As you start breaking up your project in to smaller and smaller pieces you'll hit many road blocks in your knowledge to date. So there will be plenty of chances to go back find tutorials that relate to those road blocks.

 

[PriapusZA]

I found this so true with my current project. It seemed I didn't understand data objects as well as I thought I did. After a week and lots of help - I know can say I am pretty comfortable with it and get the whole idea.

 

[1458279]

There is a middle ground.

Example:

If you do a project you not just reading code and running someone else's projects, you have to know how to complete the whole project.

You can do a project from scratch, then run thru someone's tutorial to learn how to do something that you want to add to that project.

or

you can add to the tutorial, complete the tutorial, then add some functionality to it. I think BNR does this as 'extras' with their tutorials.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

There is a middle ground.

Example:

If you do a project you not just reading code and running someone else's projects, you have to know how to complete the whole project.

You can do a project from scratch, then run thru someone's tutorial to learn how to do something that you want to add to that project.

or

you can add to the tutorial, complete the tutorial, then add some functionality to it. I think BNR does this as 'extras' with their tutorials.

There's also the possibility of reading through the entire tutorial, then trying to do it yourself without looking back at the tutorial.

 

[1458279]

There's also the possibility of reading through the entire tutorial, then trying to do it yourself without looking back at the tutorial.

Excellent point!

IMO, the goal is to understand what's going on so that someday you can do everything from ground zero instead of just copy/paste/run/done.

my biggest problem with these tutorials is that if it's more than a year old, I have to ignore the non-arc stuff and outdated stuff to get to the 'how it works now' part.

Many/most tutorials don't get updated to the latest stuff. I really don't care about non-arc memory mgmt, no reason to. I don't care about iOS4 or even 5. I pretty much only care about iOS 6 and 7... I'll soon not care as much about 6.... yet most tutorials out there are probably 5 and 6.

 

[PriapusZA]

If I come across a tutorial that doesn't use ARC i just ignore everything to do with memory management and using retains and releases and pick out the bits I am interested in.

 

[1458279]

Yea, same here. Some times there's more issues that aren't as clear, such as using an API that has been superseded by another.

I've heard that the latest update has a lot of game engine related things, so now other game engines might fall by the side.

 

[MattInOz]

Yea, same here. Some times there's more issues that aren't as clear, such as using an API that has been superseded by another.

I've heard that the latest update has a lot of game engine related things, so now other game engines might fall by the side.

I tend to type in any tutorial code.
It isn't so bad with auto-complete, gets your fingers trained to the code style and auto-complete doesn't give you superseded methods but if the naming is close it will give you the new method.

 

[larswik]

Yep, i did both. First the tutorial and then tried it out on my own project. For me it was equally as hard to learn the code and also how to start my own project.

When learning C I jumped ahead to learn scanf and how to make random number generators.

If I were to ever write a programming book (which I never plan to) I would put those 2 in the first couple of chapters even though it is still more advanced then their skill level because it then allowed me to really interact with my programs. All kinds of simple, fun, quick games I could make with interaction.

 

[PriapusZA]

With tutorial code - I never copy & past. I always type it out and avoid the auto-complete when possible. This is to make me focus on the code more and try understand exactly what it is doing.