Fastest Way to Learn ANY Programming Language: 80-20 rule

Summary

The speaker shares their experience learning various programming languages quickly by focusing on the most essential concepts first, inspired by the Pareto principle. They compare this approach to learning Basic English with a limited vocabulary. Emphasizing interactive learning and project-building, they explain how to reinforce knowledge through spaced repetition and gradually expand understanding. The method includes prioritizing key concepts, hands-on practice, and strategically increasing project difficulty to build proficiency and create a portfolio for job opportunities.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Rapid Learning: The speaker learned to code in multiple languages quickly by focusing on the most common concepts and principles.
• 📚 Initial Struggle: Initially, learning Java took months, indicating a steeper learning curve compared to later languages.
• 🏢 Corporate Experience: The speaker applied a similar approach at Amazon and Google to quickly become proficient in Python and C++.
• 🌐 Historical Parallel: The concept of Basic English, created in 1945, is used as an analogy for learning programming languages efficiently.
• 📈 Pareto Principle: The script introduces the Pareto principle, suggesting that mastering 20% of a language's concepts can cover 80% of practical use.
• 🔍 Focus on Core Concepts: Learning the top 20% most popular concepts in a programming language is emphasized as the key to quick mastery.
• 🔄 Adaptation: The top concepts may vary slightly between languages, so it's important to research and adapt to each language's specifics.
• 🛠 Interactive Learning: Engaging in interactive exercises and projects is recommended over passive learning to truly understand programming.
• 🔁 Spaced Repetition: To combat forgetting, the script suggests using spaced repetition to reinforce learning and retention.
• 📈 Incremental Learning: A breadth-first approach to learning is advocated, gradually expanding one's knowledge base by building on familiar concepts.
• 💼 Practical Application: Building projects with increasing difficulty helps in spaced repetition and learning new concepts, also building a portfolio.
• 🤖 Acceptance of Incompleteness: The speaker acknowledges that it's impossible to learn everything about a language, encouraging a focus on practical application rather than total mastery.

Q & A

What strategy did the speaker use to learn multiple programming languages quickly?

The speaker applied the Pareto principle, focusing on the top 20% most popular concepts that make up 80% of the code used in the language, and used interactive learning and building projects to reinforce these concepts.

How did the speaker learn Basic English, and how does it relate to learning programming languages?

The speaker learned Basic English by focusing on its simplified vocabulary of 850 words and basic grammar rules. This approach relates to learning programming languages by focusing on the most common and essential concepts first.

What is the Pareto principle and how is it applied to learning programming languages?

The Pareto principle states that 20% of effort results in 80% of outcomes. In learning programming languages, it means focusing on the most commonly used concepts and constructs that cover the majority of coding tasks.

Why is interactive learning recommended over casual learning when it comes to programming?

Interactive learning is recommended because it involves actively coding and solving problems, which helps in better understanding and retention of concepts compared to passively watching tutorials.

What is the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve and how does it impact learning?

The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve illustrates how quickly we forget newly learned information over time. It highlights the importance of spaced repetition to improve retention.

What is spaced repetition and how can it be applied to learning programming languages?

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals to improve retention. It can be applied to programming by regularly revisiting and practicing core concepts.

Why is it important to build projects with increasing difficulty when learning programming?

Building projects with increasing difficulty helps reinforce basic concepts through repeated use and gradually introduces new, more complex concepts, facilitating continuous learning and skill development.

What are the two main problems the speaker addresses when learning a new programming language?

The two main problems are how to remember what is learned and how to learn the remaining 80% of concepts not covered by the top 20%.

How does the speaker recommend dealing with the remaining 80% of programming concepts after mastering the top 20%?

The speaker recommends a breadth-first approach, gradually expanding the knowledge base by learning new concepts that are closely related to what is already known, through building increasingly complex projects.

What are some examples of the top 20% most popular concepts in programming languages?

Examples include different data types (int, float, strings), control structures (if-else blocks, loops), and basic constructs like functions and classes.

Why does the speaker believe that watching video tutorials alone is not enough for learning programming languages?

Watching video tutorials alone is not enough because they typically provide code that already works, while programming requires hands-on practice, debugging, and problem-solving skills that are developed through active coding.

How does the speaker's approach to learning programming languages differ from traditional language learning methods?

The speaker's approach emphasizes focusing on the most common and essential concepts, interactive practice, and project-based learning, whereas traditional methods may focus more on comprehensive coverage and passive learning.