Think becoming a better programmer in five minutes is impossible? Fair enough; just keep reading and decide for yourself.
Here’s a simple yet amazingly powerful technique: Whenever you start using a new library or programming language, simply Google “Top most common errors in [insert language/library here].” Then, take a few minutes to review what you find in the first few links. It’s that simple, but it can save you hours of troubleshooting down the road.
For example, if you’re working with Python, you might be surprised by some of the pitfalls, even if you’ve been coding in Python for years. To make it easy for you, I already did that for Python, and here is the list:
- Common pitfalls in Python
- Python 2.x gotchas and landmines
- 30 Highest-Voted Python Questions on Stack Overflow
This one is for the Pandas Library, but it is behind a paywall
Bonus Tip: Since you’ve stayed with me until the end of this post, I have another technique just for you! Consider adding an ‘error.csv’ file to your personal documents folder. In this file, write down the errors you encounter during development. At least include a brief description of the error, the solution, and the URL where you found the fix. It’s astonishing to see how often we repeat the same mistakes, and this simple trick can help you break that cycle.
To be fully accurate a better title for this post could be: “A Technique to Learn in Five Minutes and to Practice Throughout Your Career to Become a Stellar Programmer.”