Coding Tutor Tip-2-Work Diary or Learning Diary
The thing about life is, you get older everyday. If you are like me, and have an unquenchable thirst for new knowledge, you are constantly collecting new information. The more you do something, the better you get it. That is what we call an habit. However, in software development, you learn so many things, you forget as fast as you learn.
The solution — work diary. Also called as a learning diary.
This a sequel to my previous post, Coding Tutor Tip-1-Watch and Play While Coding.
Author’s Note : This coding tutor tip is a long read. impatient readers are warned.
Poverty = Self Learning
I was born into a poor family with a sole earner — my father — and he was feeding more than a dozen mouths. I feel bad for that guy. If he wasn’t such a egoistic short tempered jerk ass who refused to come to my wedding, I might even like him. That meant, as I started my freelancing career in coding and tutoring, I had no way to buy tutoring services or hire a tutor/trainer.
That meant, browsing the internet, forums, communities and downloading free eBooks. A perennial problem with software industry is that nobody wants to properly document their technology. That means, for every little concept I was trying to learn, I was sourcing information from disparate sources.
You want to learn how to build an API? You start using Microsoft Docs and MSDN. Then, you take a detour to a couple of blogs. Then, you spend some time on msdn forums and stack overflow. Then, you smash your head on the table 10,000 times because each of these sources is using a different version of dot net.
Finally, after a harrowing 2 weeks of doing this for 15 hours per day, you finally have your first web api deployed on Azure!
bonus note : Today, almost 80 % of my revenue comes from API development and Azure. So, thank god I picked up dot net API development and Azure skills, 9 years ago on a whim. Thank you Microsoft for creating such a wonderful technology.
Replicating Success
The thing about software, is that replicating a previous success, is in itself a pain.
A month after my first successful API deployment to Azure. I tried to build another API. Then, I failed! It took me another week to achieve success. I realized that there were so many steps to do, my memory was failing me.
Even back in 2012, when I was still new, I was already beginning to see that modern software development is designed to assault the developer, humiliate him, frustrate him, ruin his sleep and affect his personal relationships.
Do the people who invent software development technologies, do this on purpose? I don’t know.
So, my memory. My memory capacity is limited. Like Sherlock Holmes says, the brain is not an infinite storage space. You have limited space and it is your duty to use it efficiently. There must be a better way out of this.
Tomb Raider WalkThroughs
Ah! Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. She is totally hot! I am not ashamed to admit to it. Many a dates with Rosie Palms have been successful, thanks to her.
The first time I heard about tomb raider, I was 12 years old. I saw her poster on the computer screen and I was hooked. I bought the game and I played it, just to see her. Then, I kept playing the game. Soon I was playing the game, for the sake of the game itself.
There must be some 10 to 15 tomb raider games released since 1996, and yes, I have played all of them. However, the problem with tomb raider games, is that, you will constantly get stuck. Fortunately, the internet has these online websites where you get ‘game walkthroughs’.
Other people who have played tomb raider, have laid out detailed guidelines on how to solve the game when you get stuck. Thanks to these walkthroughs, I was able to enjoy the game and finish the story.
Now, back to software development.
Software WalkThroughs
So, when I got stuck (and even now, after 9 years of this highly lucrative but frustrating career of coding), I felt like I was playing tomb raider. A puzzle I cannot crack. A cave that I cannot find my way out of. A boss battle that I cannot surpass.
Walkthroughs helped me with tomb raider. So, I will write my own walkthroughs for software development. That is how, my ‘work diary’ idea was born. After this revelation, I started documenting every step I do, every day, since 2012.
For example, recently, I was trying to get Hugo to work for one of my projects. Here is a diary entry, and how it usually looks.
# June 28th 2021I think, its time we have something to show for technical writing.we are using.https://github.com/alex-shpak/hugo-bookhugo new site mydocs; cd mydocsgit initgit submodule add https://github.com/alex-shpak/hugo-book themes/bookcp -R themes/book/exampleSite/content .https://gohugo.io/getting-started/quick-start/hugo new site mydocs;cd mydocsgit initgit submodule add https://github.com/alex-shpak/hugo-book themes/bookcp -R themes/book/exampleSite/content .On windows, hugo has a different setup. On Mac, I remember, I just used homebrew.Okay, for Hugo on windows (which is what I am working on), I ended up here.https://github.com/gohugoio/hugo/releasesThe Hugo-book thing uses extended version of Hugo.So, downloaded this one.https://github.com/gohugoio/hugo/releases/download/v0.84.1/hugo_extended_0.84.1_Windows-64bit.zipThis gives a command line hugo.exeNote : you need to run hugo as .\hugo (windows only)now, I can run the commands..\hugo new site eofsdnrjsNow, need to go inside the folder.cd mydocsnow, get the themegit submodule add https://github.com/alex-shpak/hugo-book themes/booknow, copy the example book contents.cp -R themes/book/exampleSite/content .You might get the following error.An item with the specified name D:\crmar2021\TextBookWriting\EssentialsOnlyFullStackDotNetReactJS\eofsdnrjs\content already exists.So, delete the 'content' folder and try the command again. I think, this is not required on Mac.Now, run it. .\ is required for windows only..\hugo server --minify --theme bookThe book is now running at the following location.http://localhost:1313/Note : you must have the hugo.exe (on windows only) in your local directory or configured in PATH settings on Windows. I personally decided to just copy the hugo.exe into the current working folder. did not want to mess around with PATH for everything.Further, we are using a theme.that can be configured with the following command. 'book' is the name of our theme here.
echo theme = \"book\" >> config.tomlIf that does not update the config.toml, then, simply ensure/copy paste the following linesbaseURL = "http://example.org/"languageCode = "en-us"title = "My New Hugo Site"theme = "book"Now, we can simply run the following command..\hugo serverOkay, that is looking good.Next,https://gohugo.io/hosting-and-deployment/hosting-on-github/What a nightmareAfter 3 hours, still cannot get hugo to play nicely with GitHub Pages.For some reason, GitHub Pages cannot locate the CSS files. But the CSS files are right there. I can see them.Alright, I am giving up. I am going to do a direct upload by creating the build folder manually.Oh my god. GitHub Pages cannot even work static pages. This totally sucks.Yes, GiHub Pages is free but I am done with this. I dont care if I have to spend money on Azure, I will deploy this on Azure.Alright, deployed on Azure. Everything is good now. the textbook is live.
Final Note
Over the years, I have discovered variety of techniques that have helped me maintain a comfortable life as a full time freelance coder and tutor. By far, the most useful has been my habit of writing Work Diary.
It helps me document my successes and failures. The successes help me get work done faster. The failures help me stay grounded and be humble, whilst ensuring that I avoid pitfalls from the past.
Either way, the work diary has made me what I am today. So, dear student, it might help you to. Please maintain a work diary or a learning diary and watch it grow over the years to become your bestist friend.
A sequel to this post, is now available here —Coding Tutor Tip-3-Type Without Looking
I work as a full time freelance software developer and coding tutor. Hire me at UpWork or Fiverr. My personal website is here. I also have a Podcast. Thanks for reading.
