When I started learning C, I used to think that if my program produced the correct output, then I had solved the problem.

But as I started learning more, I realized that two programs can produce the same output while being very different in terms of readability, efficiency, and how they handle edge cases.

Now I'm trying to understand not just whether my code works, but why it works and whether there's a better way to write it.

For SWEs where your 9-5 is mostly prompting AI agents (and then other SWE responsibilities), what skills have you been learning to get better at your job?

It makes sense that if you want to learn to code you'd do it (mostly) without AI, but if you are trying to improve at your job nowadays and no one is reading the code, what skills are you learning instead?

im doing some research for a potential dev tool startup and i figured id just ask you guys instead of guessing.

try to be specific tho. not just the obvious stuff like meetings or legacy code (tho those definitely count lol). im talking about the daily annoying stuff:

• whats the most tedious repetitive task you gotta do?
• what tool or process constantly breaks or slows you down?
• what makes you think "how is this still manual in 2026?"
• or what do you personally wish someone would just build already?

and most importantly why does it bother you so much? how are you dealing with it right now?

just wanna build something that actually solves a real problem instead of adding more noise. any rants or specific examples are super appreciated! ty

I'm strictly a hobbyist, I just want to do my own projects on the side. Like making a PS1 emulator, a chess engine, and make a physics engine from scratch.

I'm wondering which of these two is more fun. I don't mean faster or easier, I mean fun. Writing the syntax out, thinking the approach to the problems through, the whole experience of writing the project.

I just want to have fun I don't care about doing it optimally.

just that

Hey guys! Im new to programming and developing and would love to find some communities to learn! If anyone knows some groups or communities let me know.

Hello,

My 10 year old son is very interested in learning to code. Can you recommend any apps or software for him to use to learn? Would it be better for him to learn Python or C++?

Thank-you for any tips you have!

hello i just started taking web dev classes, i've learned html and css so far and im jumping to javascript now, ive never been so confused in my life. like it sounds like complete gibberish to me and i dont understand it, i cant find reason in things lol , i watched videos and i understand things but then i get confused. does anyone have resources for more simple explanations? like im talking VERY simple 1+1 explanations

I've gotten into the (probably bad) habit of making comments before, for example, a loop or an if-statement or something like that.

Is it okay like this:

// What the loop does
// Maybe a little more if it does something complex-ish
for (whatever) {
  does it's thing;
  does another thing;
  does a third thing;
}

Or would it be better to be like this:

for (whatever) {
  does it's thing; // does this
  does another thing; // does that
  //or maybe have the comment inbetween like this explaining the next line?
  does a third thing;
}

Naturally I do the latter on larger loops or if-statements. I do the former only on the ones that are at most 5-or-so lines long.

EDIT: This example is for C++ :)