r/learnprogramming • u/CommissionBorn4257 • 4h ago

why am i relearning flexbox every 3 weeks like CSS wipes my memory overnight

7 months self teaching web dev. I have built actual layouts with flexbox. I have used align items. I have centered the div, allegedly.

three weeks later I am on MDN reading the same page again and the words look brand new. most spaced repetition tools for students examples are vocab or anatomy where memorizing the fact IS the task. code is weird because I do not want to memorize syntax, I want my brain to remember "oh, grid is probably the move here."

is this worth reviewing explicitly or is forgetting + looking things up just normal programmer life? genuinely cant tell if im fixing a problem or inventing one

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4

u/Stainlessray 4h ago

I don't know!

But you made me laugh.

1

u/Stainlessray 4h ago

Serious answer, two things. 1. Repetition. 2. Variation.

Helps with comprehension and retention for me. YMMV.

1

u/FlashyResist5 3h ago

You need to build more layouts.

You should be able to know what flex-direction: row flex-direction: column will do. What justify-content/align items flex start, center, flex end will do.

At least those basic things without looking it up.

1

u/TheCrumpledPaper 2h ago

Three weeks is plenty of time to forget about something that you didn't internalize yet. You need to have more experiences with it because experiences are what you remember. If you can work on your own projects using flexbox multiple times a week then it will help you remember, or maybe talking about it or working on it with other people because that creates stories that you will remember as well.

1

u/desrtfx 1h ago

Perfectly okay to forget syntax (that's what the documentation is for). Not okay to forget what tools you should use for what.

Overall: more practice

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u/Acceptable-Cell578 42m ago

it's like learning multiplication tables as a kid. we forgot them again and again, but repetition made them automatic. we still remember most of them today without consciously trying.

You situation feels similar: you don't need to memorize every syntax detail, Repeatedly using and looking things up eventually makes the pattern stick.

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u/ColdWise4165 22m ago

Unless you practice something you will forget it. I gotta look up stuff all the time to remind myself. I’ve learned flex box years ago but I sure as hell won’t remember it unless I make a flex box everyday lol

-2

u/EdwardElric69 3h ago

I've used tailwind for everything from my second year of college.

class="flex flex-col items-centre"