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Learning different subjects requires different sources

Hello peers on Wisdom,

This week I came across the idea of optimizing study time across different subjects, frameworks, languages, methodologies, algorithms, and fundamental concepts.

My first reaction when learning something new has always been to go straight to YouTube and search for a tutorial. It certainly has great advantages, such as:

  • Animations: They make understanding easier.
  • Code examples: You can quickly grasp simple applications.
  • Comments section: Other users often enrich the video with insightful knowledge.

However, there are also disadvantages:

  • Not every explanation is of good quality.
  • Sometimes the video is an hour long, and you just want to know one specific thing.
  • The video ends without the author going deep enough into your questions.

Another tool I often use is AI chatbots. They are very helpful when you need a quick answer to a specific question. But the trade-off is: “This AI can make mistakes, so always verify the answers provided.”

A great middle ground, in my opinion, is blog tutorials. Why?

  • Code is highly accessible — just copy, paste, and compile.
  • Authors usually explain step by step.
  • If you’re looking for a specific concept, you can simply press Ctrl+F (or F3) and search.
  • Sometimes there’s also a comment section.

And the cons:

  • As with YouTube, not everyone is a great explainer.
  • As with AI, sometimes the author can unintentionally cause misunderstandings.

Takeaway Points: My Preferences

I would separate them by levels of complexity:

  • Simple concepts: For things like the syntax of a function or a concept I already know, I would just ask an AI.
  • Medium complexity: For learning the syntax of a new language or framework, or a set of related concepts, I would choose a blog tutorial or a book. Blog tutorials are great (example here )
  • High complexity: For learning a new paradigm, architecture, or knowledge structure that is complex and unfamiliar, I would start with YouTube to grasp the essentials. Once I’m familiar enough, I would move on to a book for deeper understanding.

— Alan



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