Are you familiar with the frustration of troubleshooting code issues, to the point where you want to pull out your hair in despair?

You meticulously examine every aspect of the code: semicolons, quotation marks, variable names. You check, double-check, and triple-check. There are no missing brackets either. But alas, you find yourself in the same predicament. You must resort to consulting documentation. Oh, the horror!

Technical documentation can be a labyrinth, particularly for coding novices. Online documentation, often authored by multiple individuals, exhibits varying writing styles, making it challenging to adapt.

Moreover, documentation is frequently saturated with jargon, further complicating matters for beginners. Terms may be used differently across programming languages, and even the minutiae of each language, such as the choice of brackets, can differ.

However, documentation is also a valuable resource bestowed upon us by the developers of programming languages and software programs.

When learning a new language and encountering obstacles—like most of us—someone, whether in person or online, will inevitably suggest that you delve into the official documentation. And, if you’re like most of us, you’ll be reluctant to do so.

Perhaps you prefer video tutorials, as they tend to be more digestible and enjoyable. However, videos often skim the surface, catering to the format. Furthermore, if you forget something, it’s difficult to retrieve the information from a video tutorial.

By reading the documentation, you gain a profound understanding of the language.

Understanding Developer Documentation

Developer documentation is designed to encompass all aspects of developers’ interaction with a particular language, library, or software service. For instance, if you work as a web developer, you might refer to documentation such as the JavaScript reference, Canvas API, jQuery API, and React Docs.

If you haven’t explored these resources yet, give them a browse. How do you feel? It can be quite intimidating, can’t it? The abundance of information and unfamiliar terms can make it an unenjoyable read.

Even the most experienced developers you encounter may assume that understanding documentation is an innate skill possessed by all developers, but that’s simply not true. Everyone faces challenges in the beginning, including them.

Furthermore, not all documentation is created equal. You may have noticed that some developers excel at writing instructions that computers can comprehend but struggle when it comes to communicating with humans. Consequently, when people read their documentation, they find it difficult to grasp the intended message.

When navigating new documentation, your first step should be to examine its structure. There are even free tools available to help you create your own documentation, allowing you to copy and paste information that you find easier to understand.

If you come across concepts you couldn’t comprehend and had to consult other sources like Stack Overflow, you can incorporate that information into your documentation as well. You can even merge PDF documents to consolidate everything you need for a specific task or project. Unlike video tutorials, here you have the convenience of using CTRL + F to search for specific information.

Exercise Patience

Initially, reading documentation can be frustrating. However, as previously mentioned, it offers several advantages. Learning something new is challenging, and there will be times when you feel like giving up. But with time, you’ll develop proficiency to the point where, although it may not be your favorite activity, it becomes bearable.

If frustration sets in, take a break, stretch your muscles, and return with fresh eyes and a clearer mind. Gradually, you’ll conquer the challenges.

Familiarize Yourself with Terminology

During your documentation journey, you’ll inevitably encounter unfamiliar terms. That’s okay—look them up. As you continue reading, these terms will recur, and their meanings will become clearer.

Build Your Reference Library

Presently, when developers encounter unfamiliar concepts, their first instinct is to consult online documentation. However, the reliability of online information can be questionable due to the rapid pace of updates and publishing. Simultaneously, technology is continually evolving, and although printed books can become outdated, they still serve as valuable references for fundamental knowledge.

The optimal approach, as mentioned earlier, is to create your own reference library with the most useful and reliable materials you come across.

Consult Multiple Sources

Technical documentation writers typically assume that readers are already familiar with all the concepts they explain and, thus, may not focus on making it beginner-friendly. This can be quite challenging for novice coders.

The solution is to consult explanations on the same topic from multiple sources. By doing so, you can fill in the knowledge gaps and identify the sources that resonate the most with you, which you can then include in your reference library.

Start with the Overview

When perusing documentation, the temptation is to dive straight into the problem you’re trying to solve. However, we recommend starting with the overview, if available. It provides a sense of what the code should achieve.

Skipping the overview may cause you to miss essential information that can enhance your understanding of your code’s functionality.

Check the Version

Code evolves, which is why version control and version numbers serve as guidance. It’s also crucial to review the release notes to see which issues were addressed, when, and how.

Analyze the Code

Even with the overwhelming amount of information usually found in documentation, there may be instances where it’s not sufficient to help you understand the code. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. This happens to everyone. The solution is to examine the source code.

Instead of simply copying code examples, take a closer look at what they’re doing and how they work. Test them out, make modifications, and run the code again.

Another effective learning strategy is to deliberately break the code and then figure out how to fix it.