Beginner Programmer: How to Learn from Your Mistakes? Watch the three major techniques at once!

Table of contents

Preface

In the learning process of programming, mistakes are inevitable, but these mistakes are often important opportunities to improve your programming skills!
Common beginner mistakes includeSyntax errors, logic errors and initialization variablesetc. Although these problems may seem difficult, they can be effectively solved by carefully reading error messages, using debug tools and writing test programs.

This article will delve into the types of these common errors and provide practical error troubleshooting tips to help you learn and grow every time you solve an error and gradually move towards a professional career in programming!

Common error analysis

Before getting into the specific error troubleshooting methods, let us first take a look at some of the most common mistakes made by beginners in programming.

Having a clear understanding of where you might go wrong is the first step to avoiding problems!

1. Syntax Error

Grammatical errors are one of the most common problems beginners encounter.
This is usually caused by forgetting to add a semicolon, not matching the brackets correctly, or entering the wrong keyword, etc.
This type of error will cause the program to fail to execute correctly, or even get stuck during the compilation phase.
In fact, this type of error is relatively easy to correct!

Solution: When you encounter a syntax error, carefully read the error message provided by the compiler or development tool. They will usually point out which line the problem is and briefly explain the cause of the error. Use an IDE like Visual Studio Code or PyCharm, which will automatically mark the wrong parts so you can quickly locate the problem.

2. Logic Error

Logic errors are another type of problem that beginners often encounter. Different from syntax errors, logical errors will not cause the entire program to crash, but will cause the running results to be inconsistent with expectations. For a simple example, you want the program to calculate the sum of 1 to 100, but it outputs 101! This is a typical logical error. This type of problem is harder to find because the program continues to run, so you need to examine the data flow and calculations more deeply.

Solution: For logic errors, the most effective method is to "disassemble the program".
Try checking the program's operation step by step, and use debugging tools to check each step line by line. When you find data that doesn't match expectations, see if the problem occurs where the data is input, in the processing logic, or in the final output. This kind of analysis method can help you quickly discover and correct logical omissions!

3. Forgot to initialize variables

Uninitialized variables are also a common mistake made by many newbies. Unassigned variables can lead to unpredictable results or even errors during execution. This type of problem can be difficult to detect because the editor may not necessarily issue a warning, but it can cause strange behavior when the program is running.

Solution: Make sure variables are correctly assigned before using them. This is especially important in large projects, as an uninitialized variable can cause the entire system to behave unexpectedly! ! ! It is recommended to use automated program testing tools to catch such potential problems in advance and make the program more perfect.

Troubleshooting Tips

What should you do when an error occurs in the program? Every time you encounter a mistake, it is a good opportunity to review your learning status!
Next, we will introduce some practical error troubleshooting tips to help you solve the problem more efficiently!

1. Read the error message carefully

Be patient and read every line of detail in the error message. These messages not only tell you which line the problem occurred on, but also indicate the type of error. If you see unfamiliar terminology, try using Google or looking for answers on programming forums. picture Stack Overflow Such sites often have a wealth of solutions, and you can find similar problems and solutions by simply searching for your error message.

2. Use debugger

Debugging tools are a great helper for program developers because they allow you to execute a program step by step and observe the changes in each variable as the program runs. This way you can clearly see at which step the program "went astray." Almost all modern development environments (IDEs) have built-in debugging capabilities, such as Eclipse, Visual Studio Code, PyCharm, etc., all provide powerful debugging tools.

How to use: When you encounter an error that is difficult to troubleshoot, set a breakpoint and then execute the program step by step. Observe the variable values at each step to see where unusual changes occur. This line-by-line inspection method can help you quickly find the source of the problem and fix the error in a targeted manner.

3. Testing and Verification

Writing test programs is a good habit and can help you avoid widespread programming errors. With unit tests or automated tests, you can verify that various parts of your program are working as expected. This method can not only detect potential errors at an early stage, but also quickly check whether other functions are affected when the program is changed.

Recommended tools:

JUnit (for Java program testing)
PyTest (for Python)

Using testing tools to verify the correctness of your program can make your development process more stable, especially when you are dealing with large projects or working with multiple developers.

Reflect and grow from mistakes

In the learning process of programming, errors are not only "problems" that need to be solved, but also "opportunities" to promote growth. Every mistake can teach us something new, as long as we are willing to reflect and learn from it. Here are a few tips to help you turn every mistake into a step to improve your skills.

1. Record mistakes and summarize learning

Whenever you resolve a bug, remember to write it down. You can use note-taking software or write in a development log to record the specific circumstances of the error, the solution, and what you learned from it. Not only will this help you avoid repeating mistakes in the future, but it will also allow you to clearly see your progress when you look back. Use tools such as Notion or Evernote It is a good choice to organize and record these learning experiences.

2. Ask “why” instead of just “how”

After each error is corrected, don't rush to continue writing the program. Stop and think, "Why did this error happen?" Just "fixing" the problem is not enough. Understanding the root cause of the problem will prevent it from happening again. Ask yourself, what is the nature of this error? In this way, you not only learn specific error resolution methods, but also deeply understand the internal logic and operation of the program.

3. Practice, practice, practice!

The best way to learn programming is to keep doing it! !
After each error is solved, you may wish to write more related programs to consolidate what you have learned. Through repeated practice, you will gradually build up your intuition for programming languages and be able to solve various errors more quickly. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because every mistake is a step toward becoming stronger!

Conclusion

In the learning journey of programming, making mistakes is the only way for every program developer to grow. As long as you master the correct error elimination skills and consciously learn from each mistake, you will find that your programming ability will improve rapidly.
So, the next time you encounter a mistake, try applying the tips shared in this article and treat mistakes as opportunities for improvement. Eventually, you will find yourself gradually growing from a beginner to a developer who can take charge of your own business!