I'm not sure others have said this specifically when I started writing this. The point of reinventing the wheel is that you understand the domain and are focusi

I'm not sure others have said this specifically when I started writing this. The point of reinventing the wheel is that you understand the domain and are focusing on the language, framework, or alternative approach. This is at the core of the programming Kata. Code retreats focus around things like Conway's Game of Life which participants have probably programmed many times before, but it lets them focus energy on learning in a specific way. To be fair, I think there can be some value to the approach where everything is new, but it probably shouldn't be the norm. Feeling out of control because you don't understand multiple elements can generate energy and growth at times, but it may require more time to progress. For people looking to demonstrate their skills for a job, having examples like these can be useful. They don't take time to for an interviewer to understand so the focus can be on how the interviewee built the solution.