It's definitely a skill that takes time to develop, but don't be discouraged! Even reading code in the way you are now is helping you develop this skill. Your

It's definitely a skill that takes time to develop, but don't be discouraged! Even reading code in the way you are now is helping you develop this skill. Your ability to navigate a codebase, to able to see how its components relate to each other and to the effects the software has on the external world, is the perhaps the most valuable skill you can develop as a programmer. If you also have strong communication skills, you will go far.