Crucial among them is the ability to combine googling and experimenting to get solid answers without having to go full monty on the framework/library/API that y

Crucial among them is the ability to combine googling and experimenting to get solid answers without having to go full monty on the framework/library/API that you are need to have work in a certain way. And knowing when to do that quick shallow hack vs. starting to step into the code in depth, and when to read the fine manual, or even, heavens above, to sign up for training/conventions/etc. on the ecosystem.