4 ms·

Learn X in Y Minutes

60 points by modinfo 3y ago

isaacremuant 3y ago
As a syntax cheat sheet this has always been a great site. Just don't look at it as "learn c++ in 24 hs".
m3kw9 3y ago
A programmer can use this and get right up to speed, I would call this a huge cheat sheet
behnamoh 3y ago
"Learn" is meaningless with cheatsheets like this. There's much more to a language than its syntax, and I'm afraid that's the part one can't have a cheatsheet for. For this reason, I never tried LXiYM for Common Lisp/Racket/Clojure because actually lisping in those languages involves a new way of thinking, not knowing a new notation.
- distortionfield 3y ago
  I agree that “learn” is not the right word, but I use this site all the time for reference when working in less familiar languages
- nocman 3y ago
  I would not say it is meaningless. I have found this site helpful in the past, but I have decades of experience with multiple programming languages. The site is useful for reminding you of some basic differences, and I think that's pretty much the purpose of the site. No one should think "a whirlwind tour" is for deep learning.
notfed 3y ago
This site is a Rosetta Stone of programming languages.
- w-ll 3y ago
  that alread exists tho. see https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code
netbioserror 3y ago
If a language fits into a familiar paradigm, the absolute fastest way to learn, I've found, is to whip open the LXY page and docs, and translate a known quantity such as Advent of Code or a personal toy project.
- thatxliner 3y ago
  100%. I feel like with this + standard library documentation can help you learn familiar (e.g. not Haskell) languages the quickest way possible. For example, I’m taking an AP CS A course right now and I wanted to learn Java beforehand. Knowing C++, Python, Rust and JavaScript gave me a head start do I just needed to learn the syntax and method names on standard types.
- aliasxneo 3y ago
  Any particular Advent you recommend? I don't have a large number of toy projects to pull from, but this has always been the most effective way to learn for me.
  - skinner927 3y ago
    I’ve yet to play a year that wasn’t fun. If you don’t like one year, try another. The problems eventually get very difficult so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get very far. It’s a game after all.
- gcanyon 3y ago
  I learned Python by solving about 70 projecteuler.net problems with it -- well enough to get a job where the interview process included a coding test in Python (not a developer job, but still).
ks2048 3y ago
One of the best resources online IMHO. I always wondered if the original intent was to have a number of different “Y”, ie separate tutorials to choose from: learn c in 10 minutes and learn c in 30, etc.
dang 3y ago
It's a great site, of course, but lists don't make good submissions to HN. The comments will be about the lowest common denominator of the items on the list, and this is usually pretty generic. It would be better to pick one of the most interesting items on the list and submit that instead. https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=denominator%20lists%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sor...
gcanyon 3y ago
I see Jira is not listed among the tools you can learn in Y minutes. I assume because it's not possible to learn Jira in minutes, even an arbitrarily large number of them...

60 points by modinfo 3y ago

isaacremuant 3y ago

As a syntax cheat sheet this has always been a great site. Just don't look at it as "learn c++ in 24 hs".

m3kw9 3y ago

A programmer can use this and get right up to speed, I would call this a huge cheat sheet

behnamoh 3y ago

"Learn" is meaningless with cheatsheets like this. There's much more to a language than its syntax, and I'm afraid that's the part one can't have a cheatsheet for. For this reason, I never tried LXiYM for Common Lisp/Racket/Clojure because actually lisping in those languages involves a new way of thinking, not knowing a new notation.

distortionfield 3y ago
I agree that “learn” is not the right word, but I use this site all the time for reference when working in less familiar languages
nocman 3y ago
I would not say it is meaningless. I have found this site helpful in the past, but I have decades of experience with multiple programming languages. The site is useful for reminding you of some basic differences, and I think that's pretty much the purpose of the site. No one should think "a whirlwind tour" is for deep learning.

notfed 3y ago

This site is a Rosetta Stone of programming languages.

w-ll 3y ago
that alread exists tho. see https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code

netbioserror 3y ago

If a language fits into a familiar paradigm, the absolute fastest way to learn, I've found, is to whip open the LXY page and docs, and translate a known quantity such as Advent of Code or a personal toy project.

thatxliner 3y ago
100%. I feel like with this + standard library documentation can help you learn familiar (e.g. not Haskell) languages the quickest way possible. For example, I’m taking an AP CS A course right now and I wanted to learn Java beforehand. Knowing C++, Python, Rust and JavaScript gave me a head start do I just needed to learn the syntax and method names on standard types.
aliasxneo 3y ago
Any particular Advent you recommend? I don't have a large number of toy projects to pull from, but this has always been the most effective way to learn for me.
- skinner927 3y ago
  I’ve yet to play a year that wasn’t fun. If you don’t like one year, try another. The problems eventually get very difficult so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get very far. It’s a game after all.
gcanyon 3y ago
I learned Python by solving about 70 projecteuler.net problems with it -- well enough to get a job where the interview process included a coding test in Python (not a developer job, but still).

ks2048 3y ago

One of the best resources online IMHO. I always wondered if the original intent was to have a number of different “Y”, ie separate tutorials to choose from: learn c in 10 minutes and learn c in 30, etc.

dang 3y ago

It's a great site, of course, but lists don't make good submissions to HN. The comments will be about the lowest common denominator of the items on the list, and this is usually pretty generic. It would be better to pick one of the most interesting items on the list and submit that instead. https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=denominator%20lists%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sor...

gcanyon 3y ago

I see Jira is not listed among the tools you can learn in Y minutes. I assume because it's not possible to learn Jira in minutes, even an arbitrarily large number of them...