In software I have found getting the exact details and parameters very useful even if I don't intend to use them. Because when I try to do the same thing my own

In software I have found getting the exact details and parameters very useful even if I don't intend to use them. Because when I try to do the same thing my own way and fail, then I can reference the original ones and gradually make my own version more and more similar to that, and see when it starts working. Or make their version more and more similar to mine and see when it breaks. This allows quickly easily identifying the critical difference.