The best advice I can give you is this: if you can't build it, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't rely on it. If you can't rely on i

The best advice I can give you is this: if you can't build it, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't rely on it. If you can't rely on it, it has no place in your application. In my experience, this is the most common separating factor between code monkeys and great engineers. Learn to make your own everything. Even if you USE the third party one, know how it works through experience. Anything less, and you are a technician.