← Back to posts
Mar 13, 2026
Zero To Engineer: You Don't Need to Know Everything. You Need to Know How to Find It.
5 of my best resources lately, I would recommend you use as an engineer. (Where every Friday we discuss something new to help you become a better developer)
Hi Friend,
You clicked on this article because you needed the reminder. I know because I still do too.
Maybe you feel convinced that everyone else in your field just knows stuff. It can seem that way, but it’s usually because you haven’t become a strong researcher yet.
I’m in my last year of university, and my coursework is no joke. Finding answers takes more than a quick Google search. I’m pulling up scholarly papers, digging through forums, and consulting professors when I get stuck.
That’s the reality, and it’s something I had to get better at over time. If you’re looking for resources, here are 5 that will actually make you more knowledgeable in your craft.
Let’s dive in.
--------------------------------------------------
Teach Yourself CS — teachyourselfcs.com
I fell in love with this resource and still reference it for deeper learning in computer science. The approach is to study nine core subjects deeply, ranging from programming fundamentals all the way to distributed systems.
This is the kind of deep work most engineers skip. And when you skip it, the gaps show. You’ll find yourself confused, unable to contribute to bigger projects, and wondering why your career feels stuck. Their philosophy lines up closely with mine: go deep or keep struggling.
--------------------------------------------------
BundlePhobia — bundlephobia.com
This one is extremely cool. Ever wonder how the dependencies you add to your app affect performance? You can scan your package.json and instantly see package size, dependency cost, and tree-shaking impact. No more flying blind.
--------------------------------------------------
Public APIs Repo — github.com/public-apis/public-apis
This is a massive curated repo of free APIs, databases, hosting options, CI/CD tools, and more. It’s invaluable when you need to build demos, ship hackathon projects, or spin up prototypes fast. Seriously, this one is GOLD!
--------------------------------------------------
Learn X in Y Minutes — learnxinyminutes.com
By far the fastest way to pick up a new language, especially when you’re short on time. Each page walks through the full syntax of a language and you can get through it in about 10 minutes. Incredibly useful when you’re jumping between stacks.
--------------------------------------------------
Refactoring Guru — refactoring.guru
One of the best places to understand design patterns, refactoring techniques, and architecture concepts. What sets it apart is the visual explanations alongside real code examples. You won’t just learn what the patterns are, you’ll understand why they exist. Clean, maintainable code isn’t optional if you want a serious career.
--------------------------------------------------
I know there are a million resources out there, and it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. These are the ones I keep coming back to. Bookmark them, use them when you’re stuck, and trust that the more you dig, the more confident you’ll get.
You’re not behind. You’re just getting started.
Let’s Build It Beautifully.
Fab
You clicked on this article because you needed the reminder. I know because I still do too.
Maybe you feel convinced that everyone else in your field just knows stuff. It can seem that way, but it’s usually because you haven’t become a strong researcher yet.
I’m in my last year of university, and my coursework is no joke. Finding answers takes more than a quick Google search. I’m pulling up scholarly papers, digging through forums, and consulting professors when I get stuck.
That’s the reality, and it’s something I had to get better at over time. If you’re looking for resources, here are 5 that will actually make you more knowledgeable in your craft.
Let’s dive in.
--------------------------------------------------
Teach Yourself CS — teachyourselfcs.com
I fell in love with this resource and still reference it for deeper learning in computer science. The approach is to study nine core subjects deeply, ranging from programming fundamentals all the way to distributed systems.
This is the kind of deep work most engineers skip. And when you skip it, the gaps show. You’ll find yourself confused, unable to contribute to bigger projects, and wondering why your career feels stuck. Their philosophy lines up closely with mine: go deep or keep struggling.
--------------------------------------------------
BundlePhobia — bundlephobia.com
This one is extremely cool. Ever wonder how the dependencies you add to your app affect performance? You can scan your package.json and instantly see package size, dependency cost, and tree-shaking impact. No more flying blind.
--------------------------------------------------
Public APIs Repo — github.com/public-apis/public-apis
This is a massive curated repo of free APIs, databases, hosting options, CI/CD tools, and more. It’s invaluable when you need to build demos, ship hackathon projects, or spin up prototypes fast. Seriously, this one is GOLD!
--------------------------------------------------
Learn X in Y Minutes — learnxinyminutes.com
By far the fastest way to pick up a new language, especially when you’re short on time. Each page walks through the full syntax of a language and you can get through it in about 10 minutes. Incredibly useful when you’re jumping between stacks.
--------------------------------------------------
Refactoring Guru — refactoring.guru
One of the best places to understand design patterns, refactoring techniques, and architecture concepts. What sets it apart is the visual explanations alongside real code examples. You won’t just learn what the patterns are, you’ll understand why they exist. Clean, maintainable code isn’t optional if you want a serious career.
--------------------------------------------------
I know there are a million resources out there, and it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. These are the ones I keep coming back to. Bookmark them, use them when you’re stuck, and trust that the more you dig, the more confident you’ll get.
You’re not behind. You’re just getting started.
Let’s Build It Beautifully.
Fab