How do you find projects to work on when learning a new language?

I have been learning C++/Elixir recently and I’ve made a distributed port scanner & and a streaming platform with Elixir (what an amazing language to work with) and some fun in C++ (also super cool to use).

I feel like I gained basic mastery of the languages, but I’ve been meaning to deepen my knowledge of them. However, I don’t know where to start now…

Can you give me ideas, open-source project that I could help, etc… ? Thanks!

rimu ,
@rimu@piefed.social avatar

If you like Elixer you might enjoy contributing to Akkoma, which is similar to (but better than) Mastodon.

https://docs.akkoma.dev/stable/development/

ericjmorey , (edited )
@ericjmorey@programming.dev avatar

A few ideas:

Try to create a service that lets you send a message over ActivityPub to a lemmy community.

Try to use Elixir to read and then flip the 3rd bit of an arbitrary byte stored in your system's RAM.

Try to make a simple game in c++ compiled to Webassembly to be played in a browser.

hector OP ,

Wow thanks that’s a good idea

ericjmorey ,
@ericjmorey@programming.dev avatar

I don't know which idea was good, but that's why I shotgunned 3 of them at you.

Have fun!

hector OP ,

(ActivityPub)

mox , (edited )

Whenever I find myself wishing for a tool to do (whatever), I habitually add its description and distinguishing features to a list that I keep for this purpose.

Then, when I want to try a new language, I already have a list of project ideas.

Not every new language is a keeper for me, so the project I choose doesn't necessarily get finished in that language. That's okay, because the process still gives me the real-world experience to find what I like and dislike about the language. It also leads to improved design and faster development when I pick that project up again in some other language, because I'll have already explored the underlying issues.

TootSweet ,

Man. It must be nice not to be drowning in 30 unfinished projects with another 30 on your mind to start all the time.

Usually, if I learn a new language, it's because it seems like the right language for whatever project I'm wanting to undertake rather than "I want to learn a language; let's see if I can come up with a project to do in that language."

hector OP ,

Before doing something good you must scrap a lot of bad ideas ;) it’s alright !

drew_belloc ,
@drew_belloc@programming.dev avatar

I just do a random program to help me with a problem or as small task

Kissaki ,

a random program

like

alert(Math.random())
cerement ,
@cerement@slrpnk.net avatar

it keeps saying “42” …

cerement ,
@cerement@slrpnk.net avatar
small44 ,

I don't, i just think of app that can be useful for me

bungle_in_the_jungle ,

100% this. I find an itch to scratch and build it using something new.

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