We are living in the world of content.

All of it demanding our attention. It can be a bit overwhelming, but it can also be a superpower.

More content means more people sharing their knowledge which we can use to help us grow.

Degrees, certificates and bootcamps will always have their place, but it's a new age where we can learn things much faster through engaging the right content.

Let's dive in.

Long-form videos

Videos have been a staple of society since the rise of YouTube nearly 20 years ago and it's still going strong.

Long videos are great for a couple of different things:

• Step-by-step tutorials
• Explain complex concepts
• Listen to talks about your favourite stack

Long-form videos are great but our attention spans have collectively gotten a little shorter. Your time is valuable so if you're going to dedicate time to watching a long video, make sure you're taking notes or taking it all in so that you can gain value from the information you're consuming.

I always have a notebook and pen by my side so I can quickly scribble down some notes.

Try it.

Video Shorts

With the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, sub-60 second videos have had a rise in popularity.

Initially, I didn't think this form of content had a place amongst software developers, but I was very wrong. The last few years has spawned a crazy number of content creators making use of shorts.

Creators make shorts to:

• Quickly share tips
• Show you something cool
• Explain a problem they had and the specific solution they found

Shorts are typically more direct. They provide the information much faster, which is really useful in our busy world.

Books

Books are still my favourite way to consume information and learn new things.

There's just something about reading that I find really enticing and enjoyable. If you do too, then books are a great way for you to level yourself up.

• They can go deep into specific topics
• They are well structured so you can easily find the information you're looking for
• You can read, reread and take notes to add your own thoughts directly to what is being shared

I always find myself going back to read Clean Code by Uncle Bob whenever I need a reminder of why writing clean code is so valuable.

Courses

Courses are a series of videos, attempting to teach you something specific that often has some form of work material attached.

I love courses because they create a learning environment similar to a bootcamp or degree, but allow you to learn at your pace and properly take things in. I sometimes play the same video back a couple of times to really make sure I understand what's being taught. You can't do that in a classroom.

Courses also allow the creator to be highly-specific on a given topic, if they choose. This is great because sometimes videos or articles don't dive as deep as we'd like. A course can be specific and really take the time to explore a topic.

Couple that with some work material for you to engage with and you've got yourself a great way to learn.

Keep in mind that some people learn more from books while some learn more from videos. Find what form of content you find most valuable and then find content that will help train you.

If you like courses, my friend, Dane Mackier, has just released a course (it's currently half price) for developers who want to master Flutter. As someone who has built dozens of apps in Flutter and learned everything I know from Dane, I'd highly suggest getting the course.

If you like books, remember to grab your free copy of my book, 101 Tips For Becoming A Better Developer.

See you again next week.