So, with the semester almost over and procrastination thrusters going into full overdrive, I’ve been thinking of ways to become a better programmer and software engineer. I’m getting my graduate degree in May, and the threat of being thrust into the world without a full-time job is looming. So, what better way to increase your chances of getting a job than becoming better at what you are going to school to do?

One trend I’ve noticed is how much reading a new book adds to your knowledge pool. I recently bought Node.js In Practice, and have worked through the first 30 pages or so by not only reading what’s on the page, but typing in all the code samples I see and trying them out for myself. In addition, I’ve found that it’s excellent practice to keep a Google Doc open, and to type in some notes while reading, to put all that knowledge you’re trying to absorb in your own words. That way, if you want a refresher, you don’t need to read the chapter again, you can look through your notes to read all the tidbits you thought were especially useful!

I’ve been trying to go through Node.js in Practice mostly to get a better understanding of the platform, and in turn, get a better understanding of server-side programming in general. Network programming is something I’m pretty into, and I’ve found Node.js to be an excellent server platform for games. From the ~30 pages or so I’ve read, it’s doing its job really nicely. I’ve learned about as much I expected to (which is a lot) in regards to event-driven architecture and the main Node.js modules, as well as how Node.js architecture looks like under the hood. I’m excited to see how this information contributes to getting a better understanding of Node.js as a whole. Reading this book has also shed light on how inexperienced of a Node.js programmer I really am, given the “intermediate Node.js programmer” target of this book, and how I occasionally struggle with understanding what is going on with code samples. However, I think later chapters will be a little more relevant for game network programming, and those are the chapters i’m looking forward to. Plus, I feel like i’m learning a lot, which I think is what matters the most 😀