When learning as a developer, I find that "I studied today" is easy to know, but "I am getting better at the right things" is harder to see.
I have seen people use very different systems:
- GitHub commits
- Notion databases
- spreadsheets
- Markdown journals
- Anki stats
- project milestones
- issue trackers
- no tracking at all
I am curious what actually works after the initial motivation fades.
For developers who are self-learning or learning alongside work:
- What do you track?
- Where do you track it?
- Do you review it weekly or monthly?
- What made you abandon previous tracking systems?
- Do visual systems like heatmaps, skill trees, or progress bars help?
I am exploring this problem for a small tool, but this post is mainly to understand real workflows. I would rather learn from how people already do it than assume another dashboard is the answer.
Top comments (6)
Hi, I saw your post about tracking learning progress as a developer. I'm guessing it can be tough to keep up with new skills and knowledge. Clypify helps developers like you manage their content and stay organized. We have a free plan at clypify.com — no card needed.
Oh, interesting. Thanks for sharing — I'll take a look at Clypify when I get a chance.😀
Weekly review works better than constant tracking. I look at what I built, what I struggled with, and what I avoided. Anything more detailed turns into busywork fast.
I agree. Weekly reviews feel more sustainable than tracking everything.
If you use Notion/spreadsheets: what is one thing you wish the system did automatically?😀
Maybe if it has the option to brainstorm with you and put the basics with you, that would help someone who doesn't have experience with tracking