Which is the best strategy to learn a framework?

Question

Since while time advances new frameworks appear, to be a good developer we have to learn about those new technologies. Supposing that you are compelled to learn a new framework (and you had developed on other frameworks or specific languages), how do you organize yourself and structure your time and learning activities? do you create your own programming exercises? do you read official documentation (like oracle's pages), specialized books, take a course or browse the web?

Answer 1

Just read about it and use it in a real application , not just a small hello world application. You have of course to read other developer's code. any one else have a good ideas about that important topic

Answer 2

1. Specify a task you want done.
2. Read some preliminary documentation to get an idea of how you might proceed.
3. Design your system how you'd like it to behave.
4. Begin coding.
5. Review your design and design assumptions to see if they conflict or will work well with the framework
6. Iterate

Answer 3

The very best thing to do is to write a real, complete application. Take an actual problem -- not some invented programming exercise -- perhaps one that you solved previously with another language and framework, and create the application that solves the problem.

There is just no substitute for writing code.

Answer 4

Setup a project that requires to use a solution that the targeted framework might be.

If you don't have a problem to solve, using a solution have no sense.

If you can't think of a cool project to work on that might use this framework, just let it go and write it down somewhere to remember it when the need will come in a future project (you have spare-time projects, right? If not, you should, it's the way you experience new tools.)

Answer 5

I would say take a course if there is one available. But that costs a lot more time and money.

Generally the framework's documentation include some tutorials you can go through. This is a great help in learning how the framework works.

But generally I would say take the time out and sit down and go through everything there is to offer about the framework. Even if you only do the tutorials it would greatly help your understanding of this framework.

Answer 6

I don't know if it's the best way. Thats only what I do.

After downloading the framework and installing the plugins:

1 - Go to the official tutorials and try the examples; 2 - Create a new Project and try to do something yourself.

Then go to the software that motivated you to download the framework and try to do what you need.

3 - If it works, you're done. If not, go to the documentation and ask questions at stackoverflow.

As the time goes by you'll see you have other needs and you'll learn a little bit more everyday.

Eventually, you'll be answering questions from the new users here.

Good luck!

Answer 7

1. Write a few basic applications
2. Choose an existing application and rewrite it in the new framework (make sure it works the same way it did in the previous framework) (after finishing steps 1 and 2)
3. Read manuals thoroughly
4. Write production code

If it's a MVC framework then usually all you need to know is the way you display things on the screen and the structure of files and directories.