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Small programming tricks

681 points · 294 comments · signa11

  1. phforms · · focus · HN ↗
    The thing with a lot of these tricks is that you have to get into the habit of using them. I knew `Ctrl+r` for history since I learned about the command line. I even have a nice shell integration with fzf. But I still used the up/down arrow keys for years or scrolled up when I was looking for a previous command, because I never remembered the shortcut and just took the path of least resistance to find something.

    Usually what I do is writing these tricks down to a document that is easily accessible at a place where I know that I will look for when failing to remember them. I have a directory of docs where I write stuff like this down by language/tool/etc., so I can quickly look it up without having to search the internet. But I also have to actively remind myself that these things exist whenever I have a problem, stop me from just doing the inefficient thing.

    1. jwpapi · · focus · HN ↗
      You just have to do it so often that you’re annoyed by it and then you learn the shortcut and then you force yourself to always do the shortcut.
      1. sameerds · · focus · HN ↗
        That's how I learned Emacs!
        1. autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
          being annoyed and forcing yourself is how everyone learns Emacs
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