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Category: Text Editing

The First C# Code Snippets You Should Memorize (Visual Studio Code)

The First C# Code Snippets You Should Memorize (Visual Studio Code)

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Code snippets are pre-written portions of code that you can summon with just a few keypresses. By automatically setting up much of the syntax required in common programming language structures, snippets speed up the mundane parts of coding.

Depending on the size of its content, a particular code snippet will save you anything from the small handful of keypresses it takes to set up the curly brackets of an if statement to the several lines of code it takes to write the skeleton of an entire class or method.

Plus, they are just plain fun to use. Look at all the code that I get “for free” here:

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Should You Learn a Powerful Editor like Vim or Emacs?

Should You Learn a Powerful Editor like Vim or Emacs?

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You’ve probably heard of them. They’re the text editors that real programmers use. The powerful tools that will boost your productivity into outer space if you can ever master them.

I’m talking about Emacs and Vim.

Perhaps that isn’t the way you’ve seen these two text editors presented, but when I first heard about them, I had this perception that I absolutely had to use them if I wanted to be a cool and competent programmer. They were said to have a huge learning curve yet to offer equivalently incredible editing power. I had to learn how to use at least one of them!

So are these editors worth the learning investment they present?

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Should You Ever Use the Mouse When Programming?

Should You Ever Use the Mouse When Programming?

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If you are a nerd like me and read lots of articles about keyboard shortcuts, you’ve probably come across the notion that you would ultimately be a better developer if you never touched your mouse but instead operated your computer solely with the keyboard. It’s sometimes touted as a Holy Grail of efficiency and productivity, and it presents a plausible argument. Namely, that it takes time to move your hands from the keyboard to the mouse and back again. Often, it is quicker simply to fire off a relevant key combination than to reach for the mouse, move it into position, click the button, then put your hands back on the keyboard. I can think of several scenarios where this is the case. Shortcuts such as saving a file with Ctrl-S, copying and pasting text with Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V, and launching programs via Spotlight or the Start Menu are excellent alternatives to mousing around. But is it really practical to steer clear of the mouse completely?

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Why Write Code Faster?

Why Write Code Faster?

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I don’t think anyone would object to being able to write code faster, but is text-editing really worth its own blog? I think it is.

Before I talk about why I’m interested in writing a blog about the merits of keyboard shortcuts and typing skills, let me try to convince you that text-editing is something you should care about.

I’m going to assume two things about you: First, I’ll assume that you either are a programmer or want to become one. Second, I’ll assume that you genuinely care about becoming the best programmer you can be.
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5 Text-Editing Shortcuts for New Programmers

5 Text-Editing Shortcuts for New Programmers

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Beginning programmers have it tough. It’s not enough that you have to teach yourself to think and problem-solve in a manner that translates into computer instructions. You also have to memorize the specific rules, syntax, and commands of the particular programming language you are studying. Further complicating the matter is the fact that once you have come up with a solution, you must type it in to your computer exactly.

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