I can almost remember it like it was yesterday…

“Wait, how do you center a div?”

The answer is generally simple, but there are a few different approaches. We could use Flexbox to center it, or maybe we want it to be positioned absolutely and centered regardless of the parent element’s size.

Sweet. Those work.

But isn’t it funny that beginners will probably find themselves Googling that same thing again and again? Does any of this information from Googling actually stick?

Currently, we have so many AI assistants to help with writing code that they’ve replaced the need for Googling. AI does the Googling, summarizes, and explains it all for you.

Again, does any of this information actually stick?

I can speak from experience that I’ve found myself doing this a couple of times—hitting ChatGPT to ask a simple question because I was too lazy to figure it out myself. I took a second to really consider: the process of learning is about understanding the concept and being able to execute it on my own.

From that point, any generated code would be analyzed, and when I found myself in a similar position, I would use my muscle memory of how I achieved the desired effect and do it on my own.

I see it as something people do subconsciously. Humans don’t learn things overnight; it takes trial and error. It takes grinding through the process, revisiting the same problems, and gradually building that muscle memory over time.

Tools like AI and Google, at the end of the day, are just that—tools to make our lives easier. They help us grow. They assist us in mastering the craft.

In the end, it’s not about how many times you Google something or ask an AI; it’s about what you do with the information you find. Will you let it pass through, or will you take the time to truly learn? Because the real progress isn’t in finding the answer, but in understanding the journey it took to get there.