Tutorials teach you syntax, not how to find a problem and solve like a developer.
gig helps you cross the boundary of tutorial hell.
It's a project that you can build in any language you're learning.
It nudges you to find familiarities between languages while solving a problem that will result in a tool that you can use for yourself.
What is gig?
There are many gitignore tools in github already, like shihanng/gig for example. We are trying to write our own gig !
gig generates .gitignore files for different programming languages and frameworks. Run gig python, get a Python gitignore. Run gig cpp, get a C++ one. That's the entire feature.
It's simple enough idea to understand in an afternoon, yet challenging enough to make you think and resolve the challenges that comes with a new language.
The idea: rewrite a git ignore generator program in whatever language you're trying to learn.
What You'll Actually Learn
Pre learning 😉 : Learn how to fork the github/gitignore repo and how to find the correct path to the archive of the repository.
Here's what happens when you build gig—no matter what language you choose:
Command-Line Argument Parsing
Your program needs to accept input and understand what the user wants. Parse gig python, validate it, respond accordingly. Every language has a different way to do this. You'll discover how your language does it.
Data Structures
"python", "py", they all need to map to the same template. Build a dictionary or map. Handle aliases. You'll learn how your language organizes and looks up data.
HTTP Requests
When a user runs your command, you hit a GitHub repo's archive link, download a tar.gz file, and extract the right gitignore. This teaches you network requests, error handling, and working with external APIs.
File System Operations
You need to cache downloads in ~/.gig, extract tar.gz archives, find files inside them, and write the result to disk. Path handling, directory creation, file I/O, decompression. Every language approaches this differently - and you'll learn how yours does it.
User Experience Design
Your help command list the useful commands. Don't skip this. You'll learn that good output formatting, clear error messages, and helpful documentation matter.
Concurrency [Try it but Don't Stay Stuck on it ]
Network calls shouldn't freeze your program. Whether your language uses async/await, callbacks, channels, or threads, you'll learn how it handles concurrency.
You Finish With a Real Tool
A simple finished project. A program you can actually use.
When you're done, you can run gig python on any machine with your language installed, and it works. You can use it. Other people can use it.
Plus:
- You know where to find libraries in that language's ecosystem
- You understand how to build and distribute binaries
- You have a portfolio piece that proves you can actually code
- After building it in 2-3 languages, you'll have real opinions about which language is better for different problems
How to Start
- Pick a language you want to learn (Go, Rust, Python, Node.js—doesn't matter)
- Start with the basics: CLI argument parsing and the language/gitignore mapping
- Get that working first
- Add the HTTP layer to fetch gitignore archive
- Add file handling to cache and extract
- Polish the help output and error messages
The whole thing should take 1-2.5 weeks depending on your pace. It's not overwhelming, just need to have the patience to break the language barrier. The goal is to get it working first, by yourself reading through whatever content you find about the language. Think of Each step as Milestones.
Why This Works
Tutorials are passive. You read and copy. This is active. You take steps to reach a goal, for each step you take decisions that bring challenges to solve. You think, search, and solve. Each solved problem brings you close to the goal.
You also finish with something real. Something you can actually use on your daily programming!
Try It
My C# version is on GitHub. Fork it. Read the code. Understand how it works. Understand what you may need in your language. Write the code the way you are comfortable with !
Give it a shot. You might surprise yourself with what you build.