Why I Stopped Kent C. Dodds' Course (And Courses Like It)

Before I explain, let me make one thing clear: this is just my experience. These courses may not have worked for me, but they could be perfect for you! Everyone learns differently, so don’t let my opinion discourage you.

1. The Courses Are Too Long

One of the main reasons I stopped is the length. Courses like Kent C. Dodds' React course are very detailed and thorough, but that also makes them extremely long.

For example, Kent’s React course is almost 27 hours long. Let’s break down the time commitment:

• If each lesson is 5 minutes long, you’ll likely spend 7-10 minutes per lesson because you’ll pause to follow along and try the examples.
• Additionally, exercises or challenges often take 5-10 minutes each to solve.

So, if a course has hundreds of lessons and challenges, you’re looking at 40–50 hours or more to fully complete it. That’s a huge time commitment for anyone with a busy schedule.

2. Advanced Concepts Rarely Used in the Real World

Another reason I stopped is that these courses often cover advanced concepts that you may never need in day-to-day work. While it’s great to know these things, if you don’t use them regularly, you’re likely to forget them.

This happened to me. I’d spend hours learning advanced topics, but when I didn’t encounter those challenges in my projects, the knowledge faded away.

Because of this, and my limited time, I decided to stop watching such long courses. (By the way, I did complete about 3 sections or workshops of Kent’s course before making this decision.)

My Solution: Focus on Shorter Courses

Instead of long courses, I now prefer shorter ones that focus on specific topics. These are much easier to finish and allow you to learn the most important parts of a subject quickly.

Here are some examples:

• Frontend Masters has a course about SEO for frontend developers. It’s only a few hours long, but it taught me the most essential things about SEO. I finished it in just two days!
• Similarly, Mosh Hamedani offers focused courses that dive into one area at a time.

Important Note: None of these courses are sponsored—they’re just examples I’ve found helpful.

The biggest advantage of shorter courses is that you can focus on what really matters without feeling overwhelmed.

What About Advanced Concepts?

You might be wondering: “If you’re skipping detailed courses, how do you learn advanced topics?”

Here’s what I do:

1. Work on a Real Project
2. Read Documentation or Other People’s Code
3. Face Real Challenges

Final Thoughts

Long, detailed courses are great for some people, but they weren’t the best fit for me. I’ve found that:

• Shorter, focused courses save time and teach essential skills.
• Working on projects helps you apply what you learn.
• Reading docs or other people’s code is an efficient way to pick up advanced topics.

Learning isn’t just about watching videos—it’s about doing. Solve problems, build projects, and always stay curious.

I hope this helps you decide what works best for your learning journey!