Mastering Just-In-Time Learning (And When to Think Beyond It) 🎓
I’m currently working on a new project that requires me to learn many new things.
For example, I am used to running my applications in the (Azure) cloud or passing my binaries to an IT department that runs the software on their infrastructure.
However, this project is different.
I will be responsible for running the software on the customer’s in-house hardware. It forced me to think out of the box that I usually operate in.
I decided that I wanted to build a Docker container to run the application exactly the same on their infrastructure as it runs on my machine.
This approach will help me eliminate some infrastructure-related issues and better allow for distinguishing infrastructure and software problems.
Mastering Just-in-Time Learning
I knew Docker before and knew how it works from an architectural standpoint. It’s an important tool in our industry; we should know how it operates.
However, I never learned how to build a Docker image and run a Docker container for a .NET Web application.
Now that I am approaching this project, I am educating myself about the topic and directly applying the knowledge, which helps me remember what I learned.
While it’s simpler to learn fundamentals, such as how Docker works, you’ll forget about specific commands and other technical things if you don’t apply them.
In the fast-paced world of software development, just-in-time learning (JITL) has become a go-to strategy for many of us. The concept is simple: you learn as you go, acquiring the exact knowledge needed to solve a problem or build a feature.
It’s efficient, actionable, and aligns perfectly with the “move fast” or “ship fast” culture. By immediately applying what you learn, you combine theory with practice in a way that sticks.
T-Shaped Knowledge Profile
But here’s the catch - what happens when you’re faced with challenges outside your existing skill set?
It’s where you need to rely on concepts and shallow knowledge in the back of your mind and build upon it.
Remember that I knew about Docker and how it works from an architectural standpoint?
Without that, I wouldn’t have considered using that technology to solve the abstract problem of running software on a customer’s in-house infrastructure.
In my opinion, the golden standard is building a solid foundation by implementing a T-shaped knowledge profile where you know enough about a topic to understand when it might apply. The what and why.
When it comes to applying that technology, just-in-time learning helps you build actual knowledge and turn it into experience - the how.
Getting Started with Docker for .NET Web Apps
In this week’s video, I put everything I learned about Docker into a 12-minute video.
If you also want to learn how to use Docker for .NET applications and how to get started with Docker for .NET Web apps, I’ve got you covered.
- You’ll learn and understand the fundamental terms of Docker (The T-Shaped Knowlege)
- You’ll learn how to create a Dockerfile, create a Docker image, and run Docker containers (The Just-in-time learning)
Watching this video will help you with one of those things (or both), depending on what you already know today and whether you will use Docker within the next days or weeks.
.NET 9 Videos
It’s a busy world, and you probably haven’t had the time to learn everything about .NET 9 yet. Understandable.
For reference, here are my .NET 9 videos:
- ​What’s New with .NET 9?​
- ​.NET Aspire: Why You Need it Now!​
- ​Getting Started with Blazor: Build Your First App​
- ​Params Collections in C# 13​
- ​3 New LINQ Methods in .NET 9
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