Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Tech Makes All the Difference

News 2025년 6월 18일

Being a Programmer Feels Like Running on a Never-Ending Treadmill

Living as a programmer often feels like running on a treadmill that never stops.
Every day, new technologies, frameworks, and libraries come flooding in.
And so I constantly find myself thinking:

“If I don’t learn this, I might fall behind…”

That fear pushed me to keep diving into new technologies.
But more often than not, it didn’t feel like learning —
it felt like a never-ending chase for survival.

Why is learning new tech so hard?

When we try to learn a new technology, we usually approach it like this:

1. Follow a tutorial
2.Learn the syntax
3.Think, “Okay, I kind of get it.”

But once we try to apply it in the real world, we hit a wall.
Why does that happen?

It’s because we’ve only learned the surface —
without understanding why the technology was created in the first place.
Technology isn’t born just because it’s “new.”
It emerges to solve real limitations, pain points, or inefficiencies.

When you understand the reason, the tech becomes clear

For example, when someone asks,
“Why should we use React?” (I know—it’s not exactly new anymore),
saying “Because everyone uses it” isn’t a great answer.

But if you can say,

“React was created because traditional DOM manipulation is slow and hard to maintain. React uses a Virtual DOM to solve those problems.”

— and you actually understand what that means —
then you're no longer someone who's just chasing after tech.
You’re someone who truly understands it.

Deep understanding leads to real problem-solving

When you grasp the why, you stop being overwhelmed by every new tool that comes out.
Instead, you start seeing the right tool for the right problem.
And that depth of understanding is what leads to real problem-solving.

In the Real World, It’s Not About What’s New — It’s About Using What You Have, Well

As a freelancer, I’ve often found myself in situations where I can’t just use the latest and greatest technologies.
Outdated systems, legacy codebases, restrictive environments — they’re more common than you think.
So, what should we do in those cases?

What really matters is not just using new tech, but being able to apply the principles behind it to what already exists.

Even if you can’t use the latest tools directly,
if you understand why those tools were created,
you’ll be able to solve problems more elegantly with the tech you do have.
And that — that’s what sets you apart from the rest.

The Power That Turns a Junior Into a Senior

When you understand the reason a technology was born,
you stop being just a coder and start becoming a problem solver.
And that mindset shift is what takes you from being a junior developer
to a truly outstanding one.

So stop learning out of fear.
Start by understanding the context and background.
The moment you do, technology becomes your tool, not your burden.