Build Your Own Engineering Knowledge System: What’s the Real Gap Between You and Experts?

For most programmers, regardless of their actual job title, deep down, they aspire to become true experts — constantly improving and refining their skills. However, many people are unaware of the gap between themselves and the experts. They simply work hard without direction, often resulting in low efficiency and limited progress.

Let’s take a look at “The Story of Programmer Peter”

Peter, a programmer with three years of experience, is already outstanding among his peers. He can solve most problems at work, but he never feels satisfied. In his heart, there is always an expert he strives to catch up with — his technical lead, Tony.

Tony appreciates Peter’s talent and often gives him guidance. One day, during a casual conversation, Peter shared his thoughts:

Peter: Why does it feel like you know everything?

Tony: I’ve been working for many years — it’s normal to know the basics.

Peter: It’s not just the basics. You also understand new things, like AI and large models.

Tony: As programmers, we can’t stop learning. When AI emerged, I saw its potential and spent some time studying it.

Peter: I also started learning about…