Using ChatGPT to Accelerate Learning and Upskill in Tech

Using ChatGPT to Learn and Boost Your Skills

Learning is one of my top interests in recent years. I love picking up new skills and getting better at the ones I already have. I care about how I communicate and how confident I feel in my daily work. That's why I always try to improve.

As a software engineer, you might think I focus mostly on technical stuff - but that's not really true. I believe soft skills are just as important. Things like communication, adaptability, proactivity, planning, and time management help me in all areas of life, not just in tech. I even wrote an article about this, which you can read here.

Even though soft skills are super important, in this article I'll focus more on how I use AI - especially ChatGPT - to learn technical skills faster and easier.

How Learning Was Before AI

Before I started using AI tools (more about that here), I was doing what most developers do: searching Google and StackOverflow.

They were my go-to tools whenever I had a bug or wanted to learn something new. One search led to another, opening lots of tabs, reading documentation, and sometimes getting no real answer. I'd end up posting my question on StackOverflow and hoping someone would help.

If I wanted to learn something new, I'd go through books, tutorials, or courses. Some examples: Spring and RabbitMQ docs, Udemy courses on System Design or Data Structures, books like Clean Code or Domain Driven Design.

The problem? It took a lot of time, and I didn't remember much after one read. Often, I never used what I read, so I forgot it. To remember, I had to go through everything again.

Why Books Are Still Great

Don't get me wrong - I still enjoy reading books. There are many good reasons to do it:

• You feel like you're learning directly from someone experienced
• The information is well-organized
• If you're into the topic, you often learn more than you expected
• Video workshops help you apply what you learn right away

When it comes to learning (or relaxing) in general, I still prefer reading paper books. They just feel better and more personal.

How ChatGPT Can Help You Learn

ChatGPT has a feature called Custom GPTs (explained here). I use this to boost how fast I learn.

The idea is simple: you give ChatGPT a clear context, and it acts like a helpful senior developer who knows what you need. It answers your questions clearly and gives examples. Once you've set it up, you get answers faster - no more browsing through tons of links. It does that for you.

The downside? You need to ask the right questions. It's not like a book. It doesn't follow a structure unless you guide it. So your questions need to be specific.

How to Create a Custom GPT

I use ChatGPT in the browser. Here's how to build your own GPT:

1. On the left menu, click GPTs → then My GPTs → then click + Create a GPT.
2. You'll see a screen with two tabs: Create and Configure.
3. In the Create tab, start chatting with ChatGPT to tell it how to behave.
4. It will build the instructions, pick a name, and even create an image.
5. In the Configure tab, you can upload files, choose features, and save it.

A tip: after each prompt, check what it added in the instructions. Then, go back and make changes. Also, ask it to ask you questions to better understand what the GPT should do. That helps it improve faster.

A Real Example

Let's say I'm working on a Java/Spring microservices app and I want to learn more about it.

Here's my starting prompt:

After that, I answer its questions, check the instructions, and adjust. Then I ask things like:

• "How does the @Transactional annotation work in Spring?"
• "What is a RabbitMQ exchange?"

If you already know the basics, it gives clear and useful answers, skipping the general stuff.

You can change the prompt for other technologies. The most important thing is to be clear about what you want.

I also recommend using AI Agents for debugging code (more on that here) - they're faster.

Why Using AI to Learn Works So Well

The most time-consuming part is writing the prompt. After that, using your GPT is simple. It's like having a developer next to you who has access to all the internet's knowledge.

The big benefit: you get quick answers, and you can always go deeper by asking more questions. It's fast, and it helps you add real skills.

Just remember: you still need to structure the knowledge so it sticks. If you forget something, just go back to the chat.

My tip: be specific. It's easy to start with one topic and end up going in too many directions. Stay focused.

Final Thought

I remember when I started out in software development, I always looked for a senior developer to guide me. Sometimes we even formed small learning groups to share ideas from books or tutorials.

These days, especially with remote work, that human connection is harder to find. And while a GPT can't replace a real conversation, it does help a lot.

For me, it feels like I'm learning faster and growing in more directions. I really think you should try it - treat ChatGPT like a tool, and use it to keep learning. Because learning never stops.