Discovering the Hidden Tools That Transform Your Journey

Most of us have had this experience: you've owned your phone for months, maybe even years, and then someone casually shows you a simple shortcut, like double-tapping the back of your phone to take a screenshot.

You blink, stare at your device, and think, "Wait… this was here the whole time?"

It's a tiny discovery, yet it instantly changes how you use your phone.

That feeling — of realising something useful existed right under your nose — is universal. And it perfectly captures a larger truth: you don't know what you don't know.

This idea shows up everywhere in life, but it's especially true in the world of software engineering. Developers often approach problems using the tools they already know. They write code, debug, refactor, and apply familiar patterns — all based on their existing toolbox. But what happens when there's a far better solution they're simply unaware of? What if there's a feature, library, technique, or approach that would solve the problem in half the time — but they just don't know it exists?

In these situations, engineers can end up reinventing the wheel, building complicated workarounds, or heading down dead-end paths. And it's not because they lack skill. It's because they lack visibility.

If you don't know a tool exists, you can't use it. If you don't know a concept exists, you can't learn it. And if you don't know a shortcut exists — whether in your phone or your code — you'll just keep doing things the long way.

That's one of the gaps Hackages.ai aims to bridge.

Take our TypeScript metrics and exercises, for example. Many developers believe they have a solid grasp of TypeScript — until they try a few targeted exercises and suddenly realise, "Oh… I didn't know that."

Maybe there's a utility type they've never used. Maybe they misuse generics without realising it. Maybe they've never explored narrow typing or advanced inference.

These aren't weaknesses — they're blind spots. And blind spots are only revealed when you shine a light on them.

That's the point: you uncover what you don't know by exposing yourself to new tools, new challenges, and new perspectives.

And once those blind spots disappear, your whole approach to problem-solving changes.

Just like learning a shortcut on your phone instantly boosts your daily efficiency, discovering a new TypeScript trick or a hidden library function can dramatically improve your workflow as an engineer. The work feels lighter. Solutions become cleaner. Doors open where you didn't even know doors existed.

But this isn't just about tech — it's a broader life principle. Curiosity is a multiplier. The more you explore, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you realise how much remains unknown. And the more you embrace that, the more you grow.

So the message is simple:

Stay curious. Keep exploring. Keep uncovering the shortcuts — in your tools, your skills, and your thinking.

Whether it's a double-tap screenshot or a TypeScript technique, the truth remains the same: You don't know what you don't know — until you do.

That's it for today.

Enjoy this essay.

Davy Engone, founder at hackages.ai