Junior developers struggle with code reading overload; structured chunking and documentation offered as fix

A mentorship perspective argues that code comprehension should be treated as a deliberate, trainable skill rather than something that comes automatically from writing code. Junior developers often exceed working memory limits when they try to trace long, unfamiliar codebases linearly, tracking variables, calls, and branches all at once. This overload can cause analysis paralysis, repeated trial-and-error changes, and burnout, slowing onboarding and professional growth. The article recommends structural mapping, progressive abstraction from entry points to details, and clear module boundaries to make code easier to navigate.