Ask HN: Share your tips for mastering API's

How do you uncover, learn, understand, and remember all the functions/methods available to you across multiple programming languages?

I have a hard time remembering the exact methods/functions I'd need to use to accomplish something. My process is basically live in the google search bar:

  search: ruby api iterate through hash
  search: mysql create new user
  search: parse yaml file
  search: ubuntu remove directory recursively 

Because I understand the concepts involved, I get the answers right away, it's just a matter of proper syntax. But this is pretty inefficient in my eyes. Lest I remember every API I work with, I will continue to require google to remind me.

Do you guys have this problem and if so what is your solution?

I've never used an IDE but I understand it has auto-completion. Doesn't that still require you to memorize the functions specific to a language. For example say I want to "strip string from end of string" in ruby. For the IDE to help me, I'd still need to start typing str.chomp. However a google search turns up the ruby string docs where I'll be reminded of my friend "chomp". Does an IDE do something else I am not aware of?

Thanks!