Different discipline, shared foundations. Everything you know - gluten, proofing checks, shaping, doneness - carries over. What changes is the engine.
Commercial yeast is a concentrated, predictable workforce: hours to rise, clean flavour. Sourdough swaps it for a wild starter - flour and water fermented by natural yeast and bacteria that YOU cultivate - which rises slowly, brings the signature tang and chew, and keeps longer naturally because of its acidity.
The real difference is temperament. A starter takes about 5 days to establish and then needs regular feeding like a low-maintenance pet. Rises are measured in many hours, not one or two. In exchange you get flavour and texture commercial yeast genuinely cannot produce.
Go down the hole - just go in a low-stakes week, not before a big order 😄
