1. Cycles (when buffer is solved and I have to swap with an unsolved piece)
2. Parity (How do I know when I have it...
Could someone explain? or link me some good information?
Any tips before I start making Only edges/corners and eventually full attempts?
So, I'm sure that more experienced silvers will jump in, but coming from an advanced beginner that is just getting over those problems, I'll explain what I can.
Parity. You have parity if there's an odd number of targets. It's easy to see if you're doing letter pairs (which I assume you are). If there's a letter all by itself at the end of memo, not in a pair, then you have parity. For example if your pairs are BC HT LP D, that lone D means you have parity. If you solve edges first, you just do the parity alg between edges and corners. You may also know tha if you have parity for edges, you will also have it for corners, which is useful at the beginning because let's say you memo corners and have parity, then if when you memo edges and have an even number of targets, your know you made a mistake somewhere.
Cycles, you will just get used to them. I remember getting mad when I had to break into a new cycle, lol. But if in your memo, you come to the buffer, just pick another piece that you know isn't solved and start there, just remember to get back to that piece at the end of that cycle.
Sometimes it's frustrating when you pick a new piece to start a new cycle and it is only a two piece cycle. Right now, I just let it go and do a third cycle. There may be a better way to choose what letter to start with to try and avoid cycle breaks, but I don't know what it is, and at the beginning you should just be learning what's happening to the pieces while you solve and not be worried about optimization.
As far as making attempts, just start. Most will say to do lots of sighted solves first, but I learned with my eyes closed, I don't know why I chose that, but I have a hard time doing it with my eyes open so that may have been a bad thing.