How to start programming

14 Great Ways to Teach Yourself to Code

If you want to learn how to code, taking your first steps into this huge universe might seem like a daunting, if not intimidating task. Here’s the big secret: There are plenty of free (and inexpensive) resources you can use to give yourself all the help you need, teach yourself new techniques, and make this learning process fun and exciting—as exciting as coding can get, at least.

Whether you’re an adult looking to transition into the tech industry, a student looking to learn the latest language, or a hobbyist who just wants to understand how software and services work, all you need is a computer and internet access to start your programming journey. But before you take a flying leap into The Matrix, here are our best tips and resources to set you off on the right foot.

Ask yourself: Why do you want to learn how to code?

Ask yourself: Why do you want to learn how to code?

On the other hand, if you’re a mid-career professional looking to transition into a tech career, a short-term coding bootcamp might make more sense than going into debt for a second degree. If all you want to do is build websites or push your Raspberry Pi to its limits, a combination of interactive tutorials and free online courses might be enough to get you going.

Choose the right programming language

Choose the right programming language

Once you figure out why you want to code, you can more easily pinpoint which programming language you should tackle. While there is no single “best” programming language to learn, some languages are more user-friendly than others. HTML and CSS are considered the easiest entry points into the coding world, but they are only really useful for developing basic websites

For more interactive websites involving payment systems or databases, you’ll need to know Javascript, PHP, SQL, and Python to make all the components sing. Mobile app makers use Swift or C to make iOS apps, and Java or Kotlin for Android apps. Video game developers will turn to Unity, or even C#, to bring their game ideas to life.

Which Programming Language Should I Learn First?

Dear Lifehacker, With all the buzz about learning to code, I’ve decided to give it a try. The…

Still can’t decide on your starter programming language? Most professionals recommend learning Python, C#, or JavaScript, as they offer the widest utility and career flexibility. To help you make up your mind, check out this great infographic that compares a few popular programming languages.

Above all else, just get started learning something. Once you become comfortable with one programming language, you’ll be able to pick up the next one that much faster—like learning a new musical instrument or foreign language.

Try out some online courses

Try out some online courses

If you want more control over your learning schedule (or don’t want to go at it alone), an online coding course might be a better option than an in-person coding bootcamp. However, there are many different online classes that teach the same programming languages, and it can be hard to figure out which one is truly worth your time and money.

Focus on learning computational thinking

Focus on learning computational thinking

Instead of hyper-focusing on learning a specific programming language, you can also learn to problem solve in a way that a computer will understand. In other words, improve your skills at concepts like pattern recognition, algorithms, and abstractions. There’s also lingo, like loops, which are bound to pop up in any language you use. The better you understand these principles, the easier it will be to learn the next language (and design better products or projects as a result).

Why You Shouldn’t Just «Learn to Code,» but Aim to Solve a Problem

If you’ve read Lifehacker for more than five minutes, you probably know we have a ton of resources…

Thanks to the internet, you don’t have to enroll in a four-year college program to learn the fundamentals of computer science; a number of college-level classes are available online for free (or a nominal fee).

Get a book

Get a book

The best way to learn to code may involve you getting up-close-and-personal with some dead trees—a real book that you can follow along from beginning to end. In a perfect world, this will give you a more comprehensive introduction to coding than jumping around from topic to topic on a website.

You can probably find an e-book for any language or framework you’re trying to learn on GitHub, but many web developers swear by Jon Duckett’s colorful series on everything from front- to back-end web development.

As a self-taught programmer, you might also benefit from books that offer broader advice on the profession. You’ll improve your thinking and habits, traits you can apply to any language you decide to learn. Steve McConnell’s 900-page Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction (2nd Edition) is considered the definitive guide for best practices, with data-backed advice on everything from project design to debugging code.

A corollary to that behemoth is Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship by “Uncle Bob” Robert Martin. Martin believes code should be efficiently written for easy testing and scalability, making this a must-read for many modern dev teams.

How To Start Coding: A Practical Guide For Beginners (Updated 2020)

A step-by-step guide of curated resources and tips based on my personal experience.

Table of Contents

Who am I?

Let me first introduce myself. My name is Yong Kang and I am a self-taught programmer. In the past two years, while serving National Service, I have taught myself how to program with online resources which led to freelance projects for companies. After I finished my National Service, I went on to do an internship while waiting for my university to start. I have also participated in a couple of competitions (pitches and hackathons) and gotten some good results with them.

I have received several questions from my friends on how to start learning how to code. Hence, I am writing this article to organize the practical tips, directions, and curated resources to whoever wishes to pick up programming on their own. I hope that this practical guide will help you pick up programming effectively, especially if you’re a beginner.

Why is programming important?

With all your friends learning to program, does that mean you should learn it too? Even if you’re not someone who is going to take a programming course in the future, here are some reasons why you should begin your journey in Programming:

1. Becoming More Efficient And Productive

Programs are great at doing tedious and repetitive tasks for us. They never get tired, they never complain about how boring their jobs are, and they never make mistakes.

You could write programs that can complete tasks in minutes that would require hours if done manually. For example, you could automate the process of manually entering info into excel from a text document into an excel sheet.

2. Bringing Your Ideas To Life

Got an idea for an app or a website? Programming allows you to bring that idea to life.

3. Improving Your Problem Solving And Thinking Skills

Programming is all about using code to solve problems. It teaches us how to break a large problem into smaller subproblems and solve those problems. This is a common strategy known as divide and conquer

I hope that I have convinced you why programming is worth learning. Now on to the real stuff.

Part 1: Step-by-step Guide To Start Learning Programming

Step 1: Set your goals: Why do you want to pick up programming?

Before you start coding, it’s important to set your personal goals and what skill sets you to want to achieve. What is the reason you want to learn to program? Is it to gain exposure, prepare for university, build apps, learn data analytics, or learn?

Step 2. Pick the best programming language to match your goals.

This portion is crucial, and will be further explained and elaborated below. With so many different programming languages out there, which one should you start with? My advice would be to be the programming language that is best aligned with your goals: ie. What do you want to achieve from learning how to program? I have compiled a list of different languages to learn based on the respective goals below.

Before I talk about these programming languages, this is a disclaimer:

According to the survey by stack overflow in 2019, here are the top 5 languages most used languages :

It would be alright to start with any of the 5 languages above, and the recommendations below are just my opinion.

If you want to learn programming just for Data Analytics, Machine Learning or just for fun: Python

I recommend Python because it is a simple yet powerful and versatile language.

You can build web applications, do data analytics, run Machine Learning models, create financial models, and even make games.

There are pros and cons of each language, so it doesn’t matter which language you begin with because you can always transition from one language to another, similar to learning a new language.

Python has many great libraries out there. Libraries are code that other people have created to perform a certain function. This means that you would not have to code many abstract functions yourself as you can easily find them online.

Top 3 Free Resources to get you started with learning python. (Updated May 2020)

Most Rigorous Course: MIT 6.001x on EDX (This is the course I used when starting out)

Best Youtube channel for programming: Sentdex & CS Dojo

If you want to learn to program for creating websites: HTML, CSS, and Javascript

If you feel like you learn best by building things instead of theoretical knowledge, you can start by learning HTML and CSS to build Websites.

Learning HTML and CSS would allow you to build websites and see coding principles in practice. You would be able to transfer your knowledge to other programming languages such as javascript.

As you learn HTML and CSS, it is also a great idea to pick up Javascript. Javascript serves as the bridge that links what you see on the website with the function of the website.

Top Free Resources to get you started with learning Web Development. (Updated: May 2020)

Best Youtube channel for Web Development: Free Code Camp

If you want to learn to program for creating Apps: Java (Android)

Okay, so you want to build an app? You can either learn Java for android or learn Swift for IOS.

However since more than 80 percent of the mobile phones run on Android, I have only learned Android Programming but not IOS. So I will only be talking about Java in this article.

Java is an old language and has been around for the past 20 years. Therefore it has quite a lot of support and open-source code that you can use.

Another reason that made Java popular is that it’s an Object-Oriented Programming(OOP) language. Developing an OOP application is much easier, and it also helps to keep systems modular, flexible, and extensible.

Once you have knowledge of crucial OOP concepts like Abstraction, Encapsulation, Polymorphism, and Inheritance, you can use all those with Java. Java itself embodies many best practices and design patterns in its library.

After you have learned Java, you can easily transition to other languages or move to Android Programming as well.

Top Free Resources to get you started with learning Web Development. (Updated May 2020)

Best Practical Course: Sololearn

Best Youtube channel for Java: Free Code Camp

Best Book for Java: Head First Java (Like me, many people started learning java with this book. It is a hilarious and effective way to learn Java whether or not it’s your first programming language)

Step 3: Start a project to practice what you have learned

Watching courses alone would not help you internalize the concept. You would have to put the concept to practice. The best way to do that would be to come up with projects.

If you have an idea for a project or have a problem you want to solve with coding, that’s great!

If not I have prepared a list of beginner-friendly projects that you can gain inspiration from or try.

Some Beginner-Friendly Projects you can try

Here are some terminologies that might be confusing

Libraries: A library is a collection of related pieces of code that have been compiled and stored together in a single file. That file can be linked with your code to give you access to the code in the library.

API: API stands for Application Programming Interface. An API is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other. In other words, API allows you to request functions from a software provider to make use of in your code. For example, the Spotify API allows you to request data such as songs and artists from Spotify and you can make use of the data in your code or application.

Level 1 Projects

Level 2 Projects

Weekly Discover Spotify Playlist

Automatic time tracking Tool

Level 3 Projects

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a problem that you need to solve, think about how you can solve it with programming. That can be a project as well.

A few words of advice in learning programming

1. Don’t give up easily, you have to break past the initial struggles

The biggest mistake you can make as an aspiring programmer is giving up because you don’t think you are smart enough to learn to program. Learning to code has nothing to do with your intelligence.

Learning programming is hard and most people would face difficulties at some point because there are a lot of topics to learn. As you are programming, there is going to be a lot of topics that aren’t going to make sense the first time around. So, refrain from the negative self-thoughts.

I too get stuck. I often have to rewatch the same lecture or video tutorial several times for me to grasp the concept. Don’t get discouraged if you find yourself in my shoes.

2. It is important to build a strong foundation

As elementary as they may appear at first, programming fundamentals always need to come first: the better you understand them, the easier it is to learn more advanced concepts. If the current topic you are learning doesn’t make sense to you, stay where you are. Do not proceed to the next topic. Skipping ahead is similar to building a house without a base, neglecting the foundation.

If the tutorial (or book) you’re using didn’t sufficiently explain the topic, you may have to find other resources that suit you. You can find just about anything you’re looking to learn for free on Google. Figure out what to search for (e.g., [the topic] in [your programming language] + any other helpful keywords).

Take at least 20 minutes to figure something out on your own before searching for help. There’s a good chance that the answer is already in front of you. Struggling makes you learn better and a better programmer overall.

3. Learn by doing. Always play with the code while learning.

The goal is to be conscious of your own learning as you progress through the learning path. Therefore, don’t blindly follow the courses and blindly copy the code without understanding it first. Understand the concepts that were taught in the lesson and try to recreate it.

As you progress, make it a habit to practice your programming. You can do so on leetcode, hackerrank, or making a project. Try to do a project after every module with the concepts you have learned. When I was doing online courses I tried to do a project every week, applying all the concepts I have learned.

Part 2: Roadmap to becoming an advanced programmer

Now that you have learned the basics of programming, the next step would be to think about which pathway of programming you want to learn more about. There are many pathways you can venture into once you have grasped the basics of programming, with the major and more popular pathways being Software Engineering & Data Analytics.

Data Analytics

What is Data Analytics?

Data Analytics is the science of examining raw data to conclude new information. It involves applying an algorithmic or mechanical process to derive insights. For example, running through several data sets to look for meaningful correlations between each other.

So, why should you learn data analytics? Big Data is the future. It is being generated at an exponential rate, and many companies are making use of that data to make better decisions, as well as verify and disprove existing theories or models. The demand for data analytics is expected to grow in the future as data will be the core of the decision-making process in many companies.

How can you learn Data Analytics for free?

I have combed through the curriculum of universities and have come up with a path to try and match free online courses to university courses. However, all of these courses are in Python, if you want to learn in a different language, feel free to check out other courses.

Outline of Data Analytics Modules

The outline is generally based on university modules. However, I am excluding some of the important modules like Data Structure and Algorithm which universities teach, as those are more conceptual and higher-level.

Note: I have put machine learning higher up in the priority as it allows you to make use of the skills you learned in fundamental courses.

Real-World Tools Courses

Module 5: Real-World Tools Courses

Things to avoid while learning Data Analytics

The pitfall is that you are just learning but not applying the knowledge. One way I try to apply my knowledge is to start a project after every module I have completed. For Data Analytics you can try your best at a competition of your choice from Kaggle. Use Kaggle Learn as a helpful guide

Software Engineering

What is Software Engineering?

In a nutshell, Software Engineering is basically using programming concepts to build applications

How can you learn Software Engineering for free?

I think that Software Engineering requires a more fundamental understanding of computing concepts than Data Analytics, therefore in my modules outline, I included more theoretical courses.

Do you want to build things to get a feel?

If so, learn Python and go to the practical courses. You can always revisit the fundamental courses when you hit an obstacle in terms of theoretical knowledge.

Outline of Software Engineering Modules

Practical Courses

Module 7: Mobile App Development ( pick whichever you like most) (2 Month)

Advanced Courses

Optional

Conclusion

Although I have recommended the modules based on university courses, you can mix and match to make the best curriculum for yourself. If this article helped you, please help me to share it with your friends! If you would like to find out more about me and what I do, please visit me at my website http://www.chiayong.me/

Helpful Resources

Resources from the article

Python: Top 3 Free Resources to get you started with learning python. (Updated May 2020)

Web Development (HTML,CSS and Javascript): Top Free Resources to get you started with learning Web Development. (Updated May 2020)

Java: Top Free Resources to get you started with learning Web Development. (Updated May 2020)

How To Start Coding: A Guide

Don’t think you can learn how to start coding? Perhaps you think it requires a computer science degree or that your lack of skills in math might hold you back. Fortunately, there’s nothing holding you back from learning how to code.

Whether you want to find a new job or simply are looking to pick up a new hobby, anybody can learn how to start coding,

Programming is about solving problems. Yes, it can take some time to get to grips with specific languages, but there are plenty of resources for every kind of learning style, regardless of your age or your computer skills. In fact, plenty of companies hire engineers without a degree.

Here are the essentials on how to start learning coding on your own.

How to Learn Coding

1. Come Up With a Simple Project

You can’t learn carpentry without making a few cupboards. Likewise, when you’re learning to code, the best practice is making programs. Without that clear project, it’s easy to lose focus and motivation. So come up with an idea, and work toward that goal.

Try to keep the project simple. For example, make your life easier with a budget calculator or try building an old classic like Hangman.

We can’t stress how important this is. So before you dive into choosing a language or reading a book, come up with an idea. Got one? Great. Let’s continue.

2. Get the Software You’ll Need

You don’t need much to start writing code. Simply making sure your computer knows how to run coding program is the most important part.. So, if you’re completely new to programming, here are a few things you need to know.

It can be as simple as a text editor

Your computer needs to know how to read the code

When you run a file, your computer needs to know what to do with all that code. So make sure you search around for what you need to install before trying to run the file.

You can get software that’ll bring everything you need together

Once you know what language you want to learn and start making more complex programs, you’ll want to download an Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

An IDE brings together a way to edit your code, see it run in real-time and create the final file you need. They’re not essential, but they make life so much easier.

Get to grips with the console

You’re probably used to using your computer with a well-designed interface. This is called a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Now now that you’re going to be a programmer, it helps to know how to use the black window of power: the console (Command-line Interface).

3. Join Communities Focused on How to Start Coding

Now you know the basics, it’s time to get into the details. There are plenty of places online to ask questions, get help with sticky problems and learn best practices. Joining a community can really help encourage you to continue coding and give you a bit of direction when you feel lost. Naturally, computer programmers have carved out plenty of spaces on the internet that provide help to coders of all experience levels.

Here are four good ways to get involved:

While joining a community won’t teach you a language, it will help you see where you’ve gone wrong.

4. Read a Few Books

There are loads of books out there on how to start coding. Reading a book can really help you get to grips with the programming theory. The main downside is that if you get stuck, it’s hard to ask a book for help. They’re great for the broad ideas and concepts, or learning while you’re away from the computer. But without constant practice, you might become disheartened.

Beware books that claim to teach you in 24 hours

5. How to Start Coding with YouTube

When it comes to how to start coding on your own, there are quite a few tutorials on YouTube. These can often be more entertaining than reading a book, but are usually a bit more top level. Here are a couple of good places to start.

6. Listen to a Podcast

way of Podcasts are a great way to learn while you’re travelling or away from the computer. Though you won’t learn specific syntax, they’ll help you wrap your head around the theory.

Here are a few to get you started:

7. Run Through a Tutorial

There are quite a few apps and websites to guide you through how to program. These are really useful if you’re still wondering which language to choose. You’ll learn the difference between a variable and a function, and start putting together really simple programs.

Do be wary, they can tend to fall a little short once you start wanting to create your own program, or anything particularly unique. You won’t have anybody to talk to, and they can feel quite limited in scope.

8. How to Start Coding Using Games

Once you’ve started wrapping your head around how to code and you have a few programs under your belt, it comes down to practice. This is where you can start looking for coding games. These act as puzzles, which will challenge how you approach programming problems. They’re not for the complete beginner, but great for the intermediate.

Try out one of these:

9. Take a Coding Bootcamp

When it comes to how to start coding, nothing can beat an actual teacher. In a coding bootcamp, you’ll be put in an immersive learning environment that takes you from coding pupil to self-sufficient programmer in 14 weeks (or more depending on your schedule).

Not designed for anyone who wants to dabble in programming, coding bootcamps are built for people who have decided that they want to make tech a career and want to gain the essential hard skills to be hired for jobs like full-stack developer and software engineer ASAP.

Is Coding Dojo Worth It?

Coding Dojo offers the most serious bootcamp in the industry. It’s the only bootcamp whose curriculum is designed to teach you the three full stacks used by the world’s top companies (most bootcamps only teach one). Full and part-time online coding courses are available. In addition to allowing you to apply to more positions with better salary ranges, a three-stack curriculum allows you to grow with your industry instead of having to return to school to learn more programming languages.

If you’re serious about making tech a core part of your professional life for the rest of your life, Coding Dojo is the only serious choice.

How to Start Coding: The Ultimate Guide for Beginner Programmers

Written by Jamie Juviler

Coding is one of the most valuable skills you can build. If you’re searching for «how to learn coding,» it might be because you want to advance your career.

Maybe you’re hoping to build software or games for your friends or get a better grip on the tech space. Either way, learning the language of computers can be a major asset to your professional and personal development.

With time, dedication, and internet access, anyone can learn to code. If you’re reading this, that includes you. That’s why, in this guide, we’ll unpack everything you need to know to start writing code, including:

What is coding?

Coding is the process of using programming languages to give instructions to a computer. These instructions power the websites, software, and applications people use every day.

Why Learn to Code?

Before diving into your first lesson, think about why you want to code in the first place.

This will help you determine which programming language you decide to learn first, what sorts of projects you want to complete, and ultimately what you want to make of your skills.

Here are some well-known benefits:

Coding helps build professional skills.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Knowledge of computer programming is a valuable employment asset.

As technology continues to weave into our daily lives, coding skills will become more desired among candidates — according to job board Indeed.com, several of the most in-demand skills fall under computing.

If you’re looking to make a career pivot into tech or to switch to a more technical role within your field, knowing at least one relevant programming language is a must.

This doesn’t just apply to developers, though. Web designers should know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Project managers should know the inner workings of the tools they help craft.

Even if you run a simple WordPress website, familiarizing yourself with front-end languages and some PHP goes a long way.

Even if you’re not pursuing a strictly technical role, coding experience is an asset. It shows technical know-how, the ability to grasp abstract concepts, and that you can solve complex problems.

Finally, coding knowledge enables you to take up freelance work or a full-time career.

Coding can help you earn more.

We mentioned earlier that there are differences between coders and programmers. As you continue to learn about coding, you may start to specialize. Many of the highest coding salaries come from the ability to offer your skills in a specific type of coding.

For example, as you continue to code, you may decide to become a developer. Besides writing code, developers also debug software and work with source code. Developers usually specialize in a specific programming language.

Developers often earn higher salaries than programmers and have high projected job growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for developers should grow by 22% by 2030.

Coding lets you create things.

One of the coolest benefits of learning how to code is the ability to bring your ideas to life. Have a concept for a website, app, or computer game? Now, you can build it exactly how you want, then share it with the world.

Whether you want to monetize your project, post it on an open-source platform like GitHub, or just make things as a hobby, you’ll have the knowledge and the tools to do so.

It’s gratifying to know you can build programs that, until now, you’ve never fully understood. Plus, projects are essential to the learning and job-seeking process.

Coding can help you better understand the world around you.

Learning even just the basics of computer programming will help you understand the components of the growing technology landscape.

You’ll gain an entirely new perspective on the technologies in your life and an appreciation for how it all comes together.

Coding is fun.

It’s cheesy but true — for many, learning to code is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. After you have the basics down and start on your own original projects, the process will feel less like learning and more like leisure. After all, if you’re not enjoying it, why pursue it as a career?

How to Start Coding

Thanks to the internet, there’s never been a better time to learn to code. But the sheer volume of options can stall some new coders before they even begin.

In this section, we’ll cover how to learn coding for beginners, with some recommended resources for each step.

1. Figure out why you want to learn to code.

It’s tempting to jump right in when you start coding. But if you don’t have an end goal you may become frustrated and stop learning before you get to the fun.

So, before you start studying, think about why you want to know how to code. Think about the projects you want to complete, why this skill excites you, and what resources you have available.

For example, say you want to become a developer to earn more income for your family. Do you know where you want to work and what kind of projects they need developers for? Are you ready to put in the time to learn to code, learn the right programming languages, and build projects that show you have what it takes?

Setting a broad goal like that can be really frustrating. Instead, start with smaller, more specific goals. For example, say you want to build a mobile app for your friend who is training for a half-marathon one year from now.

2. Choose which coding language you want to learn first.

If you’re trying to figure out which programming language to start with, think about your long-term goals. Are you coding for fun or to advance at work? Do you have a flexible timeline or do you need to finish a project in a hurry?

As a beginner, you may want to start with a language that doesn’t use data structures or algorithms. If that’s the case, HTML or CSS are great places to start. But languages like Java and Python are also great for beginners, and they also have a wide range of applications.

It can sometimes take months to learn a programming language, so take some time to make this decision to make sure that your time is well spent.

3. Take online courses.

Learning to code no longer requires a classroom setting. Today, there are thousands of online programming courses that cover everything from basic HTML to data structures to complex algorithms.

Your first course should introduce the basics of a language and contain interactive modules and assignments to guide your learning.

Courses create a structure for learning, which is essential as concepts in computer science build on each other. An organized course keeps everything digestible and ensures you’re learning things in the correct order.

Popular free course providers include:

These options are great for determining early on whether you’re ready to invest the time to learn a particular language.

There are also plenty of paid courses available for a fraction of what in-person classes will cost you.

These choices cover a wide range of beginner, intermediate, and advanced CS topics:

Some paid services offer free courses or trials if you want to get a feel for their teaching before you commit.

4. Watch video tutorials.

You’ve probably watched a YouTube tutorial or two — why not do the same for coding?

While online courses are your best bet for hands-on experience, online videos can supplement your learning and occupy your curiosity. My personal favorites include:

Both cover broader topics in computing.

5. Read books and ebooks.

Prefer an old-school approach? Pick up a book on your beginner language of choice. Books will introduce you to fundamental concepts and inform your coding.

Here are some established texts for each recommended beginner language:

6. Use tools that make learning to code easier.

While it’s great to know that you don’t need any special tools to write code, there are tools that can help.

Code Editor

Text editors include features to make coding easier like color coding, auto-complete, find-and-replace, and dark mode.

Most professionals use a code editor. This tool can help you write clean code faster. Code editors are like text editors, but they have extra features that help you manage and edit your code like:

Notepad++, Sublime Text, and Emacs are popular editors for beginners.

Console

You’ll also want to get to know your computer a little better. When you start coding you should learn how to navigate the console. This is the text-based interface for your operating system.

The console lets you find files and execute commands on them more quickly than the standard graphical user interface (GUI). Familiarize yourself with how to use it, including the basic UNIX commands, since you’ll be doing things that aren’t possible in the GUI.

Project Management

Many projects start simple but get more complicated as the project goes on. Using a project management tool you can share files, update timelines, and break out separate parts of coding projects. This makes it easier to keep track of side projects and extra files while sticking to your timeline.

Troubleshooting

As you work on your coding projects, you may run into bugs, roadblocks, and other challenges. This can be super frustrating. Rubber Duck Debugging may sound silly, but it can help you simplify your problem and find useful solutions.

7. Check out how other people code.

It’s easier for some people to edit someone else’s work than it is to create from a blank page. If this is you, a great way to learn how to code is to go through someone else’s code.

Checking out other programmers’ code can also inspire you and push your coding skills even further. This approach will help you:

Start with a program or code file you like. If you’re not sure what code to start with, GitHub and searchcode are great starting points. Try to start with peer-reviewed code or open-source projects if you can.

If you know what the code does, choose one small section and then work backward. This will help you understand the function of every line of code. It’s also a good idea to read the documentation. This will show you the ideas behind the code you’re reviewing.

8. Complete coding projects.

You learn programming by doing — there’s no way around it. You can read up on all the concepts and syntax necessary to write functional code.

But unless you put what you learn into practice, the ideas won’t fully materialize in your mind. That’s where projects come in.

A project is any program (or website) built with your language of choice. When starting out, keep projects short-term.

If you’re taking a course, you may get projects designed to solidify a concept. There are also loads of beginner programming projects you can try on your own. Some classic projects include:

A quick Google search will reveal even more mini-challenges that require you to apply your skills to real-world problems.

Benefits of Coding Projects

On top of practicing concepts, projects offer two more benefits to your learning.

First, they’ll keep you motivated. Projects help solidify the «why» behind your coding and set clear, tangible benchmarks for your progress. Each completed project means one more skill under your belt. As I was learning, this was very encouraging.

Second, coding projects, especially long-term ones, give you something to show for your work. It’s one thing to put «Python» on your resume — it’s another to show you built an entire website or application from scratch.

Projects are a must for entry-level programming jobs, as they prove competency in a given language.

How to Stay Motivated While You’re Coding

When embarking on longer-term projects, think of things you’re willing to invest time in. Whether it’s a personal website, a mobile application, or a desktop tool, you’ll hit speed bumps along the way. Choosing a project you truly enjoy and care about ensures you follow through.

Another great way to stay engaged with coding projects is by freelancing. You don’t need to be an expert programmer to build a useful tool for someone. Reach out to a friend, family member, or local business in need of a tool or website — it’s a win-win.

9. Find a mentor and a community.

The resources I’ve listed so far are all valuable, but they’re mostly solo efforts. Having a friend or an online community to give further guidance can be invaluable to your learning.

First, I recommend finding a mentor. As you progress, you’ll probably encounter issues that, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t crack. This is where mentors can help.

A mentor doesn’t need to be an actual teacher — they can be anyone knowledgeable in your language. They should be able to explain difficult concepts and point you to solutions. An experienced mentor can help you follow coding practices not covered in tutorials and offer advice for navigating a career in tech.

You may also want to join a community. Look for local groups, networking events and meetups in your area, and hackathons where you can make in-person connections with other programmers.

Online developer communities are also a rich resource for beginners.

Be sure to check out:

10. Consider enrolling in a coding boot camp.

A coding boot camp is a short-term training program that packs a comprehensive coding curriculum into a period of several months. These programs are fast-paced, immersive, and a launchpad for a development career.

Coding boot camps are intensive and expensive — not the kind of thing to dive into without any coding experience.

These programs are mostly for beginners who are set on a career in development and are ready to commit time, energy, and money to quickly get the necessary skills.

While grads tend to find employment in the tech industry, understand that this isn’t a guaranteed outcome. You’ll be setting aside a decent chunk of your year and savings for such a pursuit. Still, it’s difficult to top an in-person learning environment surrounded by peers and teachers as motivated as you are.

Coding vs. Programming

The terms coding and programming are often used interchangeably, but they don’t always mean the same thing. Both coding and programming mean writing instructions for a computer. But programming might also include algorithms and data structures. Generally, the term programming describes more advanced projects.

While you can code with just a computer and some time, some programming might need specialized software tools. Programming projects are usually bigger and more complex. They may need project management and a more solid knowledge base.

Programming Languages

Coding requires knowledge of at least one coding language, a set of syntax and rules that computers can understand. There are hundreds of coding languages, each one unique in its purpose and what it can do.

But some languages are easier to learn than others — these are best to start with since they’re the fastest way to learn the fundamentals of programming.

Programming languages give you a structure for the instructions you’re writing. This language looks like English, but not exactly. Programmers call the terms and grammar in a programming language syntax.

Low-level languages like Assembly or Machine are easier for machines to read than humans, so they can be tough to learn. That said, a middle-level language like C++ is useful to know if you want to write:

High-level languages are usually easier for beginners. Some focus more on structure, while others are more interactive and can perform more complex functions.

Below are some of the best languages for beginner coders. Try to get comfortable with just one language that aligns with your goals, then explore others if you’d like.

Don’t worry about choosing the wrong one, though. These languages share underlying concepts, so you can start with one and switch to another if you need.

Hypertext Markup Language, or HTML, is the foundation of the internet — it’s used to set the content of web pages. When you load a web page, typically what you see is an HTML document rendered by your browser.

If you’re unsure whether coding is your thing, HTML is the easiest language to sample.

This is because HTML isn’t technically a programming language — it doesn’t execute scripts and you can’t build functional programs with it. Still, HTML is everywhere online, so if you want to understand the internet, you’ll first need to understand HTML.

You might be less familiar with HTML’s sibling language, CSS. HTML handles what content appears on a web page, but doesn’t affect how that content looks.

This is where Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, comes in. The CSS language handles the styling of HTML — it sets features like colors, sizing, fonts, and even entire page layouts.

CSS is also not a programming language. It’s a set of rules applied to HTML.

HTML and CSS are almost always used together, so I recommended learning both. Otherwise, your web pages will look rather plain.

If you’re not sure how to learn coding, start with HTML and CSS.

HTML and CSS are easy to learn largely because they don’t require you to think through the computational logic of programming languages.

Or, open an existing website and use your inspect tool to peek at the underlying code. This makes it possible to learn two languages you use every day, in a day.

But, if you want your web pages to do things, you’ll need.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a programming language that turns static web pages into dynamic ones. It enables page elements to move, react to user actions like clicks, and handle any operation beyond simply existing on the page.

If you’re interested in web development and already have a feel for HTML and CSS, JavaScript is the next step.

Together, these three languages make up the majority of web content you see. Plus, JavaScript code can be easily tested in your browser.

Python

Python is a popular programming language for beginners because of its user-friendly syntax and versatility.

Much of Python code reads like English, which helps beginners learn basic concepts like functions.

Python also has many code libraries. These are groups of pre-built functions that you can plug into your code instead of writing the functions out yourself. With Python, you can build many different types of programs. Many introductory courses also base their projects on this language.

C is another popular choice for introductory courses. It’s wordier than Python and often requires beginners to write more code to achieve the same things.

This is more work, but useful for understanding abstract concepts. With C, you’ll learn skills that can be easily applied to other, more succinct languages.

C++ is a successor to C. C++ syntax is similar to C with the addition of objects, a powerful variable type that makes programming sophisticated applications easier.

I recommend beginning with C, though, since there are fewer concepts to learn, all of which can be mapped to C++.

C#, also called C-sharp, is popular for developing video games, mobile and desktop apps, and enterprise software. C# shares a common source with C++, but while C++ and C have many overlaps, C# is more like Java.

C# is easy to learn and there are many ways to use it. If you plan to use both C++ and C#, you may want to learn C++ first. This will make it easier to understand C# and can help speed up the learning process.

Java (not to be confused with JavaScript) is a general-purpose object-oriented programming language.

Like Python, Java’s syntax is easy to read and understand by human programmers — often, complex tasks can be handled by one command.

Java is popularly implemented in android mobile applications. It’s another great base language with principles that can be intuitively applied to learning other languages.

HyperText Preprocessor (PHP)

PHP is a server-side, open-source programming language for developing web applications. It makes it easy to add dynamic information, like updated news stories, to websites.

You can also embed this language into HTML, which makes it easy to add functions to your website without needing external files. PHP is also great for database access, making it simple to access and store data.

Ruby, also called Ruby on Rails, is a simple language that’s useful for creating automation tools, desktop applications, and rapid prototypes.

Ruby is another open-source server-side programming language. Its framework also offers default structures for web pages, web services, and databases. This makes it a useful tool for developing web applications.

While this language is easy to read and write, it may not be the best choice for your first programming language. This is because it’s also quite flexible, which means that it easily accepts changes.

Flexibility is great when you’re first learning how to make a coding project go. But it can impact changes to your code as you maintain the project over time.

SQL is another useful language for beginners. You can use this language to update, store, and retrieve data from a database. It’s also the standard language for database management systems, according to the American National Standards Institute.

It can take some time to learn SQL if you don’t already have some understanding of programming. That said, this language is popular in tech and with data professionals, so it has a lot of relevance in the workplace.

Swift

If you are learning to code to create projects for Apple devices, Swift is a good language to start with. Designers at Apple created this language with beginners in mind. And if your primary goal is to develop mobile apps for iOS devices, this should be your language of choice.

While programmers created most products since 2014 with Swift, you may also want to learn Objective-C.

Developers created this language in the 1980s. It’s what their team built most iOS tools with. It uses some C syntax, so if you’ve learned C or C++ already, you may want to start with Objective-C as you start learning.

Coding for Beginners

There are many ways to approach the practice of coding, and some methods and languages will work better for you than others.

No matter what or how you learn, however, remember these beginner tips:

Be patient.

At the top of this post, I said that anyone can learn to code. That doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Coding requires you to approach problems in ways you haven’t before. Certain topics may seem completely nonsensical to you, yet central to the language you’re learning. Problems that might seem easy at first will end up being far more complex to implement than you expected. You might spend hours hacking away at an assignment without seeing results.

And we can’t forget debugging. You’ll quickly learn that computers are nit-picky, and will only do exactly what you tell them. Tiny typos like a missing semicolon or incorrect operator will break your entire program, and it’s on you to track down the culprit.

Even coding for beginners isn’t easy.

All of this can be uncomfortable and discouraging, and that’s okay. Do yourself a favor and progress slowly and steadily, giving yourself time to let everything soak in.

The best programmers were once where you are, and everyone has to learn the same things to start. Go easy on yourself, stick to the goals you’ve set, take breaks, and you’ll be fine.

Get comfortable with the fundamentals.

The early days of learning a programming language are all about the essentials. You might start by learning binary, data types, and how to print to the console. From there, you’ll explore topics like:

It’s essential that you fully grasp each of these concepts before advancing. This is because everything you learn in computer science builds on topics that come before.

If something doesn’t make sense, keep reviewing it until it does. And don’t assume it will make sense later, in the context of future lessons.

If you’re learning from a tutorial, be sure you understand what each activity is meant to teach you.

Complete all exercises to experience first-hand how each topic applies to coding. And stay patient — you can’t embark on an ambitious project until you grasp the fundamentals.

Write clean code from the start.

Here’s something an online course may not teach you: On top of learning how to write your code, you should also practice writing it well.

What does this mean? For any given computation, there will be more than one way to program it. You should always strive to write it in the most concise and readable way that you can.

Developers usually work in teams, so others will be reading your code often. If it’s hard to decipher, fellow developers won’t look forward to working with you.

Even if you decide to freelance, writing clean code ensures you’ll understand your own code. It’s better to build the habit of clean coding now, as it will save you hours trying to decipher your work after you haven’t looked at it in months.

Why is clean code important?

You might be wondering why you need to learn clean code at this point. You’re a beginner, so shouldn’t writing functional programs be the main goal?

Well, yes. This is about establishing good habits early. If you put in the extra work now, you’ll save yourself (and others) some sanity down the road.

A good way to achieve this is by keeping your lines and your functions short. I recommend limiting each line of code to 80 characters max and each function to no more than 15 lines.

While limiting at first, these rules will train you to favor efficient code over the first idea that occurs to you.

Also, make a habit of commenting. Comments are segments of code that aren’t processed by the computer, so you can write whatever you want inside them.

Programmers use comments to clarify the purpose of their code. Learn how comments work in your language and, at the very least, leave comments at the top of your functions explaining the job of each one.

Search is your friend.

There’s no shame in using Google to find the solutions to your coding problems. In fact, professional developers do it all the time.

If you’re struggling, someone’s probably been in the same situation and dropped a question to a forum. You’d be surprised at how many solutions you’ll find with super-specific queries.

Plus, it’s quite satisfying to close 20 tabs of Stack Exchange after finally fixing a stubborn bug.

Coding Is More Than Just the Code

To finish up, I want to share one more valuable piece of advice from my first computer science class.

From a beginner’s perspective, it may seem like learning to code means learning how to write code.

This makes sense: When we imagine a computer programmer, we see someone writing out code on a computer — it’s called «coding» after all.

Once you begin, though, you’ll learn that this isn’t the whole story. You’ll spend a lot more time thinking about what to write than actually writing it.

Coding is problem-solving.

This is because coding is more about solving problems than knowing the syntax. Learning to code is learning to think like computers do, deconstruct problems into their components, and address them with the tools you’re given.

So, yes, you’ll learn to write some impressive code and eventually build amazing things. But first, you’ll develop the thinking skills that can get you there.

In my years of coding, this approach to problem-solving has changed not only how I tackle technical challenges, but how I approach problems in general. I hope you’ll experience the same.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Keep going. You got this.

This post was originally published in December 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Originally published Jun 29, 2022 7:00:00 AM, updated June 29 2022

How and why you should start programming

This article is for all of the absolute beginners of any age, computer science students, and also for those of you who quit school and want to retrain. It is also for parents who think their child might be interested in IT. This article will answer most of your questions and point you in the right direction. It’ll also explain why it is a good idea to become an IT professional at this point in time.

I’m writing this article after many years of experience in the industry. I studied at a university, and got everything I needed to get started. I’ve trained people in IT workshops, developed several business applications, and most importantly, I created the ICT.social network (which is the international expansion of http://www.itnetwork.cz, the biggest IT website in my country, where I’ve written over 1000 expert articles which are now being translated to the English language).

What future do you have as a programmer?

(It may sound a bit cliche of me to be appealing to money, however, the more money you have, the more time and freedom you have. You could travel, discover new technologies, lifestyles, cultures, entertainment, and so on.)

Wages are high for the following reasons:

In other words, IT guys use their knowledge to help businesses grow and get paid big bucks to do so. On the other hand, not everyone is capable of understanding the matters enough. If it truly was that easy, the pay wouldn’t be as great. There are many obstacles in your way and it’s very common that you spend hours googling till you even move forward. As I’m older, the more I realize that the patience and self-improvement are the most important properties of a programmer.. You can become a programmer even if you got all Ds in Math, however, you will fail if you lack willpower. For all of you brainiacs out there, it is true that the smarter you are, the better and faster you’ll get all of the concepts.

Schools

There are plenty of schools out there. However, businesses soon realized that getting things done properly is more important than having a diploma. If you are currently enrolled or at one point attended a university, good for you. If you no longer want to further your studies, for any reason at all, do what you need to do. Here, we provide all of the practical knowledge of real-world projects needed to get hired or to start a reasonable business.

Programmer abilities

One doesn’t become a programmer overnight. You have to be patient! Patience is one of the most crucial abilities that a programmer possesses. A programmer should also:

A programmer who does not use object-oriented programming nowadays is not much of a programmer at all. OOP is a simpler way to create software design patterns and create complex business applications. We’ll teach you all about it, just do it step by step, and be patient. It can’t all be done at once. I’m telling you this now so you get an idea of the amount of knowledge required to succeed in this field of work.

Choosing your programming language

This point is very important. You should start by programming in a modern programming language. You should pick your language based on the following criteria:

Big business is dominated by two languages at the moment- Java and C#. Java is the alpha and the omega in business, C# is, in my opinion, basically Microsoft’s version of Java. Then, there is PHP, which is extremely popular for web projects. Salaries for PHP programmers are a bit lower. However, PHP is an excellent choice if you want to start your own business. Then there is C++, Python, Ruby, among others.

Inappropriate languages

Inappropriate languages to start with are obsolete languages such as Pascal, Delphi or the C language. The C++ language is also not a good starting point for beginners because it is very complicated. The same goes for JavaScript.

Appropriate languages

For starters, pick one of the following languages (links will open online courses, the basics of each language are available for free):

The C++ language

The C++ is probably the language that the public is aware of most, probably because of its name («plus-plus means best, right?»). Beginners often want to start off with this language. C++ allow us to program extremely high-performance applications. It’s mainly used for system applications (Windows OS parts) and games (almost all AAA games are written in C++). A downside is that it doesn’t have automatic memory management, which means a lot of extra work and debugging done by the programmer. I look down on C++, it’s a good language, and there is a demand for it as well. However, it’s better for professionals and people who like programming on the lowest abstraction level. It’s too complicated for regular applications.

Other languages

Mainly when working on web-related content, you’ll have to mix your main (server) language with other, usually simpler, languages:

For most applications, you will be able to get by with the basics of the «other» languages listed above, as they’re not complicated. Don’t waste too much time on them, I highly suggest focusing mainly on one of the primary languages mentioned in the first part of this article. You will, however, have to improve your use of SQL later on because with more complex applications come more complex database queries.

As you can see, there is a lot of technology at your disposal. The times when John Pascal Smith programmed an entire accounting application using his own language (Pascal) are dead and gone. **The IT industry is constantly on the move and has a bright future ahead because technology improves at alarming rates. Also, **application requirements are more and more strict as time goes by, so you won’t make it with if you only know a single language. You have to keep with the times and learn! As for job and business opportunities in IT, they have, will, and do exist. In fact, you’ll have a hard time finding a career field with as bright of future as computer science.

How to start programming

The main thing, is to not be intimidated by any of this. You have to be patient and be as self-sufficient and proficient, as possible.

School and courses

As I said, to get an IT job, you either need a diploma or courses that give you an insight of real-world business in the IT industry. Aside from picking a good school or high-quality courses, it is also crucial that you program in your personal free time in order to succeed. If you think school or online courses will teach you how to program, boy, have I got news for you. To really get a goo grip on the concepts, you have to put what you learn into practice. School and courses can only guide you and provide the means to begin, however, most courses on the Internet seriously lack real-world examples and practical use (e.g. functional e-shops).

The ICT.social network was created to provide all of the information necessary for you to succeed. One might even say that it is something like a Wikipedia for programmers with real insight on the current state of the industry.

Every programming language has a large section, containing highly-detailed courses(note: Java, SQL, and JavaScript will be added soon, they’ve already been written, and are now being translated) and information on how to start. The courses are not written by teachers, but by real programmers that are currently working the industry. We also provide quizzes and exercises to apply and test the knowledge you gain in the lessons.

You will also have to program your own applications on which you’ll test your newly found skills. Keep in mind, that programmers google things very often, almost like when a student asks his/her professor a question in class. Googling things takes up a significant part of their daily shift. You simply cannot know everything and attempting to would probably not be a good idea anyway. You mainly have to understand the key principles and be able to look up additional information when you need it. If you happen to run into something that happens to not be addressed in one our lessons, use our Discussion forum, where more experienced network members will be able to help you.

What to program

Program things that you would actually use. If you like writing stories, program a text-based game with a story plot and give it to your friends. If you like taking photographs, program a web portfolio with your photos or a screensaver to display them. Is your fridge empty? Program a shopping list for Android. If you program applications that you would actually find useful, you will more than likely take any problem that arises as more of a challenge than a nuisance. In the wise words of Comenius, learning in an entertaining manner is by far the most effective. People say that once you are able to program Tetris, you’re an aspiring programmer. You would be surprised to see the kind of problems you need to solve in order to get Tetris working properly.

You could also create lots of other useful applications like a birthday notification program, a school attendance calculator, car gas consumption meters, and so on.

Courses

Feel like you’re already able to program fully-functional applications? Then, go ahead and apply for these:

If you read this article in its entirety, you’re now on your way to a career in IT! Fingers crossed!