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Starting your coding journey might not be as hard as you think…
You could be anyone, a high-school student going down the online rabbit hole or an adult who is frustrated with his current job and looking to switch careers. If you are looking to start your journey as a programmer, this article will help you get up-to-speed on how to start your coding adventure.
It is easy to start programming…
If you don’t mind sitting in front of a computer and staring at your code for long hours then programming just might be your thing ;)
Programming is just like maths in some ways. The only things you need to start doing mathematics are a pen, a piece of paper and your brain. Likewise, a computer of any form factor (even your smartphone) and your brain are all you need to start coding. There is no need for any swanky new setup. Any computer which runs reasonably smoothly will be enough for you to start coding. Tools like Replit make it easy for newcomers to start without setting up a coding environment. Replit is even available as an app for Android.
It would help if you start with a goal. But even if you don’t have a goal you should do your homework and find out which path suits you the best.
The best way to learn to code is through projects. If you start learning the language you may find it boring on the other hand if you start working on a project and learn the language on-the-go chances are you will find yourself learning a new language and its applications simultaneously.
What sources you refer to solely depends on your taste but there is one thing you should keep in mind and that is ….
Tutorial hell 💀
If you feel like learning through books is more like your thing then there are plenty of great books to pick from. Even then YouTube is likely to be your first choice to look for content while learning new topics and skills. But remember, while using free services the product is the user. You could find yourself in “Tutorial hell”, which means you are stuck watching tutorial upon tutorial from the recommendations without learning anything substantial. The YouTube algorithm is made in a way that coaxes you into watching more and more videos.
Remember, real learning happens when through hands-on projects. Not only do you need a good roadmap, but also an environment where you can learn and apply your skills at the same time. This brings us to the next point ….
Benefits of paid platforms
It is totally fine if you choose to use YouTube as your primary source of learning, there are a ton of amazing courses on YouTube which are free. But still, they might feel incomplete. Paid courses on Platforms like Codedamn, Udemy or Coursera have courses that have carefully curated content that is regularly updated. Codedamn even provides you with virtual ‘code playgrounds’ to practice your skills.
Still, it is recommended that you try out free content on free platforms before committing to a paid course. There are many domains in programming. Web development, Data Science, AI, Machine learning, Game Development, and Mobile development are some popular domains. You should try and get your hands dirty in at least two different domains to understand which one is for you.
Do you need to learn Maths to start coding?
The answer is no.
Having a good grasp of maths would never hurt anybody but it’s not necessary if you are just starting. What you need to learn is the skill of Logic Building and Problem Solving.
Computers were invented to solve complex problems and do tedious, repetitive tasks for humans. Learning how to use conditions and loops to emulate real-life scenarios and solve real-world problems is a part of Logic Building. These skills can only be attained through practice and more practice!
If your goal is to be a Data Scientist or an AI/ML engineer then mathematics becomes a necessary part of your skill set.
Consistency is the best virtue of a programmer
Just like Honesty is the best policy, “Consistency is the best virtue of a programmer”.
Learning to code is difficult. At times you may get stuck on a problem for hours and feel like giving up your coding adventure altogether. It happens to all of us. But you must remind yourself that getting stuck and facing problems is all a part of the journey.
It often happens to me that I feel like there is no way to solve an error, but when I look at it again the next day I find out that it was just a silly mistake! It is during times like these you learn the most crucial skill as a programmer which is ‘How to GOOGLE effectively’.
Yes, you read that correctly, searching for ways to solve an error is a big part of a programmer’s job. If you come across an error there is an almost 100% chance that someone has already faced and solved that error. The best website for this purpose is StackOverflow. Almost every error you come across will have its solution on StackOverflow.