Welcome to CodeWithWebDev's blog.
In this blog, we are going to talk about How To Start Coding As A Beginner.
We already have a blog on How To Become A Web Developer, How To Become A
Front-End Web Developer & How To Become A Back-End Developer do check
them out if you're interested. So now talking about this blog, if you are a
beginner or someone who has an interest in coding but has no idea how to
start, this article is surely going to help you.
Also read:
What we'll see in this blog:
- Introduction
- Myths
- Why Learn To Code?
- Which Programming Language To Choose?
- How To Start Coding?
- Some Pro Tips!
# Introduction
Programming is the hottest topic right now, even if you search online for
the highest paying jobs or most famous jobs you will find Programming/Coding
at the top. The role of technology has changed a lot in the last few years,
we did not have this easy access to the Internet or any of the technologies
we are using right now. Slowly computers, smartphones have become an
essential part of our life we cannot live without them.
We are still in a pandemic, even though a lot has opened up now but if we
go back to the time when the whole world was in lockdown every sector was
hit. People couldn't go out and even though many people were laid off, the
work of coders/developers grew more.
The online businesses were still working such as Amazon, and other
e-commerce websites. The reason I talk about this is that we are now in a
digital era if you want to survive you need to be digital and this is where
we as developers come in.
Everything that you can think about from ordering a cab, or food or
shopping, watching movies, learning, or playing games can now be done using
an app. Applications are being digitized and so the demand for developers
and programmers also is increasing.
# Myths:
Before moving on, let's talk about some misunderstandings you might have
regarding programming or coding. You might have heard them somewhere or you
might have imagined about these myths. But let me tell you they are all
false!!
So let's see what these myths are:
1. Coding is hard.
This is a most common misconception that coding is hard, but let me tell
you it isn't. Even if you are not from a tech background and you want to
learn to code, you can easily do it and it is easily achievable. All it
requires is dedication and consistency. Your goals should be clear and you
should know the best resources to learn to code.
2. One language is better than the other.
Many times while starting you hear that one language is easier than the
other or it is better but it isn't the case. Some languages might be old
& some new, it doesn't mean that the old languages are out of date.
Every programming language has a purpose. You need to know which stream you
want to pursue such as Machine Learning, O.S Development, Web Development,
etc, and then analyze the languages that are required and learn them. You
shouldn't just learn a language without a purpose or just because someone
said so.
3. You need to be good at maths.
You don't have to be a maths wiz to learn to program, even though there are
a few concepts that require maths, but you don't have to be an expert or
anything as such. The more important thing is problem-solving, analyzing the
problems, and quick thinking to find feasible solutions.
4. You need a CS degree to become a coder.
You don't require a CS Degree or go to a university to learn to program.
You can do it at your own comfort from your home. There are many certified
courses, boot camps, and also free resources to learn coding from the
basics. Even universities such as Harvard or MIT have free courses such as
CS-101. You can start from there and move on to advanced courses.
5. It is only for young people.
Age is just a number! I don't know for any other stream but in coding, you
can start learning at any age. You just need to be dedicated &
consistent and go slow. Many people have started learning late and still
have done wonders!
So without wondering about any of the above myths just start learning and
slowly go on advancing. You might not see results quickly but it will come
to you if you keep trying. Don't give up and keep practicing.
# Why Learn To Code?
Before moving forward and finding out how to learn to code first let's see
why you should learn to code. This will help you to understand if
programming is for you or not, which languages to select, what skills to
acquire & what projects you should do.
As I mentioned in the article earlier, the world is evolving and technology
is growing at a faster rate. You should evolve too, today many things that
used to be done by humans are now done by automated robots. In years to come
more and more advancements are going to happen and coding is going to be
there for a long time.
Here are a few reasons why you should consider coding:
1. You get to create new things.
2. Adapting to the evolving world.
3. Higher Pay.
4. Working in tech giants such as Amazon, Google, etc.
5. Freelancing.
There are many more reasons why you should learn to code, but there are
just a few at the top of my head.
# Which Programming Language To Learn?
You should be very careful about which programming language you should
learn. You should not choose a certain programming language just because you
heard that it is easy to learn or someone suggested it to you or because you
think it is new so it will be more relevant. You need to first think about
why you want to learn to code, what stream you want to go in such as Web
Development, Software Development, Machine Learning, etc. After deciding
your stream you have to research what languages are required, what skills
you need to acquire, and after that start learning a particular programming
language.
A few programming languages and their uses:
1. HTML & CSS:
HTML & CSS are the most basic things required for building websites
& web applications. HTML is not generally a programming language it is
rather a Markup Language & CSS is a styling language. Without HTML there
are no websites on the Internet, so it is a basic building block. But only
HTML & CSS are not enough you need to know more.
Read A Beginner's Guide To HTML 5 & CSS 3.
Also read Top Courses To Learn HTML5 & CSS3.
2. JavaScript:
JavaScript is the language that powers the Web. It is a client-side
scripting language & also a programming language. It is cross-platform
i.e it works on any operating system and any platform. It is used to create
dynamic sites and web applications. It adds functionality to our site that
we cannot add using plain old HTML & CSS.
JavaScript is not just used in Web Development anymore, you can also use it
for Android Development, Machine Learning using frameworks such as
TensorFlow, and also Back-End using NodeJS & ExpressJS.
JavaScript is doing more than what it was intended to do.
Read Understanding JavaScript to know more about JavaScript.
3. Python:
Python is a language that is quite famous among beginners because of its
user-friendly syntax, and easy to learn. Python code is much similar to
English which makes it easier for beginners to learn. Python has libraries
& built-in functions which allow users to write less code and do more
work.
Python is used in fields such as Machine Learning, Data Science, Artificial
Intelligence, etc.
4. Java:
Java is not similar to JavaScript, rather Java is an Object-Oriented
Programming Language. The syntax of Java is also easy to read and
understand. Java is mostly used to create web applications & dominates
the development of Android Applications.
5. C/C++:
C is an old programming language that is generally used by many people to
start coding if they are beginners. It is hard, and we have to write a lot
of code to perform simple tasks. It is useful to understand basic concepts
and you'll learn skills that can be easily applied in any other programming
language.
C++ came after C as its successor. The syntax is somewhat similar to C. It
has many new features as compared to C and many companies still use this
language. It is generally used for System Development or If you want to work
on Operating System Level.
# How To Start Coding?
Now, this is a very important question. How do we start
coding???
This is what you all have been waiting for and have come so far along with
this blog. So I will try to answer from my own experience. Before starting
let me just tell you that coding is not something that you learn overnight,
it is a path that demands patience, motivation, dedication &
consistency. You should also never give up. I have gone through times where
I didn't feel like coding or I felt like giving up, but even through all
this, you should continue to work through it.
1. Focus on the basics.
Firstly, you should learn about Programming Fundamentals because if your
fundamentals are not clear you will have a very hard time. You first have to
decide your stream as I have mentioned in the blog above. Choose your
programming language and your area then start with the basics. Now for
different areas basics are different but there are a few common things. Let
me give you a few examples.
If you want to be in the development field or any tech-related field the
most important thing is Data Structures & Algorithms.
For Web Development start with HTML & CSS.
For Application Development go with Java/Kotlin right from the
basics.
Data Science starts with Python & SQL.
Whatever you do, do it right. Learn proper concepts with proper syntax and
clean code. Practice problems and try solving errors. If you focus on the
early basic concepts your road becomes simpler as you move towards complex
concepts.
Whereas if you start directly with complex concepts it is very hard as you
have no prior understanding of a topic.
2. Make Simple Projects:
I cannot stress the importance of projects while learning how to code. I
made the mistake of just learning new things on and on without actually
doing any project because of which when I actually started to do projects I
had a very hard time recalling many things which wasted a lot of my time as
I had to revise everything again.
So whatever you do make projects for even a small thing you learn. it
doesn't have to be a big project make small projects, project doesn't mean a
working website or a fully working application. Make something for the
things you have learned in that lesson. It can be as small as simple
arithmetic calculations or anything else.
3. Choose The Right Software:
Many times you learn from different trainers and they might or might not
use the same software/text editor for coding and what many beginners do is
they also use the same code editor the trainer is using. So if you learned
from 4 different trainers you might use 4 different software. This is wrong!
Choose the software you are most comfortable with, which you think is easy
to use and suits your style. This will make your code more, help increase
productivity & save a lot of time.
The reason I say this is because you are not wasting time getting familiar
with 4 different editors, you choose one you stick to it you get to know
everything about it which saves time. Rather than understanding the working
of different editors, you can focus more on your coding.
4. Choose A Platform:
There is no shortage of knowledge on the Internet! Yes, you heard me right.
You can learn anything on the Internet. It can be free as well as paid. You
have to decide what you have to do. There is nothing as such that only paid
content is good, I have paid for many courses which turned out to be bad
& I have found free stuff on the Internet a lot better.
You don't have to learn the same thing from multiple platforms just because
one platform is more famous than another. Do your research and choose the
best courses free or paid.
If you can afford to pay there are sites such as Udemy, Coursera, Edx,
Lynd, LinkedIn Learning, etc.
If you want free content you can always go to YouTube which has very good
courses & Instructors, you also have websites and blogs such as
W3schools, geek for geeks, etc. Udemy also has many free courses you can
checkout.
5. Take A Coding Bootcamp:
If you are someone who doesn't like the online method or self-learning you
can always take a Coding Bootcamp. It is usually 3-4 months long and you
learn everything from scratch with projects and a lot more. These programs
are aimed at beginners who are set on a career in development and are ready
to commit time, energy, and money to quickly acquire the necessary
skills.
6. Join A Community:
When you are learning something a community is very important. If you are
stuck on some problem that you can't solve an Internet community can always
help you. Rather than a solo effort, it is always good to have a community
on the same technology that can give you positive or negative feedback, tips
and hacks, and a lot more. Online communities are rich in resources for
beginners as well. Many experienced developers can help you a lot with their
experience and expertise.
You can join Facebook Groups or websites such as GitHub, StackOverflow,
Stack Exchange, Reddit, Quora, etc. Here try building connections, solving
problems, taking part in discussions. This gives your career a new and
guided path. But again don't be so dependent on the community and trust them
blindly, do your research to check the facts.
# Pro Tips For New Coders
This is a special section from my side, my very own experience that I would
like to share with fellow new programmers/coders.
1. Be Patient:
There would come a time when you are feeling stuck and things just won't
work. Don't give up no matter what be patient and keep working towards your
goals. Nothing in life comes easy. Stay motivated, look for solutions, share
with the community. Just keep going and in the end, you will get your
result!
2. Know Your Tools:
As you join communities and groups people will share tools helpful during
your learning process. Even if no one tells you about these tools, try
finding them out yourself. Many times these tools that we find or use help
reduce our work and increase our productivity.
3. Write Clean Code:
This might be a new term for you if you are a beginner. Try finding out
what it means how you can write clean code, what are the best practices to
write clean code. It is a very simple thing that everyone will
understand.
4. Make Google Your Friend:
There is no shame in using Google to solve your problems. You need to be
good at googling. Many professionals use google on a day-to-day basis to
solve their problems. If you post your problems and forums you won't believe
how many people have had the same issue.
Being good at googling is your first step towards self-development and
growth. It not only helps you solve your problems but it helps you stay
relevant to the industry, increases problem-solving capabilities, and helps
you evolve and I could just keep going.
# Conclusion:
This brings us to the end of our article on How To Start Coding As A
Beginner. In this article, we saw what is coding, a few myths, why learning
to code, the benefits of coding, how to start coding, platforms to learn to
code, and a few pro tips. I hope after reading this article you're excited
and ready to learn to program and start with your first project. All of this
is my personal experience that I shared with you today so that you don't
make the same mistakes I made.
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