For many people who have never coded before, the world of programming seems like a strange and complicated one. However, it doesn’t have to be. In many cases, coding can be simple. Learning how to code shouldn’t be more complex than it has to be. For a beginner to learn how to code, they just need to figure out the rules of the language and how to apply them. Yet learning those rules and how to think like a programmer usually requires doing some hands-on work. Taking a few courses will help, but only if you have a solid foundation to work from. So how exactly do beginners learn how to code? Is there any way to make it more efficient for them to learn?
Why Should You Learn to Code?
The mobile application market is expected to reach $407.31 billion by 2026. Application development for mobile and desktop is a lucrative field and offers a lot of scope for people who aren’t sure what to do as a career. It doesn’t require a lot of overhead or prerequisites. It’s not uncommon to see a brand new coder develop complex projects within a few months. Career coding can be a pretty fun way to work as well. Writing code opens the door to being your own boss and working as a freelancer or remotely from anywhere in the world. You’ll learn how to formulate solutions and solve problems as a computer engineer does in a logical, stepwise fashion. You’ll better be able to appreciate how technology works and understand what goes into building your favorite applications.
Where to Start when Learning to Code
There’s this aura of mystique around coding that is hard to dispel. Non-specialists see coding as a complicated field, but learning to code doesn’t need to be overly complex. As a complete beginner, all you need to do is take the proper first steps, and you’ll set yourself on a lucrative long-term career path. Here are a few of the first things you’d need to figure out before you set off on your way to becoming a competent programmer.
Choose the Right Language
Coding is about telling a computer to do something in a language that it understands. Naturally, this means learning a language the computer can interpret commands in. There are hundreds of computer languages with varying levels of complexity. However, for a beginner, two languages stand out as being relatively easy to learn and simple to implement:
- Python: Python is a simple language, making it a perfect fit for people who have never experienced coding in their lives. Many new programmers start in Python but shift into different languages when they feel more confident. It’s a valuable language for teaching beginners the first principles of coding.
- JavaScript: JavaScript (JS) is another simple language that’s approachable and almost like writing English to your computer. New users may confuse JS for Java, but Java is a complex and challenging language to start coding in. It’s much easier to grasp beginner coding concepts through JS and transition to other more complex languages (like Java) later on.
Take Online Courses
Learning the keywords in a language and how they’re used is not as simple as reading the documentation. Online courses allow newcomers to learn from experienced tutors who understand a language’s nuances and explain it to new coders. Online courses are structured to enable students to delve into each topic and learn the key concepts and principles. For a beginner, these courses can provide the springboard towards developing their own coding style. It also allows newcomers to get a feel for industry standards and the best-practice approaches to common coding issues. Legends of Tech offers coding classes that give students a broad base to branch out and learn new things.
Watch Tutorials
YouTube has become an invaluable resource for coders since its inception. The site offers free videos that newcomers can rely on to hone their skills by building projects. Walkthrough videos can guide new developers along the route to building simple applications. These applications can be used as a platform to customize and change them to suit a particular need. After learning the basics of a language and understanding syntax, tutorials can even help a newcomer learn a new iteration of the language. For example, JavaScript (mentioned above) has several different disciplines. Knowing Angular JS allows students to use tutorials to teach themselves Node JS or React JS.
Practice Coding Projects
Coding projects are ideal for learning because they allow students to practice what they already know. The best (and for some developers, only) way of doing things is to learn by example. Coding is a highly practical field, and coding projects give students concrete learning outcomes while allowing them the freedom to explore the language as they develop. The first projects students undertake should be short and doable within a single day. However, they may want to take on more complex challenges as they progress. These projects can also serve as a portfolio for potential employers.
Find a Good Mentor or Community
Learning to code is a lot easier with someone to help. Students that know someone better at coding than them should ask for mentorship. This approach allows them to get guidance and pitch ideas to someone more experienced than them. Alternatively (or in addition), a student could seek out a community of coders that could help them. YouTube tutorials and online courses have their own communities that may welcome new coders as they learn the ropes.
Coding is a Commitment
Learning to write code can be a life-changing experience. It can help a person become employable and give them job opportunities they might never have dreamed of. All of this starts with learning how to code. Luckily, Legends of Tech has precisely what a beginner coder needs to start getting to grips with the concept of programming. Check out our coding courses and join the community to start learning today. Who knows, it could change your entire life!