In recent years, there has been a movement that boils down to ‘everybody should learn to code. Even though it sounds like a great idea, and may even sound reasonable, given the level of technological integration that’s been going on, the reality is a bit different.
There are still numerous professions and jobs which do not require coding, and even those positions which do use computers and technology are largely so mainstream and consumer-oriented, that most people really don’t have to know how to code in order to live in our tech-oriented society.
However, if you’ve decided that coding is the way to go for you, consider advice from coding experts on how to learn the basics of coding.
Watch a Video Tutorial
In the last few years, digital platforms and technologies have come up to help kids learn to code. For example, a free code academy like the one offered at Bay Valley Tech is one of the preferred options for parents looking to make their kids excel at coding. Excellent faculty, great classroom ethics, and professionalism make Bay Tech Valley one of the top choices to learn to code.
Just a couple of years ago, this point would probably be ‘read a coding book’. However, things change rapidly and the prevalence of video tutorials for just about anything from tying a tie to, well, coding means that a vast majority of people will prefer this method to read.
And who can blame you? Reading a book on coding can be dull and difficult to wrap your mind around. On the other hand, watching a tutorial not only shows you in real-time how it is done, with proper commentary, but it can also tell you the reasoning behind the actions and show you the immediate implications of your actions.
Get an Online Course
Online courses have been around for a while, and they just keep coming. And you know what? The more the merrier. Given the vast choice of programming languages and learning platforms, chances are that you will find an online coding course for yourself.
These tend to be better than watching a video tutorial because you either have an interactive part where you apply what you have learned about coding and software intelligence, or you have an online teacher/tutor who will give you examples, tasks, etc. – depending on the type of course.
Deconstruct Someone Else’s Code
Once you have familiarized yourself with the very basic principles of coding, you may be ready to take another step – learning how to apply the code and get meaningful and functional programs out of strings of code.
One of the best ways to do it is by looking at a finished program, something simple, and deduce the mechanisms. Code repositories such as GitHub will have countless examples of simple and complex programs that you can dissect and learn the inner workings of. Once you are ready, you can start making your own code by emulating the code you deconstructed.
Enroll in a Coding Bootcamp
If you are serious about coding as a profession, or even as a side job or a passion project (yes, there are people who code for fun), you may consider doing something more focused. Applying to a coding boot camp or a code school is perhaps the most straightforward way to achieve this.
These courses typically condense a lot of basic knowledge you will need to know in order to get a junior job as a coder, or an internship. That means that, in most cases, you should have some basic knowledge prior to enrolling.
Ask an Experienced Coder to Help You
Finally, if you have a basic grasp of the coding way of thinking and some basic functions of the coding language of your choice, you can ask someone you know to show you the ropes.
Even though many coders are really busy, finding someone who would be willing to share their knowledge with you and guide you through the learning process may be the best option.
Whatever way you end up opting for, just remember that hard work and persistence pay off, especially when learning to code.
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