While
coding used to be a field only a few people went into and specialized in, it
has grown to become one of the most popular career choices today. Almost every
business model includes space for programmers, meaning that your job security
will be fantastic and your growth potential will be high. Not to mention the
fact that many are opting to teach themselves how to code, skipping the pricey
college education in favor of late nights hunched over a programming course.
Here are the steps most programmers choose to take when they decide to
self-teach a coding language.
1. Know Your "Why"
This
tip is applicable to pretty much any area of life where you want to tackle
something difficult. Knowing your "why" for doing that thing is going
to help you stay focused on your goal, in spite of any obstacles that come up.
Knowing why you're learning to code will also help you gain direction in what
languages you want to learn and how much time and money you're willing to spend
on the process.
For
example, those who want to design and develop websites will need to learn
different languages and low code from those who want to create apps
or become software engineers. Knowing how much time and money you're budgeting
will help you decide whether or not you want to take an online course or
Bootcamp since they require a certain time commitment and can be pricey. It
might sound cheesy, but it's worth taking the time to write down what your
goals are so that you'll have that touchstone during the tough parts of this
process.
2. Pick a Language
As
mentioned in the previous tip, you're going to need to choose a specific coding
language to learn. This choice is really important since it'll shape your
entire coding education and will limit your eventual career options. For
website development, HTML, Java, and CSS are popular choices. App developers,
however, need to learn either Java or Swift, depending on whether they're
developing apps for Android or iOS.
As
you can see, Java has a bit of crossover and is considered the most functional
language by many programmers. It's also fairly beginner-friendly, so it's a
popular choice for self-teaching code. However, each language is going to have
its pros and cons depending on your particular goals and learning style, so
it's important to do your research before settling with one choice.
3. Get the Right Tools
Once
you've got your goals figured out and chosen the language you want to learn,
it's time to figure out how you want to start learning. Many self-taught coders
actually use a course, at least starting out, because it
helps structure your learning experience and makes sure that you're getting
enough practice before going on to the next concept. Courses can help you stay
on track and can also make the process a lot more enjoyable. Plus, for a fee,
you could earn certifications that could be a valuable addition to your resume.
Not many people know this, but there are actually scholarships available for
online courses that can make it affordable even if your budget is
limited.
If
taking a course is out of the question, there are tons of great coding
textbooks out there. Combining a quality textbook with YouTube tutorials and
videos can help you get started. For many, using these resources alongside an
online course makes for in-depth and well-rounded programming education.
4. Find a Code Editor
You've
probably seen programmers writing in neon letters and numbers on a black text
box - this is the code editor. Some courses will allow you to do your homework
in a browser window. However, if you want to be well-prepared for the real
world, it's important to get coding experience writing in a real code editor.
You'll usually have to go to the language you're writing in and download your
editor from them, while simpler languages like HTML allow for coding in a text
document, which some old-school coders prefer.
5. Get Lots of Practice
The
importance of getting a lot of practice in coding can't be understated. By
creating and working on your own programming projects, you'll be getting
valuable experience as well as creating content for your portfolio. For those
who are learning how to program for websites, it's often a popular choice to
create your own website. You can even use that website to show off your coding
projects! It can also be fun to come up with and create your own app. Be sure
to get lots of feedback from friends and family so you'll understand the importance
of beta testing and how that process works.
6. Ask For Help
You
will inevitably run into barriers and roadblocks during your journey as a
programmer, even once you've nailed the language and gotten a lucrative job.
This is why it's important for coders to have a community where they can ask
questions and give advice on how to solve problems. There are tons of online
forums where you can find support and get some fresh eyes on projects when
you're stuck. These are also great places to get encouragement from more
experienced coders who have been in your shoes and can reassure you about the
process.
7. Continue Your Education
Once
you've learned a language, you might feel like the process is over and it's
time to look for a job. While you might be ready for a career in coding, it's
important to continue your education beyond this point. Many programmers choose
to challenge themselves by hacking another person's code.
Platforms
like GitHub will give you access to complete code that you can then open in
your editor and attempt to hack. Reading someone else's code and attempting to
understand it is incredibly difficult and a great mental workout. If you can
make recommendations for improvements, your code could end up being added to
the finished product!
And
don't forget to constantly strive to improve your methods as a programmer.
There is always a better way to do something, and keeping your knowledge fresh
is going to help you stay inspired and enthusiastic. You can do this by
learning new syntax or debugging processes, or by going on forums and answering
questions and working out issues that other coders are having. Continuing your
education is going to help you stay focused on the "why" that started
this whole process in the first place. At the end of the day, if this process
doesn't challenge you and leave you with the satisfaction of a job well done,
it's not worth starting in the first place.
