Whether you want to learn how to code because you want to solve problems, increase your income or join the fad, your reasons are valid. You’ve made a good choice and I am rooting for you to build stuff to make lives easy.
Learning how to code follows the tenets of learning. Read. Implement. Repeat. This also means that you must prepare for the days you will be feeling low and may want to give up. Honestly, it gets better with time and deliberate practice and you will grasp some concepts better as you progress.
The barrier to entry for coding is so low and that won’t change soon. All you need is a laptop and internet connection. If only you’re willing to put in the work, you will grow over time.
Here’s a list of things to consider to start coding:
Decide on what you want to build
For starters, decide if you want to build websites or mobile apps. If you want to build websites, start with HTML, CSS and then Javascript. You can explore languages like Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, etc. There’s usually no right or wrong languages to start with. Focus on the community the language has, readability, beginner friendliness, etc.
If you want to build mobile apps, you can learn how to build native Android and IOS apps using Android or Swift. You can consider React Native or Flutter for cross-platform solutions.
Personally, my code journey started with the web. I learnt version control(Git), HTML, CSS, Bootstrap and Javascript enough to build a web app. Then I learnt Java, Angular and Ruby. I stuck with Ruby/Ruby on Rails because I understood the language more. Currently, I am learning Flutter so I can build both Android and IOS apps.
The point is, you need to start somewhere. Choose a language and framework and start learning. The fundamental tenets are the same and it will be so much easier to learn other languages once you’ve gotten a hold of one.
Get Resources
Take lessons from recommended tutors and courses online. There are several free and paid platforms to learn code from:
Freecodecamp
It’s completely free. Learn various languages for web development. Freecodecamp has over 6000+ tutorials and a forum for various languages where you can ask questions and get help from the community. They also have guides and cheat sheets on how to get started.
Udacity The curriculum is designed to provide skills companies hire for. It is purely project-based with mentors on stand by at all times ready to answer your questions. There are some free courses but generally, courses start at $1116 for a full session with a monthly instalment plan. Udacity courses have a well-crafted path to move you from zero to one.
Udemy
On Udemy, you need to search specifically for the things you want. Read course reviews and target teachers with good reviews. Courses are usually above $100 but during sales(which happens quite often) you can get courses for as low as $11.
Codecademy Codecademy has both free and paid plans. The free plan gives you basic courses and interactive lessons. The paid plan, which starts at $15/month offers peer support, practice packs and quizzes, real-world projects and a certificate of completion.
The free version of Codecademy is great to get you moving. Learn web development, mobile development, data science and a host of others.
W3schools Learn web development on W3Schools. The platform organizes the courses in sections with examples. However, it doesn’t quiz with real-life projects and assignments. You can find exercises to test yourself.
Lynda.com(Now LinkedIn Learning)
Lynda.com is a paid subscription platform which gives you access to all the courses listed. The courses are comprehensive and thorough. The tutors are experts and find simple ways to teach complex topics. Lynda.com has a good reputation with teaching code in simple yet effective ways.
Practice
A writer writes. A painter paints. A programmer codes. There’s no need to watch just tutorials without making the effort to practice. Set out time to write code daily and show up. Make mistakes, google your errors and learn from them. Deliberate practice makes perfect. Build Projects After following the tutorials, go a step further to build personal projects. Rebuild your favourite apps and websites by yourself. Get stuck and try again. You will face different challenges and learn a lot more with this approach.
Show Your work
The beauty of showing your work is how everyone witnesses your growth and progress over a period of time. You’re doing something. Don’t let impostor syndrome eat you up. Every 10X developer was once like you.
“Forget about being an expert or a professional, and wear your amateurism (your heart, your love) on your sleeve. Share what you love, and the people who love the same things will find you.” ― Austin Kleon, Show Your Work
Now, you know how easy it is for you to become a developer. Choose the path you want and stick with it. Make mistakes. Learn quickly and show up daily. You got this.