4 Great Ways to Teach Yourself to Code
Reading Time: 6 minutesLearning to code is about developing a knack for identifying the right code to learn from, the right code to copy-paste, the right code to modify, and asking the right questions in Google or to mentors. This article talks about some ways to teach yourself
Is Coding Easy?
One of the worst things you can say to people just starting to code is that it is easy.
That said, while most programming languages do not require any special brain or special talent, programming is far more frustrating and messier than anybody is willing to admit. Yes, there are plenty of options to learn at your disposal.
Learning to code is one of the most democratized processes of the 21st century. You have thousands of blogs, classes, and slick apps that entice you to be a coding ninja in no time. You can do it largely for free or go the more traditional college route. The options are endless.
But these options do not tell you that coding is about developing a knack for identifying the right code to learn from, the right code to copy-paste, the right code to modify, and asking the right questions in Google or to mentors. And despite doing all this, there is no end level and no mastery to be achieved.
You need to live with the feeling of permanent ignorance and stupidity every day and conquer every day. Every day you start as a student with the anxious feeling of getting lost in a rapidly changing whirlpool of things to learn.
So that brings us to an all-important question.
What is the best way to learn to code?
My simple answer is to teach yourself.
But before teaching yourself to code, keep these golden rules in mind.
- Never compare yourself to other developers.
- You are making more progress than you think. You move at least one step forward every time you study or code. Accept it.
- Everyone is a bad programmer initially, which is perfectly OK.
Here is how you can teach yourself to code faster while achieving better results.
1. Grasp the fundamentals.
2. Do not just read the sample code. Tinker with it!
3. Try to write your own code as soon as possible.
4. Do not be afraid to ask for help.
1. Grasp the Fundamentals
A common mistake while learning to program is skipping the fundamentals in chapter 1 and directly going to chapter 3 to code. This is a recipe for disaster. To be clear in the advanced programming concepts, you must first grasp the fundamentals, however dull it appears to be.
Some of the fundamentals can be.
- Variables: Variables are the names for storing information in any program. Calling the variable retrieves the stored data.
- Control structures: Control structures in a program determine which variables to use based on the existing parameters. If…then…else statements, for example, are one of the simplest control structures in many languages that tells the program how to proceed.
- Data structures: Different methods of storing and accessing data in a computer.
- Syntax: The set of rules defining a programming language's grammar.
- Tools: A piece of software that can help you program faster.
And to get a good hold of these fundamentals, it is a good idea to drill through the documentation first. Going through the documentation (APIs, functions, classes, etc.) repeatedly and typing out the examples given clears the concepts and builds your coding muscle.
Soon they will become second nature to you. So not only are you teaching yourself to retain what command you need for a given task, but you are also retaining the different ways that command can be used.
Remember, when you start programming, pick one programming language, stick with it, and clear all the basics of programming before going to the next level. Your overall time to learn to code will be saved.
2. Do Not Just Read the Sample Code. Tinker With It!
Reading books is undoubtedly good but learning to program and all about creating the code. When I first learned to program, I always started with the example codes that came with the documentation and tried to make them work before starting with anything else.
There are many advantages of sample code. In addition to the helpful comments and simplicity, the sample codes are created keeping the reader in mind, that is you. Yes, it might only sometimes work and sometimes might be challenging to replicate.
Tinkering with the sample code and making it run helps you to develop a proper understanding of the code. Just compile, run it, and see if it works. If it works, change it, rerun it, and so on. You can experiment easily, try new things, and see what happens. The changes will happen almost immediately, and there is no risk of production failure here.
The easiest way to learn a new language is to take some code that works one way and change it. And even if the code does not work, at the bare minimum, your concepts will be clearer. So, it is worth the effort.
Remember, even if you blaze through an entire chapter reading a topic like IF/ELSE, which may seem straightforward, you will still be scratching your head when tasked to implement the code for the first time. So, there is no better way to learn than playing with the code.
3. Try to Write Your Own Code As Soon as Possible
You could be the best programmer in the world, but it will only be worthwhile if you put it into practice. So, write your own code as soon as possible.
There are many collaborative sites like GitHub where you can find people to help you and show your code to the world. As a beginner, the last thing you should be worried about is lamenting the flawed and messy code you will be writing in the beginning.
Just make things. Stay calm if your code is amateurish and buggy. The important thing is to get the feedback rolling, incorporate the feedback and learn lessons the real hard way. Rinse and repeat. Your only job now is to write a lot of code. Quantity is essential now. Forget about quality at this stage.
The idea is to make the simplest thing that could work. If you cannot think of a small program to write, you can always take a more extensive program you want to implement and start building small pieces that you can later integrate with an iterative mode.
You can also reimplement the examples from the book or tutorial you are reading. Try to do so without looking at the sample code. It will be challenging initially, but you will soon get the hang of it. Make sure you master the art of Google searches – it will bring you far on your coding journey.
Remember, you will be a bad programmer, which is perfectly OK. Sometimes you will be stuck at some point. Sometimes, you will not get the ‘logic’ in your mind. The key is to persist and not get discouraged. Programming is a learning process, and everything is ‘figure-outable.’ You will only take a bit more time to figure it out.
4. Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Sophocles has righty said.
‘If we always helped one another, no one would need luck.’
As developers, we like to think of ourselves as intelligent people. Some of us are pure geniuses also. But having said that, we tend to believe that we know everything and can think of everything within our minds. After all, who will want to say, ‘I don't know’?
However, intelligent developers do not always rely on themselves. They know when to ask for help and when to use their own minds. They understand that further delay in asking for help will lead to anxiety and hurt them only in the long run. That is why they are not afraid to expose their ignorance and ask for help whenever required.
Remember asking for help is not a question of your capability. It reinforces the confidence that others have in you that you will do whatever it takes to complete your work on time and with the right results. You come across as a go-getter, confident developer who wants to change himself every day for the better.
As Kubra Salt has rightly said.
‘Asking questions is the first way to begin change.’
Sources
- Writing Solid Code: Development Philosophies for Writing Bug-Free Programs-Steve Maguire
- Test-Driven Development with C++: A simple guide to writing bug-free Agile code-Abdul Wahid Tanner
- Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship-Robert C. Martin
- Timeless Laws of Software Development-Jerry Fitzpatrick
- Complete Guide to Test Automation: Techniques, Practices, and Patterns for Building and Maintaining Effective Software Projects-Arnon Axelrod
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2023 Ravi Rajan
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