What Should You Know About Learning to Code?

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Learn to Code

The term “coder” is a blanket term for computer programmers. Computer programmers provide instructions that computers ultimately follow.

They may use programming languages such as Python 2 or Python 3 (there are others as well), and they write code to create programs that are error-free and work optimally. Programmers may also debug code as well.

The following is a guide to what you should know if you want to learn to code or explore a career as a computer programmer.

More About What a Programmer Does

A computer programmer uses a variety of different computer languages to create software programs.

They work to create a language computer will follow, and they do extensive testing to identify bugs or errors in programs. Programmers can also write code for computer operating systems or mobile phone applications.

Being a programmer or coder is different from being a software engineer. Software engineers create the computer language and algorithms used from scratch. Programmers take those instructions and turn them into computer instructions.

Do You Have to Be a Genius to Be a Developer?

A lot of people think you have to be a genius to be a developer or programmer. There’s this idea that everyone who does this kind of work is some kind of special prodigy, and that’s just not the case.

What you do need to have is a true interest in what you’re doing.

There’s a lot to learn, but at the core, being a coder is about communication.

You may also think it’s too late to learn to code or pursue a career as a developer, and that’s not necessarily the case either. Many people come into it relatively late, and they do well with it.

While some employers may require that you have a computer science degree, that isn’t always true. There are coding bootcamps available online and at different locations around the world where people can learn the same skills.

As far as the needed math skills, people’s misconceptions here can be another deterrent to learning to code.

You do need to know some simple algebra and have problem-solving skills, but you don’t necessarily always have to know advanced math. If you do require advanced math to do your work, you can often find plugins that will perform calculations.

What’s the Best Language to Learn?

One of the most common questions people have about programming is what the best language is to learn. It’s a fair question, but in reality, there’s not one language that’s better than another.

The “best” language varies depending on what you’re trying to do. However, if you want to be good at what you do as a programmer, you should learn multiple languages.

The core languages that you should usually start with are HTML and CSS. These are considered foundational languages for coders and programmers. Then, over time, after you’ve mastered those, you can start determining the other languages you should learn.

A very brief overview of languages include:

  • Python is widely used and versatile and is used a lot of in software development, data science, AI, and machine learning.
  • CSS and HTML are typically used for front-end development, and again, they are considered foundational for developers.
  • JavaScript is pretty versatile also, and it’s for front-end web design and also back-end app development. JavaScript can also be used in game development and robotics.
  • Java is somewhat like Python in terms of being widely used and extremely versatile.
  • Apple released Swift, and it’s to help with iOS app development.
  • Ruby is a full-stack web development language, and it can be especially relevant if you want to do game or web development.

Finally, if you do want to become a coder, and you’ve learned the skills you need to make sure you build a strong portfolio. Even without a lot of job experience, you can be successful in the field if you have work to show potential employers.

You should also expect that you will always keep learning if this is a field you go into. Yes, you have to take the initial steps to learn to be a coder, but it’s not like there’s a final endpoint to that learning.

It’s something you’re always going to be working on. You’ll be learning new skills and new languages throughout your career, so prepare for that.

You have to keep your skills strong, which is why learning never ends in coding and programming.

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