Computer programming, or simply coding, is one of the most coveted professional skills in the current times. It is, thus, of little wonder that many individuals, both freshers & experienced ones, are looking to make a great career in the coding domain. As the dominance of computers and the internet grows, the demand for skilled programmers is rising rapidly. Companies are looking for individuals who possess great coding and problem-solving abilities.
Handling the Highs & Lows of Learning to Code
Thanks to the internet, learning to code nowadays has become much more accessible and convenient. Today, a single web search lists thousands of trusty websites that are providing excellent coding boot camps for beginners. Also, there are various free coding courses that individuals interested in learning to code can use. With so many resources at their disposal, any person with the right mindset can learn to code successfully. Now, while coding is lucrative and many people are motivated to learn it as soon as possible, the initial stages of the learning process can be a bit overwhelming for many.
For starters, computer coding is inherently not a very easy field. And no matter what others try to claim otherwise, the truth is undeniable. Just because some programmers have made it big out there doesn’t mean it’ll be the same for everyone else. Also, many are motivated solely by the financial incentives that coding brings with it. And while this is not a bad reason to get motivated, it shouldn’t be the only reason. Coding is all about passion and creativity. Getting into it due to superficial reasons won’t get you anywhere.
The journey to becoming a successful programmer or coder is full of hiccups and undulations. There will be times when you will want to quit entirely and times when you wouldn’t want to leave your system for hours. Thus, having a determined attitude is the key when learning computer coding.
10 Tips to Secure Success While Learning to Code
Whether you are a student looking to enter the realm of coding or a professional looking to learn a new language or even someone who wants to code as a hobby – if you have what it takes to learn it then my friend, you have our congratulations. And here we’re sharing some highly useful tips to help you stay on track and emerge as a fabulous coder. So without further ado, let’s have a look at the tips that will help you gain your much-deserved success as a computer programmer or a coder.
1. Build a Strong Foundation
The first step to becoming a successful computer programmer is to have a sound knowledge of the fundamentals. A firm grasp of elementary concepts like variables, operators, arithmetic operations, etc. along with data structures and algorithms is very much recommended to get started as a programmer. This knowledge will allow you to start working with any programming language seamlessly. Since you are already familiar with the terminologies and jargon of coding, you’ll be able to absorb the syntaxes of a programming language better and learn to code faster.
There are countless websites on the web that provide courses for learning the basics of computer programming. For instance, GeeksforGeeks provides you with quality tutorials of almost every standard programming language like C/C++, Java, Python, etc.
2. Don’t Frown at Mistakes
When it comes to learning to code, mistakes are bound to be committed. If you start feeling bad about each of your mistakes, you will soon get frustrated. Instead, learn from them and use them to mark your progress. If you committed ten mistakes today, try to reduce the count to eight or seven tomorrow, in and so on. Do not let the lack of perfection get to your head. Even the best of coders were beginners at one point. Meanwhile, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t think much of your mistakes. That would be terribly wrong.
3. Don’t Rush to Become Good
As the popular saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, you shouldn’t expect great things from the very first day. We understand that you have lofty goals that you want to accomplish but, learning to code is a gradual process and you shouldn’t hurry with things. When learning to code, assimilate the knowledge at a steady pace and make sure it sticks with you for a long time.
4. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Assistance
Self-teaching is good but having someone else to show you the ropes is better & faster. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from your friends or a mentor if you are stuck while learning to code. There are also several communities of programmers on the internet. You can post your queries there and get helpful answers.
5. Don’t Try to Devour Everything at Once
Learning to code can be overwhelming for many. Since there’s so much to learn, many try to assimilate as much knowledge as they can at once. But doing so can have detrimental effects. When trying to learn everything at once, you can confuse different concepts and might need to start from scratch wasting both time & effort. Instead, pick a starting point and make your way to the end gradually and surely.
6. Set Realistic Goals and Steadily Work Towards Them
When learning to code, one mistake that many beginners commit is overestimating themselves and setting unachievable goals. In the initial stages, you should start with something simpler and make it a point to go through with it. You should then steadily increase the complexity of your goals and achieve them confidently.
7. Reward Yourself at Every Milestone
One of the best methods to stay motivated is to constantly reward yourself as you achieve the goals you set. As you spoil yourself with each milestone you cross off your list, your hunger for rewards will keep you on track. Self-rewarding also allows you to look forward to good things and keep up your spirits in times of distress. Warning! Do not over spoil your self or you’ll destroy the very motive of this tip.
8. Get Constant Feedback from Your Friends & Peers
When you write a piece of code, get it reviewed by your coder friends and peers. This will not only highlight the inconsistencies in your code but also help you to learn new ways to write the same line of code. Also, your friends can teach you some best coding practices that only industry insiders know. This will help you learn to code faster and more interestingly.
9. Build Your Own Projects
Of course, tutorials are helpful when learning to code. But you know what’s a better and more fun way to learn? Building your own projects. You don’t have to think of complex and practical projects from the very beginning. You can start by adding some offbeat features to a beginner project that you’re already working on. Browser extensions are also a great way to polish your JS skills in the initial stages. You can also collaborate with a friend to devise a project to work on.
10. Take Up Online Coding Challenges
Coding challenges are one of the best, ways to not just improve your coding skills but also work on your problems solving and creative faculties. There are several renowned platforms that offer coding challenges for all levels of programmers. Taking up these challenges will help you work on your technical skills while making you aware of the intricacies of programming. These challenges are also a great way to expand your horizons as a coder and look at a piece of code from different perspectives.
The Wrap-Up:
Coding is one such field that doesn’t care about the background of a learner. People from all walks of life can take up coding as a hobby, a part-time gig, or a full-time career. When learning to code, what matters the most is the passion and perseverance of the learner. Harboring a positive and knowledge-hungry attitude towards coding and not deterring despite countless impediments is the key to becoming a successful coder.
Follow the tips mentioned in this article, never lose hope, have patience, and believe in yourself. Now go out there and show your coding prowess to the world!!
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