Live Chat6 Steps to Master Coding — An Uncomplicated Beginner’s Guide
Almost everything you use on a daily basis — your computer, your oven, your television; every modern piece of equipment you rely on — operates because someone wrote code for it. As new technologies are adopted, the number of available coding jobs continues to grow at an increasing rate. There’s no better time to get started with coding than right now.
We’ll help you get started with coding by first explaining what coding really is and why you should learn it, and then give you 6 steps on how to get started! These steps will help you on your way to mastering coding and give you the information you need to find the best tools for your educational and professional growth.
1. Start With the End in Mind
Knowing where you want to end up is key to knowing where to start your learning. Why do you want to learn to code? This is a key question to ask yourself before you start, before you enroll in any online courses, or download any tools and software. There are many different routes you can take with coding such as software development, artificial intelligence, or computer engineering. Or, perhaps you want to master building mobile apps?
You’ll also need to figure out how much time and money you can commit to the process. If you’re incredibly committed and you want to spend some money on pivoting your career, then you might consider something like a coding boot camp or an online course. However, if you just want to get your feet wet and see if coding is for you, then some basic tutorials might be a good place to start.
2. Choose Which Coding Language to Learn First
Different types of programming require different skills. For example, if you want to build websites you’ll need to know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — these are the core languages for front end development, which refers to everything you can see visually on the web page.
However, if you want to build full web applications — think anything that has some sort of login feature — then you’ll also need to learn how to write back end code. This can be done with languages like Node.js, Python, Java, or C#.
Get started with JavaScript.
JavaScript is a good beginner’s coding language because it’s applied in both front and back end development, is extremely versatile, and is widely used. Although it started out as just a front end web development language, the newer Node.js runtime allows developers to use it as a server-side or back end language as well.
In the simplest terms, JavaScript is a programming language that is used to make websites interactive. Think of it like this: HTML outlines the basic structure of a website, determines where things go, and handles basic elements like text. CSS then tells the browser how the HTML should be displayed by communicating formatting and other stylistic preferences. Finally, JavaScript brings the website to life by adding functionality: clickable buttons, drop-down menus, contact forms, animations, video players, maps, and other interactive features.
The world of web development is constantly changing, and there are always new tools and technologies being introduced. However, since its inception in 1995, JavaScript has only grown in popularity. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a website that doesn’t use JavaScript today; according to the 2020 StackOverflow developer survey, JavaScript is the most commonly used programming language for the 8th year in a row.
If you want to become a front or back end developer, we recommend starting with JavaScript. You can start out by learning some basics using the W3Schools tutorial.
3. Choose a Code Editor
Okay, so you’ve decided you want to start coding some JavaScript. Many online course tutorials will let you write code directly into their website — and while this might be easy and convenient to start learning, you can’t do anything with code like this in the real world. Instead, you’ll need to download a code editor (sort of like word processing software) where you can write and store your code.
There are many different code editors out there — each with their own pros and cons. As a result, many developers have strong opinions about their code editor of choice.
If you want to start writing JavaScript code, we recommend using Visual Studio Code, or VSCode for short. VSCode is entirely free, and once you get used to it, the platform is fairly easy to navigate.
4. Start Writing Code
It can be daunting when considering where to start, but the key is to first get a basic understanding of how JavaScript works. Once you do that, you can move on to building simple, functional programs.
Here are some beginning tasks to get you started:
Printing “Hello, world!” to the console
- Open up your Chrome browser, right-click somewhere on the page, and choose “Inspect”.
- Select the tab titled “Console”. Depending on the page you currently have open, there might be some messages or text there, but you can ignore it. You’re looking for the empty line starting with “>”.
- Type the following text: console.log(“Hello, world!”);
- Watch how it will print that text in the next line.
Alerting “Hello, world!” on your page
- Now try typing the following text: alert(“Hello, world!”)
- You should receive a browser alert message that looks something like this:
Congratulations! You’ve written your first couple of lines of JavaScript code.
Practice more with the following resources:
5. Find a Community
If you want to grow as a programmer, joining developer communities is a great way to get started. From peer-programming opportunities and knowledge sharing, to mentorship, support, code reviews, and feedback sessions; there are many reasons to be part of a developer community. They can also be a great source of inspiration as you continue on your coding journey.
Communities are usually built around common goals or struggles, and can even be regional. Depending on your background and experience level, here are some communities you might consider joining:
- Women Who Code: Women Who Code is an international nonprofit that provides a global community for women in tech. They aim to inspire and support women to further develop their technical skills and build their careers. There are a variety of community events, webinars, scholarships, and job boards available.
- freeCodeCamp: freeCodeCamp is more than just a community — it’s an online spot to learn to code for free through thousands of videos, articles, and interactive programming lessons. You can also touch base with others who are learning to code at the same time.
- StackOverflow: Perhaps the most well-known of all developer communities, StackOverflow is the go-to place when you get stuck, since it’s essentially a question-and-answer site for developers with a variety of perspectives on a wide range of topics. If you’re encountering a problem, it’s likely someone else has faced it before you and posted their solution. You can also ask the community questions specifically related to your challenge as well.
- CodeNewbie: CodeNewbie is an extremely supportive community of developers and individuals learning to code. The site offers forums, chats, podcasts, and live events worth checking out!
- Facebook Developer Circles: Facebook Developer Circles are designed with the goal of helping developers create and join local communities that educate and provide a forum for discussion and knowledge sharing around the latest topics in development.
6. Keep Learning
Programming languages are just like any other skill — you need to keep practicing to keep improving. If you don’t code on a regular basis, you will start to forget things, so it’s essential that you keep learning new things every day and keep revisiting the basics.
Once you’re up and running with code and version control, we recommend making at least one meaningful commit each and every day.
A lot of developers also like to engage in the 100 Days of Code Pledge (#100DaysOfCode) to help keep them motivated and accountable. This pledge is a commitment to code for a minimum of one hour every day for 100 days and Tweeting your progress as you work through a project. Check out more here.
Whatever your approach, just keep coding!
Alternative Learning Options for Beginners
Apply to a coding boot camp
Coding boot camps are often a fast track to well-paying tech jobs. With lower tuition costs, faster course completion timeframes, and practical, hands-on curricula; they can be a great way to kickstart your coding career.
Are coding boot camps worth it?
In short — the data says yes.
Right now, most university computer science degrees require a minimum commitment of 4 years, and tuition can be upwards of $150,000 — not including costs for housing, travel, food, and loss of earnings over those 4 years. In contrast, Columbia Engineering Coding Boot Camp can be completed in just 12 (full-time) or 24 (part-time) weeks for a fraction of what a formal degree program costs.
Making a coding boot camp worth it
Simply going through a coding boot camp won’t work by itself. You need to make it worth it — this means doing your part to ensure you maximize your learning potential. Here are some helpful tips for staying motivated:
- Be realistic with your expectations and salary goals from the beginning. What’s your endgame? Are you trying to change your career or get a promotion? Boot camps can be a great way to transition into tech, but keep in mind that you aren’t going to make top-range salaries right out of the gate. With that said, even starting salaries in tech tend to be higher than average salaries in other industries.
- Be open about the experience, adapt to new challenges, and work hard to learn the core skills of programming.
- Expect to work hard and hustle to get your first job. You’ll want to work with a career coach to perfect your resume, LinkedIn profile, and interviewing skills — then apply for jobs in a broad range of industries.
- Understand your timeline. Job searching and interviewing can be stressful and it can take a few months after boot camp to really build your network and secure that first position. Be prepared to continue learning on your own after you complete a boot camp.
FAQs From Coding Beginners
Can I learn coding by myself?
Yes, you can. Keep in mind that you’ll need a unique blend of determination and discipline, as well as help locating and identifying the right resources. Coding is difficult, and the path to mastery is full of challenges. When you get stuck, it’s useful to have someone more experienced to help you work through the challenge. For this reason, we recommend checking out coding boot camps.
How long does it take to learn to code?
The journey never ends, and how quickly you master new concepts ultimately depends on you. Even if you enroll in a coding boot camp, you won’t know everything after 6 months. In fact, you’ll just be scratching the surface. But this is what makes a career in code so exciting — there is always something new to learn.
Do companies hire self-taught programmers?
They do! Employers hire developers based on demonstrated skill sets rather than degrees and certifications. While you’re learning to code, build projects and store the code in GitHub where employers can see what you’re able to do rather than just take your word for it.
How can I learn to code for free?
There are a lot of online coding tutorials available, especially on YouTube. However, learning to code by yourself usually takes much longer than enrolling in a course.
How can I practice coding?
There are a number of sites that you can use to practice coding algorithms. Check out some of these resources: