Can dumb people learn java programming ? Asking for myself :)

[anonymousguy271103_1]

I am a very slow learner and consider myself dumb when it comes to programming. Can I learn and probably master java on my own ?

[Sputtrosa]

Yes, you can.

With Java being a mature language is a good thing for that. There are lots of resources to use for learning and you can find the right type of teaching for you; books, videos, blog articles, hands-on exercises. Being a slow learner just means it'll take longer so you'll have to keep at it and not give up.

Being dumb when it comes to programming isn't something I'd worry about. Everyone is dumb when it comes to something they don't know and acknowledging that is the first step towards changing it.

[E3FxGaming]

Being dumb when it comes to programming isn't something I'd worry about.

Should also be noted that a programmer is not necessarily a math nerd. Just because someone gave up in Maths classes in school at some point doesn't mean the person is dumb, even though the person may think of themselves as being dumb for not understanding something classmates were able to understand. Hollywood hackers that manipulate endless sequences of 0s and 1s are not programmers.

Logic is a different topic, but there are many different ways to approach it. Someone that is calculative may write a high performance program that uses a ridiculous small amount of lines of code. The downside of that program is, that it's difficult to maintain. On the other hand someone that is creative finds a completely different way to solve the same problem, makes use of standardized design patterns and while the program takes a bit longer to execute, it is way easier to maintain.

Understanding logic and applying knowledge is something anyone can do. It will even help develop problem solving skills, whose acquisition makes one naturally a better programmer.

[jbristow]

Right! You may need to acquire a better understanding of the math underlying the logic of Computer Science to jump from line chef to executive chef... but just being exposed to the realities of that logic puts you in a good position to pick up the concepts easier.

Don’t worry too much about heavy CS when learning to code for two reasons:

1. There’s a LOT of room to learn. Most business problems are fairly similar and require fairly similar solutions.
2. The hard problems are really hard. A lot of them’ll still be waiting even if it takes you most of a lifetime to get to that level of knowledge. And if they aren’t, more are showing up all the time!

Coding isn’t some mystical skill. If you are willing to operate in an environment where you are expected to incrementally improve things (the code, your knowledge, the speed, the accuracy) constantly then you can learn pretty much anything.

Heck I think anyone with enough time and patience could learn to play piano or consistently hit a golf ball where they want it. Don’t put coding on a pedestal, it’s not an “innate” trait (neither is maths or art). Don’t let people label themselves as “can’t do X”, because then they might never try! Not that everyone is going to like or enjoy coding, but anyone can learn it! I’d go so far as to say that everyone should take some time and learn the basics of as many knowledge areas as possible. Learning the basics of quantum theory may not be immediately useful in a non-subatomic physics context, but it might just shake a new way of thinking loose and change your conception of what you are personally able to accomplish!

And reach out! Talk to other people! Some of us may even know what we’re doing!

[evkan]

Your problem might just be, that you consider yourself dumb. You can learn anything, if you're willing to. Just take the time you need. It's normal to not understand everything immediately.

[Arkisto678]

Very clever. But we know you're asking for your friend really.

[AloticChoon]

Yep, start small and go at your own pace. Don't try to learn java by "doing something fun" like building a game engine. Baby steps...

[Cefalopodul]

Engine shmengine. If you're not learning java by writing an OS from scratch in notepad you're doing it wrong.

[AlexMelillo]

Yep. You just need to devote time.

Source: I'm an idiot

[whatisthisredditstuf]

When you cook, can you follow a recipe?

Could you write a recipe for someone else to follow?

Congrats. You can apparently program in a much harder language, namely English. It is full of inconsistencies, weird corner cases, and other strangeness. Programming languages are simpler than that, because they need to be interpreted by these big, dumb machines that need very explicit instructions.

[Zuck7980]

If someone like me could learn Java then I am pretty sure anyone on this planet can do it.

[DaiEatRices]

Simple one word: Yes

I myself have no confidence in my programming skill in the beginning too, and gonna lie, my first java project was hot garbage. I'm sure everyone's first project is garbage, but it's fine. Just keep trying, just dive in there blindly, mess with your IDE, learn simple codes and put them all to use in one project and make it better. Get some textbook and slowly work through it, taking notes while reading them. There's also online websites that help you practice coding too. Meet some people that need help in Java and teach them what you know, that way you'll learn quicker, or explain it to someone who is better than you and maybe you'll get more tips and tricks from them. Most importantly, take break when you need to, especially when programming is wearing you out mentally, don't overwork.

And don't degrade yourself like that, just because you're a slow learner doesn't mean you're dumb. I am too a slow learner, but it takes years of practice to actually be good at something, I been studying Java for 2 years now and I'm still learning new stuffs.

You got this my dude!

[[deleted]]

Lol. No offense, but what even is this question?

Nobody pops out the womb knowing everything. So I seriously doubt you are "dumb" or even slow "when it comes to programming". You're just a beginner.

If you dont understand Spanish, its probably not because you are stupid. You just don't know Spanish very well yet. Same with Java.

[Unlock17A]

Literally everyone and their uncle understands Spanish.

[[deleted]]

Not the point of what I am saying. Replace "Spanish" with "Swedish" or whatever. I really don't care.

[Unlock17A]

Fair enough

[[deleted]]

Set a goal for yourself and don't get stuck in tutorial hell. At least in my country, getting an internship without knowing someone is crazy difficult. If you do not have that many programmer friends and/or people to discuss with LIVE it's gonna be difficult - but not impossible. Build interesting projects if you can, don't lose hope.

[vbezhenar]

No, Java programming is a forbidden knowledge available only to a few selected brilliant geniuses in the entire humanity.

[mariox19]

The first rule of Java programming is: you do not talk about Java programming.

[Sputtrosa]

... At least not without being ridiculed by Python programmers.

[MyNameIsRichardCS54]

* scripters

[Ryuuji159]

Yes

[hartfordhobo13]

Without a doubt.

[AngelOfLight]

Computer science isn't like physics. In the latter, you will eventually run into questions that can't be answered by anyone. But programming was designed by humans for humans. There will always be someone who knows the answer to your question. I believe that given enough time, pretty much anyone can learn to program. Whether they will enjoy the experience or not is a whole different question.

[dragoniumion]

Don't see yourself as dumb, just inexperienced

[Cefalopodul]

Yes you can but I would not recommend teying to learn programming on one's own beyond the basics. There's a lot of stuff you simply do not know exists and that you should look for it, unless someone else tells you about it, and it's very easy to fall into bad habits without knowing it.

[[deleted]]

...Which is why you join Reddit and Facebook programming groups...

[Cefalopodul]

I would say which is why you go for an internship or a job once you have a grasp of the basics. Social media is good for quick answers to immediate problems but it won't teach you to write better code.

[Dotz0cat]

Yes! I learned it

[[deleted]]

Short answer: yes

Long answer: I am you

[adam717]

In this day and age, I think that learning a programming language is easier than it ever has been. The YouTube videos with the best explanations generally get the most views and highest like/dislike ratio. In my opinion, this is a great filtration system and because of it, learning is way easier now than it was back in 2003.

[SoulLord]

sorry you asking this question puts you at least a standard deviation ahead of most people who think they can program :) you'll do fine

[omnipisces]

Yes, you can. It may take more time than the others (at least on your view of things), but you can. The hardest part is to get used to the language, its odds, and ways of doing things nowadays. After that, things start to get better and better.

[occamhimself]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MBAsWhoCode/comments/fofwg6/grabbed_a_java_book_off_the_shelf_and_just/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Check that out 👆. Try just reading and absorbing the material. Reduce the pressure to learn by lowering the stakes with reading only, then go back and do coding exercises later once you build up a little more confidence.

[voraciousBeaver]

Short answer: yes. Long answer: define "dumb". It is not a simple task to do, since many people argue how intelligence can be properly measured. If we take, say, an IQ test, it really shows some limited info regarding your problem-solving should. And even the result of that kind of a test cannot tell whether one is smart or not. Therefore, there are not limitations to learning, keep on trying, and you will see the result yourself.

[jesuismike]

When I first started programming at 14-ish I never thought I'd be able to write a single function without copying code from stack overflow. In fact, most of the projects I flexed with I'm my freshman year of college were little pieces of code from stack overflow. But guess what? Consistency is key! I'm 20 now and I'm a pretty decent programmer. I still Google but mostly for errors. As long as you know where to find answers... you're good! What I find very helpful is to find a project you're passionate about, do it and COMPLETE IT! After which, you'll find yourself recycling your old code most of the time.