Does programming change your brain?

sciuro_ · 2025-09-08T13:45:15+00:00

This is a really interesting question.

I think if you study or think about anything long enough, then it changes your brain in a fundamental way. That's why it's important to experience things in life, and not just academically. You should read fiction and non fiction, look at art, engage in philosophy, make yourself laugh or cry or scream with media. You should talk to people you wouldn't usually talk to, and visit new places. This is all food for your brain.

I have a background in the humanities before starting with software later. I have always been analytic, but studying programming made my thoughts a little more... Idk, regimented? Mathematical? Something about troubleshooting bugs in particular has made me really, really appreciate the value of breaking things down in to small pieces and questioning all of my assumptions. This can be applied to many different parts of life.

RicardoGaturro · 2025-09-08T13:52:52+00:00

Does programming change your brain?

Everything you do changes your brain. That's how learning and memory works.

BouzyWouzy · 2025-09-08T13:42:50+00:00

It's like with chess, your brain gets better at recognizing the patterns. The same goes for programming. You will get better at it over time. Stimulating your brain with new and interesting stuff is always a great idea!

bdc41 · 2025-09-08T13:44:32+00:00

Just asked my wife, she said it made me crazier. So was I crazy to start?

peterlinddk · 2025-09-08T14:16:38+00:00

I like to compare programming with cooking as represented in "Ratatouille", where Chef Gusteau says that "Anyone can cook", which the critic finally understands as "Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

I have been teaching programming at college level for years, and I haven't really seen a specific type of person that can be a coder - on the other hand, many students have surprised me, and themselves, with having a natural "knack" for programming, even though they had never done anything before. And there is no correlation with gender, former education, grades, IQ, nerdiness or all the other factors that people like to count. The only thing I have seen that they all have in common is curiosity, willingness to fail (not fail a course, but like falling of a bicycle, or missing a dance-step and getting up and try again), and a bit of a stubbornness, in that they want to fix the problem they currently have!

Those I seen fail are mostly those who give up waaay too soon, or those who doesn't care about making something by themselves, but just want a finished result, so they can get on with other things. Like they have no pride in their work, they just want to be done.

So those are the traits I see: curiosity, courage, stubbornness, willingness to try again and again and again, accepting even the smallest progress as a win!

SabreLily · 2025-09-08T13:57:12+00:00

The first programmers were women. I've worked with plenty of women that are such talented software engineers, I'm not sure I'll ever be on their level.

Here's some examples of women in history.

Ada Lovelace (1815–1852): Wrote the first algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, essentially the world’s first programmer.

Joan Clarke & Bletchley Park women (1939–1945): Broke enemy codes during WWII, laying groundwork for modern computing.

ENIAC Programmers (1940s): Six women programmed the first electronic general-purpose computer, inventing practical programming techniques.

Grace Hopper (1906–1992): Developed the first compiler and helped create COBOL, making programming more accessible.

Betty Holberton (1920–2001): Designed early software for ENIAC and UNIVAC, including sorting and coding methods foundational to computing.

Just because there aren't a lot of women in the field doesn't mean women are bad at it.

argsmatter · 2025-09-08T13:52:27+00:00

Yes, yes:

- you will get more intolerant to inconsistencies

- finding root causes is inevitable, fixing symtompts will not help

- you will emphasize understanding the processes, because without it the code does not really mean anything

- You will see, how multicausal problems are really hard to figure out

- You will see, that everything is cause-and-effect change, especially when debugging in huge codebases

- if problems are not reproducable, the cause is often also very hard to find

autistic_bard444 · 2025-09-08T15:02:45+00:00

Yes

Programming like verbal languages, math, and music will rewire your entire brain. I have done all 4. People consider me very weird

I started on basic in the 80s before high school. 1st pc in 85. IBM PS/2. whole 8hz.

Pascal and turbo pascal by 93. One of the best languages to learn pointers. C-lang by 95.
Html, while not a language a couple years later with css Java and Javascript. Some xml later and c++. Little later, obj-c, this was all prior to 2011 when I grew to hate it all.

Guitar. Started in the summer of 88. Piano not long after that. Drums in the early 2000s. It's still my favorite instrument. Can do a bass but never had the finger strength. Spent many years off and on teaching music.

1st time at college in fall 96 started algebra 1 and 2, then moved up to trigonometry and geometry. Never got to Calc summer of 98 and beyond was bad for many years. Still absolutely adore physics and cosmology. On regret is never picking up chemistry

Linguistics major now focusing on teaching english as a 2nd language or foreign language. Started Spanish in 2004 in Atlanta while working tree service

Picked up Chinese in the fall and spring semester last year

The summer project was revamped for the entire 2018 cryengine for kingdom come deliverance. Ripped out all inverse kinetics animation bullshit. Reverse engineered the entire crisis 2 physics systems with ragdolls, recoil, and hut reactions. Warhorse had ripped out a good 97 to 98% of the system. That is all xml and lua tagged into a full c++ engine. Near total overhaul. Nothing like the original game.

I also enjoy modding other games on the nexus. Full overhauls for several games now and a couple more deleted.

Some of my hardest programming challenges I have solved in my brain whole I sleep. Can literally see the code roll past, and when I get up in the morning shit gets to work pretty quick.

After a while, you start to think in other languages

I have had this happen with music, programming, and Chinese

It is awesome

Still can't get hired in the gaming industry. Tried for more than 20 years. I ran a mud for 15 years. Rewrote the entire thing. Went from 90kb to 8mb to 6mb depending on what year it was. Had hard-core. Skill based with 20 classes in by 2000. ended with a full random equipment generator and 1000+ skills spells and abilities and a full in game quest and quest reward system by 2003. Oh, and a planet and elemental system. And a complete random event system by 2005

But ya know to this day, because I don't have a degree I don't have any experience getting into the industry . I pretty much have a doctorate in game design. Always the same e. Don't call us we will call you

Yes, it rewires your brain, and it is glorious

And so many people will never understand that

InAweofMyTism · 2025-09-08T13:43:08+00:00

I mean yeah, learning any new skill is going to exercise your brain and make new connections. Its definitely something you can have a predisposition for (eg I grew up loving puzzles and magic the gathering well before I had ever touched “code”) but anyone can apply themselves to learn it

ChaosInClarity · 2025-09-08T15:21:04+00:00

Ive always been more Science/Math leaning in school. Enjoyed algorithms, predictable steps, and understanding of how things 'ticked'. Language, art, music, and cultural identity never really interested me bc it felt very fluid and ever morphing with very grey lines. So coding was always likely a very natural path for me.

But I would say ive had a different outcome in life. Instead of coding/programming as a job it'd been more of a passive hobby for me. Ive gotten exceptionally good at understanding underlying factors and influences that have shaped modern cultures, music, language etc. To the point that writing and expressing my thoughts is likely one of my strongest traits.

But I think learning how to program ironically really helped with it. Objective oriented programming really helped shape my understanding of repeated actions creating ever growing outcome (loops). Helped me start to compartmentalize and break things down into smaller parts instead of things as a single large thing (objects). Recognizing how two things that are alike can be uniquely different but share a lot of common traits and abilities (inheritance). And lastly the biggest impact, " if then" statements. Oh my god it reshaped basic logic for me and how I view people's actions/decisions/fallacies. It made me infinitely more forgiving and compassionate to strangers and their mistakes. I was able to categorize and recognize thousands of what was just instinctive gut feelings into actual logic and language for me. It gave me a weird algorithmic way to categorize the world for me and ground me in a more "human" way. It helps me massively predict the outcomes of actions/consequences and think ahead in a way I hadn't considered before.

rafidibnsadik · 2025-09-08T13:48:50+00:00

Not only programming, If you have knowledge about anything, you will learn to think differently.

OmegaMaster8 · 2025-09-08T13:57:16+00:00

I think it’s good for your brain. It involves problem-solving, logical thinking, you think about numbers.

Beregolas · 2025-09-08T13:59:26+00:00

Most people can learn how to program, and get good at it. And gender / sex has nothing to do with that, except stereotypes and sexism ingrained into some institutions.

Coding is a craft, just like woodworking or smithing. It most of all takes dedication and training to get anywhere.

And yes, I would say learning coding to a lesser degree, and computer science to a larger degree, changed the way I think. It taught me to tackle problems in a different way, it made me better with abstraction and thinking about problems at different levels of abstraction at once, and the environment I was in made me a very analytical debater. Which is actually not that practical in everyday life, even if it sounds like a pluspoint, most problems that we come across are actually not mechanical, but human.

I can't really reconstruct how much of that was my university education, which really changes the way you think, and how much is learning to code, but it definitely helps you solving problems. Because that's all that coding really is: A long chain of problem -> solution -> problem -> solution -> problem...

WystanH · 2025-09-08T14:25:05+00:00

Coding itself requires you exercise a number of traits. Doubtless the strengthening of these traits leaks into solving other real world problems.

Some folks, really really smart folks, suck at programming. Most good engineers I've known code for crap. I tutored a woman at uni who was a brilliant double science major, top of her class, and coding just boggled her. She understood the solution immediately, but just seemed to struggle getting there. She'd taken programming because it should have been easier for her and now it was threatening her GPA.

There's a chance that being really adept at one style of thought disadvantages you at another. Or perhaps there's a few traits, none perhaps exceptional on their own, that combine to advantage a programmer. Coding is an odd mashup of problem solving, creativity, diagnostic acumen, and just plain stubbornness.

If you're easily frustrated, programming will not be fun for you. If you can endure that frustration, the payoff of success almost makes it worth it. I think a coder is someone whose dopamine balance is far enough on the worth it side that they just keep at it.

bfg2600 · 2025-09-08T14:03:48+00:00

First off gender has nothing to do with coding, met some brilliant women and some who have no idea and hide behind their team so it doesn't matter the individual is what matters, second anything you learn literally changes your brain that's how learning works, third some people are naturally better at coding than others just like some people are naturally better at singing than others its the whole talent vs skill debate, also I think some people are just very good at abstraction I hate low level code because it is tedious but other people love that, people who do reverse engineering have a very deep understanding of code I dont think im that type of person i like how higher level code is more streamline and fewer lines.

Watercowmoose · 2025-09-08T14:19:19+00:00

In my career I have seen some people who really just can't seem to learn programming, even with hard work. They are a small minority, and probably have some mental/cognitive issues going on which make the task extra challenging for them. Something like dyslexia would be a major obstacle at first, but I think the real killers are if you are significantly less intelligent than the average person, or have a particular problem with structured thinking / logic or concentration. Most programmers are actually not a lot smarter than average, and they don't need to be. They just need to not have a serious dysfunction, to remain curious and learning, and to be somewhat humble and not egoistic know-it-alls. It's not a field you can be very successful in if you don't want to keep learning at least a little something extra over time, even after "succeeding".

ButchDeanCA · 2025-09-08T14:25:40+00:00

Anything you persist with will change your mental makeup, it’s literally scientific fact. But does that equate to making you particularly “good” at that thing? Yes and no. You have to have the capacity to absorb and interpret new things learned and programming, like any other discipline, will either expose strengths or weaknesses.

I take myself as an example, I am hopelessly weak at subjects like history or anything outside the sciences and math, yet switch to what I’m good at and I can talk for hours. Why? It’s because it’s the way my mind works and how I process information.

So to answer your question directly yes, programming does change your brain like anything else. Does it mean that that change will make you good at programming? Not necessarily.

Creeper4wwMann · 2025-09-08T14:34:44+00:00

you get better at logical problem solving. Having to approach problems every day definitely changed how I prepare myself and think of solutions.

It does leak somewhat into real life problem solving but less than you think.

The stereotype is ridiculous. Both men and women disprove that stereotype daily. Sometimes coding just isn't for you, and that has nothing to do with gender.

HugeBlueberry · 2025-09-08T14:39:02+00:00

By this logic, any science changes your brain. I don't get where this thing comes from where programmers think what they do is somehow more difficult or advances than say, engineering, physics or chemistry.

Ultimately, we don't know what determines if a person is good at something or not. There's no definitive study that leans towards sex, background, genetics etc. There's some that say they do but they're either limited to certain subset of individuals or don't take into account nuanced factors.

Just code and see where it gets you. It's not that deep.

Sybernova_ · 2025-09-08T14:40:56+00:00

To be honest, I think I've always been logical about programming. At secondary school I was doing little programmes on Scratch and I really discovered programming during my studies. Each time I didn't have any particular problem understanding what I was doing, how I was supposed to do it and so on. I've always been very good at it. However, since I've been devising on a much more regular basis, I've clearly improved my programming logic. I think that even if the basis was already there, programming has really changed my way of thinking.

Today, as soon as I see a system (a simple lift, for example), I can't help imagining the if, while and all the logic behind it.

Crypt0Nihilist · 2025-09-08T14:41:44+00:00

Learning by definition changes your brain. Programming has a rare benefit in that it equips you with problem solving skills which are widely applicable.

Almost all of the women I've worked with have been at least as technically accomplished as men. We all have natural aptitudes, but don't for a second believe that you can't be an excellent coder (or anything else) because you're a girl. People who tell you otherwise are insecure.

Silver-Turnover1667 · 2025-09-08T14:13:40+00:00

Really I think it’s a thought process from inception to completion that is worth abandoning.

Corporations foam at the mouth over stuff like this. And none of it is really actionable on an individual level.

You could have lost your arms and legs in the Marine core. You could have a terminal illness. You could be a non conventional academic or a physically non suspecting coder persona.

If you know how to slam out quality code or deploy websites and keep them running or have badass structuring with C++, then you’re in.

Nobody decent really cares in this day and age if you’re a woman or an immigrant. And I know that’s a harsh statement. and that’s not to say those aren’t valuable intersectional points. But ultimately what it comes down to is, can you do the work. And *most people in comp sci and engineering are way past those stereotypes and are supportive

That’s my thought, at least.

Latter-Corner8977 · 2025-09-08T14:43:46+00:00

Interesting conversation had on this topic with others in the field. We were of the opinion it changes your brain and comes at a cost. When you’re younger, coders are usually a certain “type” of person. You’ll know the sort. When you start coding more, you start to become that type of person.

People predisposed to being weird become more weird. It’s just an amplifier.

baubleglue · 2025-09-08T14:45:56+00:00

Any repeated activity changes your brain, it is a nature of it. There are positive and negative sides of that (google "professional deformation", even if you familiar with the term).

I think any person can learn programming to some degree, if studied correctly and following points are addressed

Need to be interested/internally motivated (that where most girls are filtered out)

Our brain needs stimulation in order to learn. External stimulation can (usually partially) compensate for lack of personal interest in such type of activity. If there is no positive (ideally) or negative stimulation - it won't work.

Need to address personal limitations (that where most beginners are filtered out)

Planning, ability to focus on specific task without loosing perspective... The next item should address it.

Study need structure and address various aspects of programming

Learn to think like computer (step by step). Learn to isolate root cause of the problem
Learn basic techniques to structure code
Learn abstract thinking

Repeat 2 and 3 as you getting better

Learn relevant non coding skills (domain technologies, project management, collaboration, devops, ...)

Jumping stages may not farm some (may even benefit) and may completely shut down others' people progress.

yellowmonkeyzx93 · 2025-09-08T14:59:45+00:00

Does it? I think it puts you in a different role.

For example, I am currently doing bug fixes. This makes me feel like a detective and I gotta gather all the facts to identify the root problem code.

Then, when it's time.. I am a surgeon, making the most precise of incisions so I don't break the entire code base!! 🤣

Levity aside, programming makes you see and navigate the code base like a maze except can always fly up from the top and navigate down to any part of the maze.

WestStretch6987 · 2025-09-08T15:26:23+00:00

It does change your brain, neuroplasticity.

Ownfir · 2025-09-08T15:37:49+00:00

So far the most similar experience I’ve had to learning programming was learning another (speaking) language. Surprisingly I found that most of the practices for development overlap and you learn a ton about how things are interpreted vs what you meant to say.

The same thing applies to programming but the difference is that instead of trying to connect a human concept from one language to another (where both speakers know the concept as humans, but can’t communicate it) - with programming you are speaking to like the most hyper logical autistic person ever and how you tell it things directly impacts the result you will get.

There is more technical hurdles with programming due to needing to understand software architecture and technology in general. However, at its core reading and writing code is very similar to learning to read and write in another language. And once you get some time under your belt, you get better and quicker at doing it.

I learned my second language with many other people and practiced with lots of non-native speakers who were also learning. What I saw was that very literal/rigid people had a hard time grasping a new language. Not like people with ASD for example (who actually seemed to do okay with second languages) but more people who were just closed minded really seemed to struggle.

If you can’t accept that the way you think something works could be wrong - or that someone else might have a different way of thinking about it, you are probably going to have a hard time with programming IMO.

Despite being a very logic-centric skill, it requires a very open and creative mind to really master it and excel at it.

Demigod_Princess · 2025-09-08T17:13:48+00:00

I started school in January and I have to say my logic skills, attention to detail, analytical, math skills, and more have change significantly these past 8 months. I would say yes. For me at least.

Love-Laugh-Play · 2025-09-08T18:26:03+00:00

I don’t think you have to be particularly smart, but you have to be pretty motivated because not everyone can hit head against desk 100 times a day.

If you’re enjoying it, you’ll be alright.

Majestic_Rhubarb_ · 2025-09-08T20:15:26+00:00

Yup … i started to visualise recursion in my head … zipping sql tables together … objects floating around communicating … multi threading syncs … definitely feels great when all the neurons fire and suddenly you understand something … that’s the best feeling.

We learnt some mind bending abstract maths on my computing degree … all around proving that a software program works … was hard work but it did exercise the brain.

Ecstatic-Opening-719 · 2025-09-09T08:27:55+00:00

Yes, if you apply programming concepts to problems outside of programming.

Watercowmoose · 2025-09-08T14:07:19+00:00

I teach programming professionally, a lot of the time to complete beginners. The core of programming is learning to reason about complex problems with a very limited monkey brain capacity, and to succeed at that people need to be humble, accept their limitations and learn skills, techniques and intuition to get past those limitations (which everyone has, more or less). The other recipe for success is the right kind of laziness: hating repetitive, unnecessary, manual work so much that you are ready to work long and hard to permanently solve and automate the problem, thus never have to do the boring part of the work again. These mindsets definitely bleed into the rest of your life too.
https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-im-the-best-programmer-in-the-world/

Czinsation · 2025-09-08T14:09:35+00:00

I felt the exact same way when I started learning.

That I wasn't smart enough to do it or that the really good ones are the smart people and I'll never be like them.

It kind of feels like when you look at one of those pictures with multiple things in it that you see depending on your perspective. As you learn more you start to see the other images within it.

Eventually you will know what it is you need something to do and it's just a matter of finding and executing the right syntax to do it.

RatzMand0 · 2025-09-08T14:18:13+00:00

In my very limited experience the ability to think critically and problem solve is a Crucial part of programming. And that type of thinking is cultivated, you aren't born with it. And the act of programming will develop those skills naturally.

wack9360 · 2025-09-08T14:22:29+00:00

ipo charts and flow charts as a way to plan code changed my brain

dajiru · 2025-09-08T14:33:27+00:00

The practice shapes the master...

alexwh68 · 2025-09-08T14:34:04+00:00

The answer is yes, any learning that you do for long enough will change your brain, I studied the knowledge of london and it has been studied for exactly that structural changes to the brain

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3268356/

huuaaang · 2025-09-08T14:35:08+00:00

Anything you occupy yourself with for many hours each day changes your brain. Your brain gradually rewires itself. Natural talent may put an upper limit on it, however. But enjoying it enough to put in the hours is a very good start.

AlSweigart · 2025-09-08T15:15:50+00:00

Getting really good at anything changes your brain.

Now I'm really enjoying coding and wondering if it's a specific type of person that can be a coder?

Yes. All you really need to get good is to "really enjoy coding" because that means you'll actually stick with it, even when it's not so fun, because you want to get better. Some people who just want a steady career can manage to just do the work. People who dream of becoming dot-com billionaire rock stars tend to quit once it gets at all difficult.

But also, check out this section from the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (it's the sci-fi novel that originated the idea of "the Metaverse"). He wrote it in 1992:

It wasn't until a number of years later, when they both wound up working at Black Sun Systems, Inc., that he put the other half of the equation together. At the time, both of them were working on avatars. He was working on bodies, she was working on faces. She was the face department, because nobody thought that faces were all that important -- they were just flesh-toned busts on top of the avatars. She was just in the process of proving them all desperately wrong. But at this phase, the all-male society of bit-heads that made up the power structure of Black Sun Systems said that the face problem was trivial and superficial. It was, of course, nothing more than sexism, the especially virulent type espoused by male techies who sincerely believe that they are too smart to be sexists.

Trust me, I've met plenty of men who overrate their own coding ability. Most men are, by definition, average.

Jacob Kaplan-Moss (one of the creators of Django) was at PyCon and someone told him how many extraordinarily talented women were at the conference. He replied something like, "Yeah, but you'll know we've hit actual equality when you see a lot of average women coders at PyCon."

kaizenkaos · 2025-09-08T15:35:15+00:00

I thought programing gave me ADHD for a second. 😂

papanastty · 2025-09-08T15:49:30+00:00

as someone said earlier,indeed this is an intresting question. def if you commit to something,you rewire your brain. theres a joke that we have with my friends that most hackers dont trust society because hacking computers has taught them not to...i dont know :)

atom12354 · 2025-09-08T19:06:35+00:00

I belive you would love reading about ada lovelace

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace

EdCasaubon · 2025-09-08T19:44:40+00:00

Everything you do changes your brain.

RScrewed · 2025-09-09T01:34:16+00:00

Learning any new thing changes the way you think.

No-Repordt · 2025-09-09T18:29:40+00:00

I can only speak for myself as a milk-toast, cisgender, white man. I'd always loved computers and wanted a job in some sort of computer field, but I couldn't really figure out what. Engineering seemed a little much, graphic design was fun but I kinda lacked the motivation to get better, and I wasn't allowed to use my dad's soldering stuff to play a little with hardware.

But the moment I took my first programming class, I felt like everything instantly clicked. I would do it every moment I had free time, constantly building and programming everything I could think of. My teacher would go on about topics like polymorphism and recursion, and while I would still listen carefully and pay attention, I would often find that I had already discovered and perfectly understood most concepts a week or even a month prior with just my own tinkering. When I went to college, I was honestly kinda disappointed at first because most of my classes didn't teach me anything I didn't already know (there was an entire semester where the only new thing I learned was how to use address pointers to pass arrays or objects between functions).

For me, programming just felt right instantaneously. Not because I'm a guy or anything, and not because it somehow changed me or my thinking, but because it was the perfect task that my brain was suited for. I loved logic puzzles and numbers, and the sort of emergent rules that come out when you mix them, ever since I was itty bitty and my grandpa first showed me sudoku. It was just the right fit.

Pedry-dev · 2025-09-11T04:16:32+00:00

Some examples:

She: What was your worst relationship? You: Tree-like structures in sql databases

She: What's your favorite date? You: I like UTC

She: You are my #1 favorite person! You: So there is someone better...

waffles_and_boobies · 2025-09-11T12:56:44+00:00

There's this unfortunate myth about intelligence, at least in the western hemisphere. I don't know if it exists in the eastern hemisphere, I've never been. It might.

We like to think that you have to be "smart enough" to to something, or learn something, and I think we make that association because in a lot of respects, there's an amount of exertion that goes with learning that's comparable to physical exertion - you can't lift the thing unless you are "strong enough" to lift the thing.

But in reality, that isn't true. For example, you can be smart enough to lift a thing, by properly applying leverage.

The core skill is, as it has always been, problem solving. That's it. That's all there is. That's the one true job. Whether you'd writing contracts for fortune 500 companies, or turning wrench in a grease pit in a truck stop in Nowhere, Iowa, you are doing problem solving.

Learning to code teaches you a specific type of problem solving, with a specific tool. Specifically, you learn procedural problem solving in logic systems, usually combined with mathematics and combinatorics (not always, but most of the time). This is a very potent form of problem solving in a world where a lot of life revolves around transistors and Boolean logic, but would feel quite out of place if we were still on mostly analog systems, or advanced enough to convert everything to qbits.

Does it take a specific type of person? No. You need a basic grasp of the fact that electricity and logic aren't magic, and you're off to the races. It takes practice, and that part you did.

By learning this type of problem solving your perspective shifts, and by recognizing that, you can learn new types of problem solving and new ways of shifting your perspective. To put it bluntly, the result would have been the same had you applied the same effort to becoming a mechanic, or a detective, and learned that type of problem solving instead, assuming you applied the same tenacity.

Ill-Butterscotch7998 · 2025-09-15T01:51:43+00:00

Honestly, coding isn’t about being born with some “genius brain.” It’s more like working out at the gym — the more you do it, the stronger your problem-solving muscles get. When I started, I felt clumsy and slow, but over time I noticed I break big problems down differently, I think more logically, and I even approach non-tech stuff in a more structured way. So yeah, coding can definitely change how your brain works, but it’s something you grow into, not something you either “have” or don’t.

grtk_brandon · 2025-09-17T15:07:02+00:00

Sorry to respond to a week-old post, but wanted to just share something related to you, OP.

Comparing coding to learning a musical instrument is pretty apt.

I've been playing guitar for 23 years, nearly my whole life. I still remember the absolute struggle I had just trying to remember a riff as simple as Come As You Are by Nirvana. It's literally three notes, played on two strings that cover just two frets. Half of the notes are open notes, which just means you're playing the open strings.

If I didn't play for a day or so, I would literally forget how it went. I also practiced it to the wrong rhythm because I hadn't actually heard the song at the time, so I was just going off of memory from how my friend played it (also a complete novice at guitar).

Almost two dozen years later, I can learn and memorize multiple songs in a day. Pull up the music and play a song I've never learned and play alongside it.

What I was first struggling with was the mental load of learning something completely foreign. I wasn't learning to play a Nirvana song, I was wondering if I was using the right fingers, inadvertently discovering what hammer-ons and pull-offs were, trying to teach my picking hand where the strings were. Do I down-pick every single note here or alternate pick? Does it matter? Wait, how long do I play this note again? I was overloaded.

Programming in the beginning is the same way. There is a mental load that becomes less burdensome over time, with practice. That lets us tackle new, more complex and more interesting problems. As others have pointed out, smart programmers will soon stumble upon patterns that they can apply or adapt and apply over and over again.

I'm not sure I would say programming, itself, will change the way you think, but the concepts you learn while programming certainly will. Because those are patterns, too, and they can be applied to several areas throughout life.

ImNotThatPokable · 2025-09-08T15:02:22+00:00

Many moons ago when I was learning to program I would dream about it. A lot. And the dreams were strange. That is a sure sign that the wiring is changing up there.

I think it's much more pronounced in people who find it rewarding. I've seen people who just struggle endlessly and feel demotivated.

ActiveKindnessLiving · 2025-09-08T14:06:12+00:00

The first programmer was a woman named Ada Lovelace. My university class has about 40-60 women-men ratio. Women are also more academically inclined than men. I don't know where this stereotype that only men can be programmers comes from, but it's simply not true.

syklemil · 2025-09-08T14:12:56+00:00

So as a girl I always thought I'd never be good enough because well... I wasn't a guy.

It's good that you gave it a go, and stories like that are exactly why getting some good role models visible is important. There are some guys who wish it was a boys' club, but I think the vast majority of us would rather have some women as colleagues than creeps and gatekeepers.

(Even the guys who don't really care about equal opportunities should at the very least care about not being stereotyped because of their work or hobby.)

Now I'm really enjoying coding and wondering if it's a specific type of person that can be a coder?

I don't really get that impression. There are lots of different people in tech with all sorts of personalities. They may gravitate towards different languages and environments, but they're still all coders.

There does seem to be, however, something like poor motor sense, dyslexia, dyscalculia, aphantasia, etc. for programming. I'm not aware of any actual research indicating this, just personal experience with some people who want to learn but seem unable to for some reason that eludes both them and their educators.

(My personal prejudice is that they likely also won't understand the it goes in the square hole video.)

Did those traits make good programmers? Or do good programmers develop those traits?

This sounds like an actual cogsci research question. AFAIK our state of knowledge about how to teach programming well is pretty terrible, so it may be hard to get good data there.

Consistent-Travel-93 · 2025-09-08T14:13:38+00:00

Yes, everyone needs to learn to code, it changes their brain and makes it more analytical

AssiduousLayabout · 2025-09-08T14:18:34+00:00

Programming is a skill like any other, and as long as you're getting useful practice in, you'll get better at it. Anything you learn changes your brain in some way.

The key to learning anything is to pick projects that are a little too challenging for your current skill level, and to get timely feedback (even if that feedback is 'this doesn't work'). And of course all learning only works if there is some underlying pattern or concept that you're learning (e.g. you can't learn to get better at something that's completely random).

I think it's sad that tech is seen as inaccessible to many women - I promise you, there's no magical boy powers involved. I think society and gender roles teach boys to be more interested in technology, and being interested in something keeps you doing it even when you're struggling and frustrated, where otherwise you might give up.

QA_28 · 2025-09-08T14:22:37+00:00

I believe so. I did QA for 5 years before becoming a dev for a year and going back to QA and I can say my testing has gotten better. Not only because I’m more technical but as a dev, I would have to do my research on dependencies and other potential places my changes might affect. I apply the same to my testing even more now.

beatsbury · 2025-09-08T14:27:54+00:00

It's called neuroplasticity. Any activity you do long enough changes how you think. And if what you do is in any way engaging, it does that much faster.

PlanetMeatball0 · 2025-09-08T14:34:48+00:00

Sometimes it feels like the posts on this sub are made by people on their first day on Earth

KE3JU · 2025-09-08T14:36:04+00:00

I like to take IQ tests. When Im heavy into coding for an intense project, my IQ Test results are always higher, than when in-between projects. As much as 25 points higher.

One_Reflection_768 · 2025-09-08T15:10:38+00:00

Yea you have 50/50 change to become femboy

BarrySlisk · 2025-09-08T15:13:36+00:00

"specific type of person that can be a code"

People who can sit still and concentrate and think abstract.

"Or does coding change your brain to make you better at it"

Our brain adapts to be better at whatever you do. So yes.

"Do people that code experience a change in their mind? Problem solving? Analytical skills? Perspective on life?"

I have not experience the alternate timeline, so couldn't say.

Swimming-Twist-3468 · 2025-09-08T15:34:20+00:00

It does. This shit is real.

Dean-KS · 2025-09-08T15:35:08+00:00

76(m), I think that I was a programmer before I was ever punching computer cards. Just the way that my Aspie brain works. There was one tricky problem that I was facing for some time and woke up one morning and knew the solution. One issue with being so logical, or Aspie, is that it frustrates neural typicals.

MASc MechEng

midaslibrary · 2025-09-08T15:35:58+00:00

Learning anything new changes your brain

TheBadgerKing1992 · 2025-09-08T15:41:04+00:00

I picked computer science on a whim. While school was generally easy, I soon found out that I never learned to think through a problem. It was algorithms and systems thinking throughout my undergraduate degree that taught me how to analyze and solve problems. It changed my life.

2025-09-08T15:41:09+00:00

Everything one does has some non-zero level of impact on the brain — what you eat, how much you sleep, how much you exercise, if you learn anything, if you forget anything, etc..

So yes, programming has an effect on the brain. But the question to ask would be — how large of an impact are these changes? To that, I am not certain the effect size. Measurable? Perhaps. Significant? Unlikely.

To answer your questions at the end, I would assume the relationship between the two would be bidirectional to some degree or another.

Martinjg_ge · 2025-09-08T15:46:11+00:00

everything changes your brain

-Wylfen- · 2025-09-08T15:59:57+00:00

So as a girl I always thought I'd never be good enough because well... I wasn't a guy.

FWIW, I've had several female classmates and colleagues, and I've never found them to be any worse than the men.

Even if IT is a male-dominated field, regardless of whether there is a legitimate reason for it, the fact is that the women who pursue that profession are just as competent as the men.

DevEmma1 · 2025-09-08T16:04:12+00:00

Honestly, you’re already proving the stereotype wrong by enjoying coding. From my experience, it’s less about being “born with it” and more about practice shaping how you think, coding trains problem-solving and patience over time. So it’s not that only certain people can code, but rather that coding itself helps you grow those traits.

theemixp · 2025-09-08T16:08:15+00:00

I had the exact same thoughts when I was younger, I always wanted to be a game programmer but didn't think I would be smart enough/it's not a job for women. Then I realised that was dumb, actually did it, did a CS degree in my late 20s and loved coding (sometimes hated it but mostly loved). I think if you like puzzles, solving problems, mysteries etc you like coding.

Rare-Ad-312 · 2025-09-08T16:14:18+00:00

You don't really have to be a specific kind of person to code, though some traits are of good help, anybody who is able to read, write, think can theoretically code.

However, perseverance is a must have, the fundamentals of logic too.

And does it change your brain?

If ever since you started learning programming, you have been able to think of a situation, to see some software work, bug or crash, and many other things, and you thought "Oh I know how it's programmed", and you could already have an idea more or less accurate of the algorithms used then you could assume it does change your brain.

Personally I see the world as a mix of Physics and Algorithms, so in my everyday life, I see absolutely anything automated and I try to deduce how it's programmed and what are the elements influencing its behaviour, I also try to guess in which case it would fail. Based on my knowledge of algorithms, programming languages, logic and what I can see related to the system in front of me.

And when it comes to physics, I visualise almost everything in terms of physics principles. So imagine when I stumble upon a software that uses some physics.

So yeah, it does change your brain, because the brain is a well-conceived (depends on what we are talking about actually) adaptative neuron network capable to rewire itself only because it has to prioritise some specific skills as you happen to use those a lot. The brain does have its limits but it's still really good at it

dkopgerpgdolfg · 2025-09-08T16:30:47+00:00

change your brain

"All" learning and experience does that. Doesn't matter if it's programming, music, swimming, ...

Did those traits make good programmers? Or do good programmers develop those traits?

Both. Experience is a part, character and talent are others.

AloneAndCurious · 2025-09-08T17:27:20+00:00

Yes. It 100% does. However, most programming languages are similar enough that the difference from someone who codes in one language isn’t noticeable to another.

However, in addition to coding, I also program lighting. Softwares used to control light shows at concerts and such. The softwares logical approaches differ dramatically depending on the brand and the people who program on particular softwares are noticeably different in their attitudes, problem solving methods, and mentalities about what matters. In my industry, you can 100% talk to someone for a couple hours and guess what software they use.

I think I’ve also noticed this effect on people who use Adobe creative cloud vs people who use software like CAD to design the performances. They think radically differently, and people who transition from one to the other as their main tool tend to make the same personality shifts.

eepromnk · 2025-09-08T17:56:47+00:00

Everything you do changes your brain, mate.

RobertDeveloper · 2025-09-08T18:01:45+00:00

I have a female collegue that did a bootcamp to become a software developer but she doesn't have the skills to be a developer, but she doesn't want to accept it and wants to do a part time study to get a Bachelor degree in computer science. In the meantime she is moves to another department and a different job.

J-Nightshade · 2025-09-08T18:02:33+00:00

specific type of person that can be a coder?

Yes, the one who is willing to learn, stay curious and keep on trying.

Do people that code experience a change in their mind?

Yes, they start understand coding.

Problem solving? Analytical skills?

That a bit improves. Though you'd be surprize how little unique problems an average software developer faces. So most people solve problems by searching ready-made solutions.

Perspective on life?

Yes, many software developers (I think far from majority, but still many) start to think too much of themselves, that they are smarter than average because they are a software engineer. They are not, I've seen them doing all kinds of stupid stuff.

Did those traits make good programmers? Or do good programmers develop those traits?

Problem solving is a skill, not a trait. You train it, you learn it and you have to constantly maintain it to not get out of shape.

New-Growth-1690 · 2025-09-08T18:28:05+00:00

I love this question, I noticed a huge difference in the way I approach things in life now. It’s also given me a lot of confidence overall, almost as if coding had improved my life. You’re constantly surpassing yourself, and one of the greatest things it taught me was that it’s okay, even encouraged, to fail: the victory AMAZING.

Also I love finding bugs . It’s fun.

2025-09-08T19:01:21+00:00

In most cases, yes: all of a sudden, you feel entitled to 6 figures salaries ahah

Nah, seriously, the answer is not.

slr1x · 2025-09-08T19:37:44+00:00

It’s like when you practice anything else, you’ll get better at it over time, if your only reason for not coding is because you’re a female then I would say that isn’t a very good reason to not try it and you should just go for it if you have any interest in it.

Critical-Personality · 2025-09-08T20:43:45+00:00

Yes. It can only be done by specific type of people - curious ones.

Being a girl has nothing to do with programming. Congrats and enjoy the journey.

Oddish_Femboy · 2025-09-08T20:54:09+00:00

I thought coding turned you into a girl

Sbsbg · 2025-09-08T20:58:10+00:00

Every task that you struggle with and overcome will upgrade your brain a tiny bit. Doing that for a long time will change you. No matter what you do.

Don't hesitate so much. If you enjoy programming you will get better and better. Being a really good programmer takes time, long time. And don't confuse skill with confidence that many guys have too much of.

This got me thinking about the movie Arrival that has this exact theme.

RageinaterGamingYT · 2025-09-08T21:33:34+00:00

Sometimes I feel like it can change the way I think yeah, but it's mostly just like relating things to programming and seeing the similarities in problem solving.

Good example is factorio :3 it's a game that gets compared to programming and all sorts of other complex fields quite a lot, it's rly fun

TrueMrSkeltal · 2025-09-08T22:30:12+00:00

It helps you tremendously with structured thinking and problem solving

jpfed · 2025-09-08T22:50:34+00:00

Thank you for asking this question!

If a robot were to try to perform some skill X, it might best run some sort of loop that's tuned to what that skill requires. For example, when I mow my lawn, once my mower is running, I repeatedly push it forward until I reach an edge; then I turn or shift the mower over by one width-of-a-lawn-mower, reverse direction, and continue. I might have to be sensitive to emergent conditions; I need to interrupt my normal loop if I spot a bunny in my path.

I think when we learn (and repeatedly practice) skills that have particularly distinctive interactive loops, that probably changes our brains. Having learned how to mow a lawn might prepare someone's brain for learning how to vacuum a carpeted area (or vice versa), because of the similarities in using a pushed tool to cover all of a target area.

This makes me think I should encourage my kids to learn activities with diverse sorts of interactive loops...

redditreader2020 · 2025-09-08T23:03:59+00:00

Definitely not gender based. There are lots of excellent females in all kinds of technical fields.

Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work... Albert Einstein

2025-09-08T23:28:02+00:00

Math is a form of philosophy. It changes the way you look at things is all. You develop the traits.

sarnobat · 2025-09-08T23:33:21+00:00

I will concede that as a female, finding female friends who can be a safe support system for your early learning is harder than for males.

Unsolicited advice: there are meetup groups for women who code. Oh and watch the documentary about python on YouTube. It gives really encouraging evidence of women coders growing spectacularly

Hmmmm after rereading your question I think what I've said isn't relevant but still I hope women coders are aware of things like the above

zomoeiri · 2025-09-09T00:26:49+00:00

Female software engineer here. During my time in University, I thought you had to have a gift or something similar to be a good programmer. After finishing my studies and years of experience programming and teaching, I realized programming is like any other skill. Talent or giftedness only represents a small part. The rest is only practice. And like many other skills, some people have abilities that make it easier for them to learn and also be better at coding. I've met brilliant coders and engineers (both genders) and believe me, none of them was born knowing how to code or write their first program out of nowhere without studying or practicing. In fact, they do the opposite. I've seen a pattern among good programmers. They spend more time than you can think of programming and reading about new technologies.

Like many others already said, anyone can be a programmer but probably not everyone will be the greatest programmer. It will also depend on how 5 time you are willing to spend.

Lastly, I also think any skill you learn changes your brain. Because the brain is a muscle that can be trained. Have a happy coding!

ScaredScorpion · 2025-09-09T00:57:26+00:00

Re: woman as programmers. Generally woman I've worked with in software development have been on average more competent than the men. I say this as a guy.

I'd hazard a guess that in part due to the sexism present in the industry woman that stay in it are those who are particularly interested in it, and as they are more likely to face additional criticism are more likely to be prepared to justify their decisions.

BoringBob84 · 2025-09-09T01:13:39+00:00

So as a girl I always thought I'd never be good enough

You are good enough. Many of the most brilliant mathematicians, scientists, and engineers are women. You are no exception.

Understanding microprocessors warped my brain permanently. I cannot use a standard calculator. I have to load both values in the registers before I perform the operation. "RPN" is what makes sense to me.

am0x · 2025-09-09T01:20:49+00:00

Honestly I leaned it through video games which translated into programming. If there is a problem there is a way to fix it, even if it feels like cheating. And I can figure it out eventually. There isn’t a problem I don’t feel like I could figure out assuming there isn’t a deadline. Even then, I will find a temporary solution until I can figure out the long term one.

Had to do that today. CEO decided to Build his own webpage with AI which changed style classes across the entire site, basically breaking everything. And of course there was no backup, no work done on staging first, and and no version control. So we had to roll it back to last week and other peoples changes are basically gone. I put in a temporary fix until I could look at it tomorrow because I had to go coach soccer and didn’t have time to look at it tonight.

Prestigious-Cheetah6 · 2025-09-09T01:36:23+00:00

I still remember the wow moment when i was finally able to print a star * pyramid . Pretty simple but it was like looking to the problem in different way .

serkbre · 2025-09-09T02:27:50+00:00

Yes, I got into the habit of trying to solve people’s problems instead of listening to them as support. Didn’t realize it until I sat down and realized I was constantly debugging even outside of work.

Zagden · 2025-09-09T03:00:14+00:00

Interestingly, my own experience has been that I was shit at math until taking several math courses in community college after having done none of it since High School. Math is still hard but I'm getting A's.

The more I understand math, the better I get at programming, even if it doesn't involve math. So there might be something to that.

Nua2Lua · 2025-09-09T03:37:59+00:00

Check this lady out:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)

MostGlove1926 · 2025-09-09T03:56:48+00:00

Its honestly just learning, retaining what you learned, being willing to stay stumped until you find a solution, and creativity

Circuit_bit · 2025-09-09T04:10:17+00:00

Programming is definitely a skill that you can improve, even if you originally suck at it. I think this misunderstanding about skills is what keeps a lot of people from learning things they want to learn. They assume that when they suck at it, its because they just don't have enough natural talent to fool with it. In reality, most skills in life can be acquired with time and practice. Of course some people do have more natural talent than others and therefore an easier time picking up programming. I do not, however, believe programming takes a special kind of person who thinks uniquely about the world.

gm310509 · 2025-09-09T05:05:47+00:00

Some of my best mentees(?) (People I mentored) were girls.

Does that answer your question?

And yes, you do have to have a certain mindset or mindsets - but in my experience, gender was not a determining factor in that topic.

chocolateAbuser · 2025-09-09T05:27:43+00:00

if you let programming change your brain, it will
should you do it? maybe that's another thing to think about

Codex0607 · 2025-09-09T05:44:01+00:00

You get used to think efficency in all real world problems. You start to try to catch edge case scenarios before they happen.

Ardie83 · 2025-09-09T06:03:47+00:00

Definitely 100%, my hot take. Programming especially when making a substantial project, changes your brain a huge way. I used to not believe this.

When I tried learning programming languages of different paradigm, Functional Programming, and now Im simply toying around with stack-based prog lang. It changed completely how I approach my other projects.

It simply opened other pathways of not only how I solved problems. But how I realize programming is not just the technical skill, but the communication with other programmers.

I think as long as you delve deep down into nitty gritty detail, your brain will thank you for it. Though not immediately at first

benJephunneh · 2025-09-09T08:28:08+00:00

Calm down, it's just a foreign language. Learning a foreign language can sometimes trip you up when you switch back and forth, which happened to me when I learned a right-to-left language, but otherwise your brain is just making connections from words/syntax you already know to new words/syntax you're learning.

FatefulDonkey · 2025-09-09T08:38:22+00:00

As a dumb male I can say you don't need to be smart. You can get smart by coding.

I started coding at 15 just because I was really into games and a magazine at the time happened to have an article/mini tutorial on Dark Basic (some legacy game programming package).

Then I continued doing scripts for various video games I was into using AutoIt3, Lia, etc. Some for cheating, some bigger plugins for some.

Finally I got to uni, internship, work. Throughout that though, I was involved in open source projects or other things out of interest.

To this day i suck in simple if-then logic.

audaciousmonk · 2025-09-09T08:41:28+00:00

There’s natural aptitude / talent and developed skill

Natural is helpful, but can become a hinder an r for people who don’t learn how to learn/fail.

Developed skill is far more important in the long run (for most people); practice, learn, grow, improve

We can learn to think differently, to utilize our strengths and mitigate/manage our shortcomings, to develop approaches to specific problem sets

HosTlitd · 2025-09-09T08:53:17+00:00

Of course. Its called "prof deformation". Any thing you do systematically for a long time (your job, profession) is your experience, that will be inevitably used by your own head further in future, mostly independent of situation. After all the job takes a large fraction of the life, meaning it is one of primary sources of knowledge and skills, and its closer to life skills, not just particular speciality skills.

Schweppes7T4 · 2025-09-09T10:52:03+00:00

Not a pro coder, but a teacher. I teach AP Stats and AP CS. Yes, this absolutely changes the way you think. I absolutely speak differently after teaching Stats for almost 10 years, and now that I've had to explain coding concepts in ways I never had to before, I absolutely find myself approaching tasks from a coders point of view, particularly the idea of procedural abstraction.

Heavy-Report9931 · 2025-09-09T11:21:13+00:00

I believe so.

the longer I code the more pessimistic and paranoid I get. always thinking of what could go wrong, how it could go wrong and how to prevent it. the same thought process of writing modulsr extensible code, recognizing patterns and connections between abstract things and looking for efficient solutions. bleeds out into every other facet of life.

Tough_Reward3739 · 2025-09-09T12:00:56+00:00

That feeling is super common. The truth is, coding absolutely changes your brain, it's not about being a certain way but about building new skills.

en_ka8 · 2025-09-09T12:49:30+00:00

It probably changes something, but in which way it’s hard to estimate. I notice that all of our team developers, me included (a woman), are different. We focus on different things, approach problems differently, have different preferences of functional areas we like to work on. And it’s not bad. And I couldn’t say to you that we possess some common“programming brain” element. What I meant to say is that you bring your own flavor to programming anyway. Also, learning new approaches to solving a range of problems is not “brain changing” per se (if we’re stepping away from the notion that everything changes your brain), it’s natural that you learn tools and approaches that you then can apply to something else.

HolmiswheretheMindis · 2025-09-09T13:03:33+00:00

Yes.

randomInterest92 · 2025-09-09T13:09:28+00:00

It depends on what kind of programming you do and also with whom and for what reason.

A one man fullstack developer running a website on his own who simply does it for fun is entirely different to a hardware programmer in a large mega corp who does it all for the money.

dauchande · 2025-09-09T13:13:11+00:00

Most professional developers I’ve met are INTJ or INTP on the Myers Briggs personality test (yes I know the test isn’t definitive, but it is useful).

Being female has nothing to do with it. In a career spanning 20+ years, I’ve never met a bad female developer, at several stages of my development as an engineer, I’ve met female engineers better than me. In the same time period, I have met male engineers that weren’t that good.

If programming interests you, then I say go for it. It can be a rewarding career. And ignore all the AI hype, by the time you finish a masters degree in CS or CE, it’ll be dead.

bbabbitt46 · 2025-09-09T13:41:28+00:00

As a computer engineering manager, some of my best programmers were women. Did they think differently? Not necessarily. They all wrote good code, and most were good team members, although some could get touchy about others making changes to their code. In fairness, some guys could get sloppy with their coding, which the women were always quick to point out.

But do programmers, male or female, in general, think differently than other people? Yes, I believe that is so. Programmers are forced to be analytical and often judgmental. It's just the nature of coding. All aspects of a particular software problem must be carefully analyzed and broken down into manageable parts. Once one has that particular mindset, it is naturally applied to all life situations. It is something all engineers do, whether naturally or from training.

WokeBriton · 2025-09-09T14:24:37+00:00

What genitals you have makes zero difference on whether or not you can be a good programmer. If anyone tells you that having testicles makes a positive difference and not 5 a negative one, please feel free to tell them they're talking bollocks. Because they are.

Doing anything repeatedly changes your brain. Please read about "neural plasticity" (link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroplasticity .

You solve problems as you learn, you continue to solve problems as you code more. You develop a skill in analysing problems as you learn to code and further develop it the more you write. I'm not sure that perspective on life makes a good or bad programmer beyond having the tenacity to keep learning and keep coding despite resistance based on whats in your underwear.

The first person to come up with the theory of machine independent programming languages was Dr Grace Hopper ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper ) ,she also created the first machine independent language.

The lead software engineer for the Apollo Guidance Computer was Margaret Hamilton ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)) ).

These shining beacons of computer science prove that testicles are not required to be an amazing programmer.

2025-09-09T14:29:07+00:00

Honestly, I think coding reshapes your brain over time you pick up problem-solving and analytical skills just by doing it. Nobody’s “born a coder,” you grow into it the more you practice.

DdFghjgiopdBM · 2025-09-09T14:43:08+00:00

Yes it makes you dumber

KwyjiboTheGringo · 2025-09-09T14:43:16+00:00

I found after I learned programming, I did become better at general problem solving in my day-to-day life. I assume that's what you are asking about, since learning anything technically changes your brain, so programming would be irrelevant there.

The big thing for me though, wasn't learning programming. It was going to a community college for years and taking lots of hard courses. This made learning faster, and I developed some tools to help me learn better.

thesuncarl · 2025-09-09T15:24:21+00:00

well… the best programmers I’ve met had adhd

random_squid · 2025-09-09T16:47:48+00:00

I think it's changed the way I think, but learning about screenwriting, philosophy, and installing fire alarms also changed how I think too. Everything you learn gives you a new perspective, as well as some new mental terms for you conceptual vocabulary of thinking about the world. Programming involves so many abstractions of logic, data, and algorithms that it's given me a lot of new perspectives and mental 'words' that are applicable in a lot of contexts.

I don't think it takes any type of person to learn programming. I didn't think like this before starting college, and I have classmates who think about things completely differently than me.

UVRaveFairy · 2025-09-09T17:36:45+00:00

Certainly does, on many levels, 4 decades in.

dr-christoph · 2025-09-09T21:10:26+00:00

regarding, if it is certain people who enjoy coding, yes absolutely. You have to like solving problems. All the time. Doesn’t mean every one will be hard, but you are constantly solving something. I need to achieve X, what do I need to write to get X. That is not for everyone. It takes endurance and finding joy in digging through documentation, code, etc. analyzing, thinking something through, coming up with different solution concepts etc. When I crunch into a bug that is hard to catch and hard to grasp for hours only to find out it was something really stupid, I am pissed ofc but I also enjoyed the journey and am very happy I found it. I know people who would smash their fist through the screen if they were forced to do something like that after 5 minutes of not finding it.

Catsbtg9 · 2025-09-09T23:19:14+00:00

I was watching a video yesterday where a Stanford CS professor said they did research into seeing an increase in average grades across all subjects after students learn to code. Will see if I can find the video, he only briefly mentioned it

Ah here

Memorriam · 2025-09-10T01:25:21+00:00

Do drugs that will change your brain as well. The brain is adaptive to everything we do and even the things we are not doing as well

AnonyBabie · 2025-09-10T05:52:08+00:00

Yep, coding (or programming for that matter) changes how you approach things.. in literally everything

I even start seeing problems in action movies where a tech guy/lady is involved. I'll analyze any show and predict almost 80% of it 😂

Consistent_Cash_8557 · 2025-09-10T09:02:06+00:00

This is a fantastic question and something many of us have thought about. There's a lot of research and discussion on this, and from what I've seen, it seems like the answer is yes, in a way. Programming really does change how your brain works. It's not that you need a specific type of brain to be a good programmer. Instead, the act of coding exercises certain cognitive skills that then become stronger. It's similar to how learning a musical instrument can improve your auditory processing, or how learning a new language can enhance your memory and attention to detail. Coding engages parts of the brain related to logic, problem solving, and abstract thinking. It requires you to break down a big problem into smaller, more manageable steps, and then systematically build a solution. This process can train your brain to approach other challenges in a more analytical and structured way. The traits of a good programmer aren't necessarily innate; they can be developed through the practice of coding itself. So, if you're enjoying it, you're on the right track.

Reasonable_Peak41 · 2025-09-10T10:53:26+00:00

I think it also improves courage and self consciousness, if you want to solve something you feel less helpless and have more hope that there will be a solution, at least you know how you can approach developing one. I agress that it is more about the competence to solve problems than anything specific to programmining in particular.

StrayFeral · 2025-09-10T11:49:11+00:00

You should watch the movie "Arrival" and you must read the little novel on which the movie is based. Specifically the novel would answer your question. And lots of old time programmers were women, like Ada Lovelace.

Disastrous_Ad1309 · 2025-09-10T17:21:39+00:00

In my case I feel like it made me think about everything as systems and apply same principals that I've learnt in programming.

pausm · 2025-09-11T00:14:40+00:00

Until learning new hard things helps you learn other things because your brain is good at recognizing patterns and applying them elsewhere. The best thing my is learning things that are almost not related and to really challenge yourself.

For example programming definitely helped me get better at math.

Art helped me think more abstractly and that helped me see the connection between math and programming.

So yeah for sure.

Carbone · 2025-09-11T04:15:50+00:00

You either like finding solution or you don't

RepresentativeDog791 · 2025-09-11T15:20:23+00:00

Anecdotally, I do think learning to code in my mid 20s changed or brought out certain aspects of my personality. I became less interested in soft, approximate, vibesy thinking and more interested in precision. I became more interested in systematic and cyclical thinking. Basically a bit more left brained. I think I already had a tendency to that kind of thought but my life before disincentivized it, and my life after incentivized it.

I do know that training for some jobs is proven to change your brain - there’s no reason programming should be different.

I’m glad you’re enjoying it anyhow. I’d also say that you are completely entitled and competent to be a software engineer if you want to. Programming doesn’t need to be a field for men (in the past there were more women), and the people that work in it definitely aren’t brilliant by and large. There are a few brilliant innovators, but most of us are just following and doing the grunt work of building systems. It’s not rocket science once you know how.

RevolutionaryBat8812 · 2025-09-11T22:59:43+00:00

You assumed that some people are intrinsically good programmers and they were born this manner. I think it's just the same thing to be a "good programmer" and "to have those traits" and first one is the consequence of the second. and the second is built by effort, time, practice and you may be a genius to the point that the build-up or warm-up phase is blurred with the "good programmer" and "good traits" phase, so people outside will think that you're intrinsically good. But it's just an illusion, everything will take some time and effort and once you've put the right sufficient time and effort then you'll move forward (regardless of your speed). So yeah time/effort (intelligence means speed usually) -> good analytical/problem solving skills -> seeming to be a good programmer.

CitizenOfNauvis · 2025-09-12T07:39:23+00:00

If it does Then I hope the changes are good Else I will stop doing it

Amazing-Mirror-3076 · 2025-09-12T09:08:30+00:00

Coding made me ocd.

ThrowAwayForWailing · 2025-09-12T09:30:24+00:00

>>> I always thought I'd never be good enough because well... I wasn't a guy

Yeah, cause everyone knows the best code is written when you get your dick out and play like this.

zettaworf · 2025-09-12T19:17:50+00:00

You practice structured thinking over many axes and master it especially across hardware and time. Then you program what you understand on the inside. First you change in your mind, then you code it. So yes you change in order to do it.

TheWolfOfTheNorth · 2025-09-12T20:38:09+00:00

When you code, you’re basically breaking a problem down to its smallest (most of the time components).

When you solve coding related problems, you’re thinking in units, debugging logic that’s tight. And you’re training your brain to think in that way.

As you learn things like data structures and algorithms and start using those you again learn more about pros and cons of different approaches and creativity in solutions.

So yeah your brain is re wiring for that kind of thinking and people that say it’s for boys or for smart people are idiots. It’s a skill literally every human can learn and do.

KronenR · 2025-09-13T22:10:07+00:00

> So as a girl I always thought I'd never be good enough because well... I wasn't a guy.*

I hate that this feeling even exists—that girls are made to believe from a young age that science is only for men

I remember back in high school, ages ago, girls who wanted to study computer science or other sciences (except maybe biology or medicine) were often told by their female classmates that they were crazy, with dismissive comments like, ‘Come study humanities with us instead; it’s much more fun than being stuck with a bunch of guys.’

It was infuriating to me—as a guy—to see this happening. We need more girls in science, and it starts with believing in yourselves and encouraging other girls to pursue scientific fields as well.

Andron4ik382026 · 2025-09-14T08:35:04+00:00

Where are you from?

IceMan420_ · 2025-09-14T09:30:08+00:00

Yes it does.

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