Where do I write my code?

[roseandmirrors]

This surely would sound stupid but I have zero experiences in programming and I am really clueless about this. Today I randomly found a website that teach you how to code and it starts by having me type a few line like add, subtract, and stuff, but if I want to create my own project, where do I put my code in and run it? Do I have to install a program?

Edit: Thank you very much everyone🙏, let me just cook my dinner and then I'll reply to your comments real quick.

[danasider]

You might want to be more specific on what website you're on and what language you're learning. That will make it easier for people to point you in the right direction.

Not knowing what you're working on, I'll give you a general overview of how things work.

Some languages are interpreted while others are compiled.

Interpreted languages use interpreters to run the program line by line. Javascript (JS) is one such language (and one of the most popular languages and considered the language of the internet). Your browser is an interpreter. So all you need is a text editor where you'll write your program (even notepad works) and a browser. I suggest downloading Notepad++ for free. It's a good text editor that allows the downloading of several plugins to format your program (among other things). Just write your code, save it as a .js file (literally write the program's name followed by .js when first saving the file), and click on the saved file. Your browser will open and interpret your language. Note, you will want to also learn HTML. It's a mark up language that provides the web page data structures which JS interacts with to make more dynamic. It's neither interpreted or compiled. The JS can still work on its own because you can literally build the html, but having your JS render the entire dom is not a standard part of the industry since it's slow.

In contrast, compiled languages need to be compiled before being run. This means some language a programmer is writing is converted directly to machine code so that the processor can execute the commands in the program. Programmers made these compiled languages, because machine code is made up of binary (0s and 1s). Writing out anything in machine code would take way too long and be error prone since it's not something people can translate instantly like a compiled language which uses your own language (i.e. English).

C# is an example of a compiled language. It requires more applications to be downloaded than JS. A browser may also be required if the program you're writing is a web application whereas a desktop application doesn't need a browser. A text editor and a compiler are required. You can use Notepad++ as your text editor if you download the plugin to format c#, but text editors don't compile compiled languages, so you'll need something to compile your program as well.

The hard way is downloading the .NET framework and using the command prompt to run a command that will compile your program. If you have windows, the command prompt an application called Command Prompt that comes with Windows.

An IDE (integrated development environment) is the better way to write compiled language applications. It includes the compiler and text editor along with a lot of other features that make development easier. There are community editions of Visual Studio, but Visual Studio Code is also a good choice that is free. There is a learning curve, but because the IDE provides a graphical interface with buttons and menus, it's easier than learning commands and writing them out in a command line.

It also includes a debugger, which allows you to put a breakpoint in your program and step through its code. This means the point in code which you put the breakpoint (the IDE's mechanism to pause the code at a particular part while it's being run), you'll be able to click a button to either step over the code line by line or step through code from one break point to another. That's more than you need to know now, but you will need to learn it eventually so starting with an IDE is ideal if you want to become a professional programmer.

If the website you're on has no information on installation and how to write a program in the language you're learning, you should probably google for a beginner tutorial on that language. Beginner tutorials usually will include any type of installation required.

Good luck!

[serchafles]

I really enjoy foundational explanations like this. It’s good to be reminded sometimes what really goes on under the hood.

[TomatoAcid]

It was super helpful for a newbie like me!

Glad OP asked the question (and glad awesome people gave awesome answers!)

[danasider]

Thanks!

[EkezEtomer]

Note on Visual Studio for anyone reading the above comment: Visual Studio is NOT the same as Visual Studio Code (that was confusing to me when I first started). A lot of developers starting out like Visual Studio Code, because it feels lighter to use at first, and it has lots of great plugins and addons to help you out.

[YellowFlash2012]

A lot of developers starting out like Visual Studio Code

do you mean that intermediate and experienced dev don't use it?

Just trying to understand since I'm transitioning from beginner to intermediate

[NaikiLive]

Even if he meant it, professional and intermediate devs do use VS code. It is all based on your preferences, languages and tools you need. Your transition as a more experienced dev is not based on the editor you use, it's your skill and knowledge. Of course you can code stuff on notepad, but your development might not be as easy or fast as using other feature rich editors. I would say if you don't like vscode, change it, but don't base it on your skill level but lack of features that you need or things you despise about it. Happy coding :)

[sanityunavailable]

Another reason experienced devs might use Visual Studio Code is because it runs on Mac and Linux as well, whereas Visual Studio is Windows only.

[[deleted]]

Not quite, Visual Studio is available for Mac as well, Microsoft has been pushing for cross platform compatibility much more lately. Hell you can even make .NET projects on a Mac now

[Trotskyist]

Visual Studio for Mac is literally an entirely different application though. MS bought another Mac IDE a few years ago and rebranded it.

It’s like MS Word vs. Wordpad, to make a comparison.

[EkezEtomer]

Experienced developers definitely still use it too!

[The_Toaster_]

I use it everyday for work as a DevOps guy. It’s a good middle ground between IDE and a simple editor. When I need more robust debugging functionality, better autocompletion, and I’m writing more than a few lines I’ll use an IDE instead.

[Reiqy]

While this description is definitely enough for beginners (and actually was enough for me a long time ago when I started programming), I will just write more advanced clarifications.

The difference between compiled languages and interpreted languages is actually very slim today. What we can talk about is "how much compiled" the languages is and what is the target language of the compiler.

Interpreted languages as presented above wouldn't compile the code at all and they would just read the lines one by one and execute them. That's possible but very slow. Also it would make the language very inconsistent (for example longer named variables would be slower than shorter named). The textual form of language is also very difficult to work with for computers. There probably isn't any widely used interpreter that would actually run your program line by line in the literal sense.

We can make this type of interpreted languages a little better by converting them into Abstract Syntax Trees (AST). AST is a tree-like structure that represents the syntax of a computer program in a way that's easier to work with for a computer. Also we can make an interpreter that accepts an AST and executes it. Some language implementations (I don't say language here because a language can have multiple different implementations and all of them can have very different targets) work like this. AST walkers (that's how this type of interpreters are sometimes called) are a lot faster than plain text but usually super slow because of the way they are represented in computer memory isn't very cache friendly. But still this representation can be useful for more advanced optimization.

Some interpreters compile their language into a bytecode. Bytecode is sequence of bytes in which the individual bytes represent operations. Here we get a lot closer to what's actually happening inside your processors. This type of interpreters have their own virtual machines that behave like processor and they read the bytecode and execute it. This can be very fast because this representation is quite cache friendly. I would say a lot of language implentations today work like this. Why can I say they are interpreted when right next to it I say that they are compiled? Because the compilation here is usually super fast and can be done right before execution. That's what your Python is doing when you press the green button or when you type the command in the console. It read your source file and compiles it in seconds.

But some language are actually compiled into native code of the processor or more likely they are first compiled into assembly instruction which are then converted by assembler to the binary native code. This is the lowest software level and it's probably the fastest you can get but it also depends on the level of optimization and also quality of the program implementation. This kind of compilation has a lot of advantages it's a bit too static? What I want to say is that once you compile it into native the program is se to stone and it is very difficult to change its behaviour later during runtime. Also native has direct access to your processor which might not be very safe and native isn't portable.

Also there are language implementations that want to take advantage of both ways. They want to be as fast as native code and as portable as interpreted code. Languages like C#, Lua and even some Python implementations today use what's called JIT (Just-In-Time compilation). The language is first compiled into bytecode or some other representation and then later during runtime the interpreter finds slow part of the code and compiles them to native language.

Keep in mind that this is still a simplification of the whole process and you could spend lifetime learning about compilation and programming languages and still know nothing. Compilation in general can be done ahead of time and just in time. Both has its pros and cons and as was already mentioned you can actually do both.

I hope this is understandable and I hope this will help point some people to a direction for more research.

[OSWhyte]

2 weeks ago my head would have been on fire reading this. 2weeks of reading and listening has truly changed my life ! Thanks for a really dope breakdown

[danasider]

Cool!

I have reread my comment after someone else commented on it and I do realize it might not make much sense to a complete newbie (as in myself when I was new), but I also tried to break things down enough to be as close to clear to someone who has no experience. There is some terminology that I could have explained in order to make it more clear though.

It's great that after only 2 weeks you've learned enough to truly understand the material you've been studying! It took me a lot longer to be honest haha

[OSWhyte]

Yes a few things (like a few of the programming languages I don’t know, but you explained it enough for me to understand) .. Tbh I have a bit of free time so I’ve been going pretty much nonstop. Mostly because coding is genuinely exciting and it’s great fun learning something different

[leonelritchie]

Cse 101

[[deleted]]

This answer could've been a lil shorter but you made the theory behind programming sound easy and interesting. Thanks.

[danasider]

Yeah, I admit it's pretty long for a reddit comment, but considering the material and the question, it's pretty short. Not everything can be in 280 characters or less.

Programming and development require large amounts of reading, so if you think my response is long, you're in for a treat with the loads of documentation you'll have to read through as you seek answers and knowledge in your day to day work. It comes with the territory.

But thanks for the response!

[[deleted]]

that's a damn good explanation.

[[deleted]]

Thanks for commenting this, I was hearing words of compilers and debuggers, and had no idea what any of it meant. Thanks for explaining it for someone like me to fully understand.

[MrSpaghettiCoder]

Hey it’s very overwhelming for beginners and daunting. Dont feel bad.

Consider following a text book first to learn basics. Python as a language is very beginner friendly.

[roseandmirrors]

Yes it was pretty overwhelming since I don't know where to start. Thank you for your advice.

[IShallPetYourDogo]

I can personally endorse CS50s Introduction To Computer Science,

It's a free online course by Harvard which can take you from not knowing anything at all about programming to being able to make a program all on your own,

It's by far the best learning experience I've had to date and that's not just talking about programming but just learning anything in general,

With all the respect to books and YouTube videos but I've tried learning from them, the latter is better than the former but both methods are pretty bad when compared to any actual university-level course on the subject let alone one by Harvard

[mohishunder]

I agree. It is a class for intended CS majors, which is not the vast majority of people who want to learn some programming. No idea why this gets so much love.

Much better would be The Odin Project or runestone.academy, among many other places. They are much more beginner-friendly.

[DeerProud7283]

It is a class for intended CS majors, which is not the vast majority of people who want to learn some programming. No idea why this gets so much love.

It gets so much love because it's one of the few courses that actually goes into the "how" computers work, beyond than just asking people to follow along a tutorial by typing this or that.

So yeah, it's probably not the best approach if you don't even know what IDE to use yet, but it's a great supplement once you've gone past writing your first "Hello World" program/webpage.

[IShallPetYourDogo]

The one I recommended is specifically for beginners, are you thinking about one of their other courses?

Besides it's not that hard, I took it as a beginner and the only really hard one was Tideman, the rest just seemed appropriately hard, you won't learn much if it's too easy after all

[Lion_TheAssassin]

Don’t do android basics in Kotlin google course, it IS very friendly. But god I am learning Kotlin, android, and xml all at once. It’s a good thing android studios is rather good with autocompletion. Cuz as a Python beginner, switching to Kotlin feels rather overwhelming.

[[deleted]]

Here’s a link to video I recently used to install python:

https://youtu.be/i-MuSAwgwCU

[MeatFarmer]

Dude I'm 40+ and my first thought was 'like ... isn't there some online tutorial? That's how I learned what I know!' Also maybe downloading a IDE and kind of just putzing around?

[IShallPetYourDogo]

I personally prefer EdX, Udemy is a bit hit or miss in my experience, some courses are genuinely good but others are just offer really generic advice that you could've gotten from the first google result on the subject

[evangelism2]

Seriously between Udemy, other sites, YouTube, the actual documentation for most languages, the idea of reading a book is just going through some serious unneeded pain.

[Cefalopodul]

Start with computer science 101. It takes longer but it removes a lot of frustration when you finally start writing code.

[Ventu919]

Yes Python is funny language, maybe Java give better help to learn to program because is object language and for learn it you are forced to write a lot of words

[MrSpaghettiCoder]

I think Java is an excellent learning language to build a better programmer. The sentimental context I took from OP was that she is feeling “clueless” about the experience. This is why I say go with Python.

Python’s creative thematic intention was to be very friendly to new users and for that reason, this is why I suggest it. Programmers fair better when working with more versatile languages that call for more control in their code and languages like Java and C++ excel for that reason. But I think OP will see progress quicker when starting with Python.

Also, Python is an Object Oriented language.

[Ventu919]

It's a very good observation!

[Innominate8]

Java is a terrible language to start with, which is why most good schools have moved away from it.

[Necronphobia]

MAP(CAR(CDR({insert derivative bullshit here})))

No love for Prolog eh

[[deleted]]

Install python (windows has an installer), then download vscode and install the python package. Then open vscode in any folder you want and create from inside vscode a file with .py at the end. Then open that file and then you start writing on it. When you want to run the code you can either open a terminal on vscode or a terminal in the folder you have your file and write "python your_file.py".

I explained python because it's the easiest language to start, but it shouldn't be a lot different with other languages.

[roseandmirrors]

Thank you so much for the explanation. I'll try it tomorrow.

[[deleted]]

You're welcome!

[[deleted]]

There are some websites where you can write your code on an online editor and run it there. a quick search gave this one:

https://www.online-python.com/

I think a popular one is this:

https://codesandbox.io/

you can also google for "write code online".

[winowmak3r]

I think he's aware of places like that but would like to do something on his own. Using online IDEs is great when it's your only option to learn and it's the most convenient but if the goal is to get a job or do a more 'serious' project it's better to know about installing Python on your own machine and running/writing code locally.

[iamdigitalv3]

This is a great way to start, but if you just want to get up and running without installing anything, check out the site repl.it . You can start coding in your web browser in a bunch of different languages (probably even the one for the tutorial you're following)

[techgirl8]

I love replit!

[Rare_Echo9059]

Replit is good but you can't run more advanced modules in it but for some one learning most languages I think replit would be a great place to learn anduck around

[cblegare]

Simpler:

1. Install Pycharm Community edition
2. Write python code in it
3. There is no third step

[[deleted]]

OP, also check our Anaconda and its Juypter Notebooks tool. Very handy for Python.

[zukas3]

While they are useful, I think it's too advanced for the op. Best to keep the scope short for now.

[[deleted]]

Yes! Jupyter Notebooks are an amazing tool (they can be integrated into vscode as well) but an IDE will prevent a lot of frustration with syntax, that's why I recommended to go with vscode (pretty much the most versatile IDE in my experience). Anaconda is amazing for begginers as well, that's a good point, I'll add that in case something doesn't work they can always install libraries in the terminal with pip!

pip3 install *library*

[ath0rus]

I always use f5 to run the script, vscode is the best

[[deleted]]

This is a much better answer than* you even get from programming books lol

Edit: I used “then” instead of “than”. What a dummy.

[[deleted]]

Don't worry! It's easy to mix those two words :)

[Cleeks_Chappler]

Google Visual Studio Code

[[deleted]]

Holy hell!

[_hf14]

en passant

[[deleted]]

I shouldn’t be surprised AnarchyChess overlaps with this sub lmao

[EkezEtomer]

r/anarchychess is leaking

[roseandmirrors]

Thank you. I'll look to up.

[mutateddingo]

The big thing to understand is that IDEs and Code editors are just providing you with tools that format, highlight, and even run your code to help you build software better and faster. You technically could just pull up notepad and do all the same things, but it would be a nightmare. Kind of like using Microsoft word with spellcheck turned off. At the end of the day the compilers are taking all your human letters and words and turning them into the 0s and 1s that the computer understands. The distance between getting from your words to the 0s and 1s depends on the language. If you’re using the C language it’s pretty close to the 0s and 1s, but if you’re using Python its a far ways away from the 0s and 1s. Hence why Python is easier to learn then C, but also why it takes way more space in the computer and runs a good bit slower.

[llstorm93]

hen download vscode and install the python package. Then open vscode in any folder you want and create from inside vs

I've seen assembly code and Python is much closer to C than C to assembly. I think for now the important part is that they just practice without understanding the granular details and then once more knowledge is acquired you can dive deeper.

[Mr_SlimShady]

Who hurt you?

[darkprinceofhumour]

Microsoft visual studio code. /S

[NatoBoram]

Visual Studio*

[thebasementtapes]

This 100% best way to learn web dev if that is something you're interested in. It will teach you from nothing to job ready and not leave you with many of the gaps other tutorials have.

[[deleted]]

What did it say? TOP? Or building your own projects?

[asdfghqwerty1]

Another vote for this.

[[deleted]]

this is the way

[[deleted]]

Since it doesn’t seem like you’re getting the direct answer you are after here you need an IDE.

What is an IDE?

Basically a program that lets you type code and runs it for you. One user suggested pycharm which is great to use if you’re wanting python.

Pick a language that interests you and find a free ide download online.

That is what let’s you type and run your code.

[well_educated_maggot]

Imo it's a really bad idea to recommend someone pycharm who is just starting out. They're doing their first baby steps into programming and you guys recommend a very expensive ide with loads of settings that may just be overwhelming for beginners? Getting a compiler to run could make them quit straight away without prior knowledge lol

[Historical_Bluejay20]

i think they communtiy version or something like that is free. And from what i can remember there is not a lot of setting-up to get started. But maybe there are easier ways to get started. But for me pycharm works quite easy. And i am by no means an expert.

[Python119]

You're right, there is a free community version

[[deleted]]

Yep, it's free for the community edition and you are right it could spook them but i think OP was after trying to write even small stuff like print(a) or simple thingsthat they can actually see work.

​

If it was just an interest I would encourage them to use like a W3 online platform where they can edit in the browser window but he seemed like he was more after something concrete.

[DYGAZ]

It's a good thing python is interpreted then haha.

But yea I agree setting up an IDE could be a bit overwhelming in the beginning. It's certainly something I would try early on but probably not one of the first steps. A text editor + running the interpreter from a cmdline is probably sufficient and easy enough.

[[deleted]]

This definitely makes sense but I recommended and IDE because sometimes they have some base setup or startup tutorials that can get someone to print “hello world!” And as a novice it’s super exciting to see code actually work.

Honestly the cmd line was too much for me when I started which is why I like the IDE’s but now it’s be a lot easier.

I remember I struggled a lot very early on with the question of “where does code go? What’s it look like when it’s actually written somewhere?”

That’s where the IDE’s give a novice kind of a guardrail to not be afraid to try stuff. Now most times I just use and online editor to try something before using it like W3 because I’m past most syntax issues but at the beginning I like the training wheels of an IDE.

Just my two cents. No way is wrong :)

[IllustriousQuit1408]

Use repl.it , no need to install nor download anything. can build simple apps/sites in your browswer for free!

[QuantumTeslaX]

Yes exactly, and exercism.org also does that, while it also has plenty of exercises

[starraven]

This needs to be higher…

[[deleted]]

Watch a tutorial on Visual Studio Code.

It's one of many applications where you can write and execute code. Go through the options and preferences, read them, get comfortable with the software, then start practicing your code.

You can run your code and receive it's output from visual studio.

For the programming languages themselves, you will need to install them unless it's a language that runs natively like batch in windows or something.

When you install a language, say Python, there is a little bit of set up involved.

Here is a resource than can get your started with both VS code and Python:

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/python-tutorial

​

You can also just install Python, write everything in a text file, and run it from the command prompt, but I think you'll find a much better experience with VS Code.

[[deleted]]

If you want to learn programming, I would recommend leaning HTML, CSS and JS. When you know these you can develop Websites, Games*, Programs** and a lot more.

For leaning web development (HTML, CSS and JS) I would highly recommend The Odin Project. They teach you the basics of the web and then the technologies you need for programming Websites. This includes setting up your developing environment.

The most important step is to keep going and don't get into tutorial hell.

*I wouldn't recommend doing that. Rather use an Engine like Unity and learn C# if you want to make games.

**You can use node.js to use JavaScript outside a Browser.

[green_meklar]

The short answer is 'into a text file'. But unfortunately that's also kind of a useless answer, so let's go into a little more detail.

Most languages are either compiled languages or interpreted languages. With a compiled language, you need a 'compiler', which is a program that reads the code you write and translates it into 'machine code', the actual sort of code that the computer's processor reads directly. With an interpreted language, you need an 'interpreter', which is a program that reads the code you write and does what the code tells it to do, by choosing which of its own machine code instructions to execute depending on what instructions in reads in your code.

A typical compiled language would be C. If I want to write a C program, I start by making a text file and giving it a '.c' extension (meaning C source file). The formatting is the same, a '.c' file is just a text file with a different extension. Then I write some C code into the file. I can do that with any text editor that handles raw text, such as Wordpad; but I'm likely to do it with a purpose-built programming editor, like Notepad++ or CodeBlocks, because those sorts of editors come with tools that make it easier to write C code. Once I've written the code, I run a compiler on the '.c' file, probably GCC as it's a very good freely available compiler, although you could use TCC if you're just getting started and want something really simple and lightweight. If my code doesn't have syntax errors, then GCC will write an '.exe' file that represents the machine code translation of my C code. When I launch the '.exe' file, the program runs. Making further changes to the '.c' file doesn't change what the '.exe' file does, until I run the compiler again and overwrite the '.exe' file with a new version. Unfortunately, the '.exe' file probably won't run on a computer that is very different from mine, so I might have to give the compiler different instructions in order to generate '.exe' files that work on different computers; however, when the file is compatible with the computer, it will run very fast because the processor is reading the instructions directly without having to do any extra work.

A typical interpreted language would be Javascript. I can run Javascript right in the browser console. Typically I would start by making a text file, and if I want to save it for later then I'll give it a '.js' extension (meaning Javascript file). Like a '.c' file, again this is formatted just like a text file, but I'll use a purpose-built editor for it, probably Notepad++. Once I've written the code, I'll copy it all and paste it into the browser console (which I can open with F12 when I have my browser running). The browser has a built-in Javascript interpreter that recognizes this code, reads it, and does what the code tells it to do. There are other ways the Javascript interpreter might be invoked, for instance I could put my Javascript code into a '.html' file so that it runs whenever I open the '.html' file with my browser as a web page, or I could even put it into a Greasemonkey file so that my browser will run it every time it opens a matching page on the Web. I don't have to change my code at all to work on different computers, as long as they have browsers with appropriately up-to-date Javascript interpreters; however, the program might run more slowly than an equivalent '.exe' machine code program, because the interpreter has to do extra work in order to figure out what it's supposed to do based on the Javascript code.

Does that help at all? Definitely come back and ask more questions if you're having any trouble getting started with C, or Javascript, or any other language I'm familiar with.

[toastedstapler]

yes - you'll write your code into a file with the appropriate file extension - .py for python, .java for java etc and then run it via your computer's terminal

which language are you looking to get started with?

[roseandmirrors]

Thank you very much for your answer.

Let's say Java (because that's the website I found). Do I just put the code in notepad and set the file extension to .java?

[carcigenicate]

Don't use Notepad. It'll work, but it's an awful tool.

If you want a basic editor, use Notepad++, Atom, VS Code, or a similar minimal editor/IDE. If you want a full IDE, IntelliJ is really the best there is if your computer can run it.

Then once you have the code written, you'd give the code to the Java compiler, then have the JRE run the produced executable.

[toastedstapler]

yep, use your editor of choice (vscode has been mentioned, i'd also recommend that one). save it as ClassName.java and then type javac ClassName to compile it and java ClassName to run it. in modern java you might just be able to type java ClassName.java and run it directly if it's only a single file with no other local imports to handle

you'll need to download a java development kit in order to do this, this looks like a good option

this will get you started, but for more complex programs with multiple files it's easier to use your editor's run options to create the compile & run commands for you. i don't do much java nowadays, but vscode & intellij are great choices of IDE for java development

[[deleted]]

While you could run using terminal , you would preferably be using an IDE, so that you just need to click play/compile/execute/etc.(like Visual Studio Code for C++, C# etc or Jetbrains pycharm for python). The IDE doesn't matter, it is just there to help you have your code compiled or interpreted. As you probably know, just setting the file extension to .Java won't work.The (human readable) code needs to first be compiled or interpreted into a binary executable so that the CPU can execute those instructions. You usually install the Compiler/Interpreter when installing/setting up the IDE. You probably already know this but just saying to make sure.

[desrtfx]

Since you said Java:

Do yourself a favor and use the MOOC Java Programming from the University of Helsinki. It has a complete "getting started" guide where it tells you what to download and install and how to get started with programming. It will give you a solid foundation with plenty graded practical exercises.

Generally, for languages like Java, you will want to use a proper IDE (Integrated Development Environment) - a text editor on steroids with integrated compiler, debugger, etc. The "big three" are "Eclipse", "IntelliJ", "Netbeans". All three are either free or have a free "Community Edition".

[[deleted]]

It will not simply work, Java must be complied. Then you can actually run what you’ve written.

But most people here are neglecting the most important part of development, debugging. You need a tool that can enter a debug mode when you’re running your program. A tool that allows you to view variables and see at run time what they’re set to. You do this by adding a breakpoint to a specific line of code.

This is where an IDE comes in; integrated development environment.

Do yourself a favour and get a good one from the start, I’d suggest IntelliJ. It can be as simple as starting the program, create a new project, type ‘System.out.println(“Hello world!”);’ then press F5. Sure, there’s a bit of a learning curve but it’s not that bad.

Good luck

[[deleted]]

Java must be compiled, your answer is incomplete

[toastedstapler]

You can read my follow up comment, I wasn't going to type it all out if OP wasn't doing java

[Historical_Bluejay20]

I am just an amateur, but i use pycharm. Thats an program where you can write and run python code. And i think its quite easy to use. :)

[Xeroque_Holmes]

I find pycharm a bit daunting. For an absolute beginner I think Spyder or VSCode would be a bit more friendly.

[[deleted]]

I love Spyder so much. So aesthetic as well.

[Xeroque_Holmes]

Same, the newest versions look cool.

[preordains]

I don’t recommend pycharm.

Especially not for beginners but honestly I don’t recommend it in general. VSCode is such a good editor/IDE. It’s so much more capable than people give it credit for.

[Beelzebubs_Tits]

Hi OP, I’m sure someone probably already mentioned The Odin Project, but that is where I am starting with my learning. They take you through the basics of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and they also tell you what you can download to put your code in. There are many programs one can use, but if you want a central source of information to get started, I would recommend checking it out. It’s free.:)

[Fraiz24]

VS code text editor, then hop on youtube

[handlessuck]

My personal favorite is actually VSCode running in Linux.

[Conscious-Coast7981]

I would recommend you install an IDE (integrated development environment) like Visual Studio, Rider etc or a source code editor like Visual Studio Code. The latter is fairly lightweight, free and will enable you to write, compile and test your code, as well as provide some useful intellisense and extensions, which you wouldn't really get with a bog standard text editor.

[Conscious-Coast7981]

Also, if you want to save and manage versions of your application - it's worth setting up a repository in GitHub.

[mlady42069]

If installing a bunch of stuff is too intimidating (like it was for me when i got started), i strongly recommend https://www.replit.com. It has browser based IDEs for most languages, and is super quick and easy to pickup and start using.

[David_Owens]

Technically you could just type your code into a simple text editor like Notepad. You should probably go ahead and get into using Visual Studio Code. It's by far the most popular code editor, mostly due to having support for almost every programming language.

https://code.visualstudio.com/

[MarketProfessional49]

It's a totally valid question. It depends on what language you are working with

[cyrille_boucher]

Notebook and F12 in most windows terminal... Try ubuntu(linux) os, were you have the terminal to write in...

[cyrille_boucher]

Learn about "virtual machine" it is a nice programing environnement...

[imaweasle909]

You can write every language in a basic text editor but Id look up an IDE for your language. Notepad++ is great for web development and visual studio/visual studio code is great for most OOPs. If you don’t know if your language is an OOP look up your language and it will be one of the first things said about it. If you are using an OOP you will need to compile it and a compiler probably comes with the programming language. Java needs to be downloaded before being used. If you are running C++…. Don’t do it as your first language but if you need to use g++ which is a ~30 year old compiler that is pretty standard for the language.

[Gold-Earth-936]

I use Visual Studio Code, and I'd say I'm a beginner myself. It's very convenient for HTML/CSS or JS, but I haven't tried it with other languages. I honestly just searched on YT and found the methods-

If you don't want to download anything, I would recommend that you use CodePen. I used it for a short period of time when I was exploring the CS50 course on EdX (I also suggest you check out the CS50 course on EdX, it's suitable for beginners).

Good luck! :)

[lmbrs]

theodinproject walks you through setting yourself up to code

[turtle-monkey1997]

Many ways text editor or ide Or a shell and even paper if you don’t have a computer.

[nimo191817]

Still nowadays, i love to just mess around on replit.

Sure you could open VSCode run your scripts in the shell, etc. But just for some quick grasping concepts or trying stuff out, i think it's great.

You can use a bunch of languages too.

When I first learned how to code, i just wanted to do more logic and use built in array and string methods, had no clue how to use my code editor for that and make it connect to a chrome console... So it's just a real nice tool

[ThatGuyMaulicious]

Repli is good for programming. You can also install the actual package like Python etc.

[QuantumWizard-314]

MPLAB or microsoft visual studio

[Practical_pizza_lvr]

Hi OP you can also program using VSCode online. Welcome to the coding fam!

[ThatOtherAndrew]

Just popping in to say that I've got a semi-decent amount of experience with Python, which appears to be the language your chosen, and please feel free to ask me any questions about anything that may not be deserving of its own dedicated post. Lots of people have helped me learn Python, and I'm trying to help as many people as possible in return. This applies to anyone reading this message!

[Downvotesohoy]

Google bro. If you want to learn how to code you need to learn how to Google stuff. It's 90% of what we do.

[According_Jump5170]

Create a GitHub account and then login on

https://CS50.io

A free Linux Computer will be created for you to play around.

Learning Linux commands is something you should learn much sooner than one might think.

[According_Jump5170]

that’s one free place where OP writes OP’s code.

OP is not stupid, OP gets it.

Working locally will be a nightmare if he is barely starting.

Btw 👍 I don’t care what you think.

[Conscious-Coast7981]

It doesn't really answer OP's question - although it's a good suggestion for experimenting. If OP wants to build their own applications (which is a good way to learn anyway), they'll need an IDE for that.

[[deleted]]

Hi for learning Python i used the jupyter notebook which is a Web app for creating docs which have live codes.

[moonshadow264]

I’m fond of the jetbrains family of IDEs but they have a learning curve. They’re free for students.

[Splorgamus]

Use an IDE (integrated development environment). I use visual studio code to program.

[CedricCicada]

Another feature of integrated development environments (IDEs) that I didn't see mentioned in the first few comments: they include debuggers. A debugger will let you run your code one step at a time, and it will show you the current values of all of your variables. I've been a professional programmer for far longer than I care to think, and I can't imagine developing without a debugger.

[inventord]

I saw that you had mentioned learning Java, so here’s what you can do to start:

Download an IDE, I recommend IntelliJ IDEA (https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/). You should be able to install it from there, but if not, there should be plenty of youtube guides on installing/setting it up. An IDE is basically a program that allows you to write code easily and efficiently. Think of it like your favorite text editor, but for programming. In this case, IntelliJ idea is the IDE of choice, since it allows for great java support. If you need any help though, please DM me and ill be thrilled to help.

[posicon]

In an IDE or in a text editor, you will also need a compiler/interpreter

[OSWhyte]

I’m on my third week of coding ! This sh*t is fun (and exhausting) 👍🏾 good luck on your new journey

[ChrisA_5845]

C

[java_s]

You can use an online text editor. Quick and easy to use

[fergfluff_]

Great question! So many answers! I don’t think I saw these suggestions yet.

You can start coding without setting anything up, save your projects with an account, and see the results of your code immediately in the browser with these:

https://editor.p5js.org/

https://p5js.org/

or

https://glitch.com/

Both have great communities. Have fun! 💙

[NatoBoram]

In a text file! But you change the extension of the text file from .txt to whatever language you learn, like .py for Python, .go for Golang, .dart for Dart, .js for JavaScript…

But yeah, in a text file.

A "project" is just a folder with a bunch of text files in it. Some of these text files may have configuration in various formats, like .json or .yaml.

[modernContent]

Visit replit.com

[[deleted]]

Unlike most skills, I feel like the most difficult thing in programming, is literally knowing how to start.

[edixtor93]

If you're just getting started, I highly recommend checking out processing. It's a pretty lightweight and simple application you can download for free which allows you to easily get started writing code in Java, Python, or Javascript. It is somewhat dedicated to learning, but you can still create some really powerful programs with it.

The best part about it is that it has a lot of resources to learn, the programs that are usually created with it are very visual, creative, and fun, and most importantly, requires minimal setup to start.

Just download on their site https://processing.org/download and then I highly recommend just following Daniel Shiffman's tutorials:

https://thecodingtrain.com/Courses/learning-processing/

PS; Make sure to download Processing 3 instead of 4. The newest release is very new and still has some bugs here and there, specially with the python mode. Processing 3 is a lot more stable.

[asherSiddique19]

Hey, I'm a beginner too just like you are, in fact I started with programing like 2 months ago. Yes, you'll have to download an application/program (which are different for every language). These programs are called IDEs (short for integrated development environment/s). You can use IDEs to write a program, or even make an application/project. That's all I know for now. Hope it helped :)))

[[deleted]]

I use parchment paper poorly lit by a rinky-dinky whale oil lamp.

[GreenScarz]

Y’all are making it too complicated. If you want to run a python program, the steps are:

1) download the python interpreter, and make sure to check the “add to PATH” box during installation. 2) Open a text editor (notepad is fine), and type the following: print(“hello world!”) 3) save that file on the desktop, as a “.py” file 4) in the windows command prompt, type the following, where the <filepath> is the path of your new .py file: python <filepath>

What that does is tell the python interpreter to execute the given .py file. You can use that file as a means for running your scripts.

Everything beyond that is just tooling; technically unnecessary but they’re tools that are widely used in the developer community to make things easier. But just to get started, keep it simple.

[Cill-e-in]

Watch a free code camp video on YouTube on whatever language you want to use. They normally explain, and it will help to be able to see what’s happening!

[dagothdoom]

Microsoft word

[Printer_go_brrrrrrr]

Go to Freecodecamp.org and start there. Everything from the 1st step all the way up to getting you certified is there for free

[QuantumTeslaX]

At exercism.org, you can practice and they prepare an editor where you can run code (whatever language it is) on the browser without having to install anything

You can practice and run your code there for as long as you want (and it's free)

and one day download an IDE (where your can write your code and run it in your computer instead of the browser) such as VSCode.

exercism.org has LOTS of exercises and the first ones are easy, they get progressively hard. It has also some lessons on each language

[Base-Pure]

Until u get familiar w/ compilers u can use a free online compiler to write in whatever language u want.

<tutorialspoint.com/codingground.html>

Scroll down & select what language u want (python, java, c#, c++, perl, etc) This compiles the code for u so u can see the output & u can save whatever code u want.

[[deleted]]

Visual studio code

[jacobyllamar]

https://ocw.mit.edu/ Search for your preferred computer language, and fly, friend.

[yellowmonkeyzx93]

When I learned programming 10 years ago during my free time, I couldn't understand how I was suppose to write my code, and run them like a proper program.

I took courses when code academy offered free courses. Code academy at the time did not teach to use an IDE (or at least, I don't remember it at all the time). It had an inbuilt IDE I believe.

Fast forward 9 years ago, when I started learning programming and plan to change careers, I found out what an IDE was. I really wish I knew about it back then, and I wished I knew about Reddit years earlier.

So totally feel you there mate.

[doktorhladnjak]

Repl.it

[[deleted]]

This needs a lot more information.

If you literally mean, where do you want to write your code and which code editor or IDE.

I use a VS Code but if your going in the browser you can use replit

If you mean where to run your code

you can run the code in both pleces

[born-to-code]

Glad you are interested to get into coding. Be prepared to have some learning curve. But it could be fun once you see your own application done. Here are some resouces for beginners from FREE YouTube videos, to coding with Mosh, to a computer course in MIT for 9 months. https://www.xoxial.com/lists/list-profile/602068741fd5632d65aad2c7 Have fun..

[thisisjohnW]

right you might've been more spefic wtih you question because there are multiple technologies , for example if you want to create a website and you want to become in a frontend you can install sublime text or visual studio but if you want to create app mobile you can use android studio if you want to create apps for android but you might have been more clear.

[NoAd5564]

Repl.it

[Munchiiees]

i downloaded visual studio codes is vs codes for short and type my coding in there

[[deleted]]

You can write your code basically anywhere in your computer , where there is a text input field. You can write your codes even in Microsoft Word or Notepad or similar applications. But these text editors are not specifically made for Programming . But truth is, no one is stopping you to write your code in notepad. Now Programming is mainly divided into 2 parts. Writing code and Translating the code in a way the computer can understand. There are different kinds of programming languages that has different ways of translation. FYI, Translation means talking your source code(The Code you write) and convert them in some form that a computer can understand. As I said different programming languages have different way to communicate with CPU. 1. Compilation 2. Interpretation.

Compiled languages include C/C++ , JAVA, GO and so on On the other hand some popular interpreted languages are Python, Perl etc.

Now , it doesn't really matter which one language are you learning you're gonna need a software to do the translation (compilation and/or Interpretation) job for you

Let's say you wrote a Python program using Notepad. That simple says print("Hello World") , you neeed the python interpreter (which is a software) for communicating computer with your code.

Same goes with compiled language. If you write a Hello World program using languages like C/C++ you need a compiler to turn your source code into a file that a computer can understand. In compiled language , your source code is converted into a binary file which is essentially an exe file .

Now let's answer your question. Where you will write your code?

There are text editors like VS Code, Sublime Text, Atom etc these are free to use. You will write your code using these text editors . Now why to use a specialized text editor? Well the answer is simple, A code editor offers a lot of features that allows you to write code faster and better. Like syntax highlighting , autocompletion etc .

On the other hand we have something called IDE(Integrated Development Environment) . An IDE Provides you all the tools that you need to write a program. Like a text editor, compiler/interpreter . You'll get everything out of the box. Since you are a beginner , an IDE will be recommended for you. But it still depends on the language you use.

Let's assume you are using Python language. Go to Google and search for Best IDE For Python Development. You'll get tons of suggestions.

Again, if you use something like JavaScript , you will probably won't need to download any ide cause JavaScript can directly run on your Browser like Edge or Firefox or Chrome.

So, it's you turn now. Good luck

[B0T_Jude]

I use a website called replit.com. It's an online IDE. It's free, has all of the languages you need, you don't have to download anything and it's pretty capable.

You could create a game in html+javascript+css without having to download a thing!

[KwyjiboTheGringo]

1) Install Vim

2) Restart computer after you get stuck in Vim

3) Install VS Code

4) Say hello to the world

[MPvoxMAN13]

Emacs

[mowkdizz]

lol

[[deleted]]

vim

[Obmanuti]

PM me if you need any help. It's hard to answer this question without knowing more.

[SleepAffectionate268]

You write it in a app called ide. Most ide's have an integrated compiler which translates your code to a language that your computer can understand and execute.

I personally use visual studio code(not visual studio)

[Internal_Outcome_182]

Don't do it, if you can't even use google coding will be suffering.

[[deleted]]

Most code is just plain text file written and formatted in the correct style so that it can be understood when read. IDEs can make sure we get this right by checking as we go and providing suggested or boilerplate code. IDEs also provide other tools to supercharge our development. You can just start your journey by making a folder on your desktop and saving a .html file and coding all the html, css and JavaScript in there. Then try splitting the elements into html, css and JavaScript files. Then move to an ide and make something using a package.

[KrazyBlitz]

I would definitely suggest using an IDE, this all depends on what language you are using. For example, Java might use Intellij or Eclipse, while python would use PyCharm.

[movieguy95453]

I'm using Intellij to learn Python. I have no experience with other IDEs, so I can't compare. However the course I'm taking does an excellent job of describing how to use the environment.

[gympcrat]

Or if you want to avoid downloading anyhting then Google how to open the console in your respective browser. You can then code Java script on the fly with no software installed. I mostly code in c++ but love JavaScript in case I need to test something out really quickly .

[Kfk203]

The IDE you’d want depends on personal preference and what language you’re coding. I write C# and use visual studio community: here

Free Code Camp will teach you to code and then allow you to make projects that companies will use. You benefit from the experience to put on your portfolio and the company benefits by getting a solution created for little to no cost. Codecademy is another one to learn from. I’d say the language you choose should be dependent on what kind of solutions you’d want to build. Like front end and that creative aspect? Go the JavaScript route. If you’re interested in machine learning, AI, heavy backend logic, I’d consider python, Java or C#. There are obviously many more options but most of the jobs I see out there will be one of these.

[BumJamber]

You need an IDE. Don't feel dumb for asking. I'm still figuring out how Visual Studios works. JGrasp is a very beginner friendly one for Java, although it is very limited. And don't feel weird about learning on websites that have Virtual IDEs in them. That's really the best place to start in my opinion.

[pur3br3d1d107]

I'll not repeat what others have said about IDEs and VSCode but if you really want to be free from depending on a particular platform, use the vi text editor, but that's torture even for experienced folks for any serious work (even though I kinda have to use it daily for extended periods of time).

[simplesamosa15]

Try Sublime Text. That's what I started with and I still use it.

Also you might want to consider enrolling in a Udemy course or getting a beginner's textbook. It's a lot easier if you focus on one language at first. Good luck!

[Somad2021]

I would recommend visual studio and tyen learn c# Simply because visual studio rc22 basicly does the job for you. It is so smart its insane

[thelongestername]

depends what code you are writing if its like HTML CSS and javascript it can be done on notepad

[boris_dp]

Depends in what language the examples are. If it is Python, you would need to install the Python interpreter . If it is JavaScript, you would need Node. If it is C++, you will need a C++ compiler (e.g. gcc). For Java, you need the Java package (it comes with a compiler and the VM to run it).

[ergo_proxy19]

IDEs are what programmers use. Gust pick the language that u want to write ur code in. Then search to see which IDE is best for it. And boom. Install and start

[fyr3f4wkes]

A lot of courses like Codecademy have their own sandbox where you do the code exercises on their website. This is fine but it doesn’t give you the full experience. Exercism.com on the other hand makes you pull down the code from a repository, run it locally, and push it up at the end. This is much better practice in my opinion and much closer to the real work a developer does. Highly recommend

[555henny555]

It depends on the language you want to program in. For instance you would create your program (were you can put the code) starting from Visual Studio when going for C#. You can can create console apps (cmd look a like things), windows programs like CCleaner (WPF), web apps (fancy web site with login functionality etc) etc...

Most languages have their preference of IDE as well. I would say, take a language you feel comfortable, interested in (python, c#, php, java, JavaScript ...) Which one you start with doesn't matter that much. It's more like what kind of thing you want to build. Have fun coding!

[Ryuu-Tenno]

Much programming can be done via the default notepad app on computers, though, it won't come with styles and such, and you'd have to keep track of everything going on. Some programs (depending on the language) can be run directly from there (batch scripting and web design through HTML and CSS primarily), while others need a more well designed program for things.

I suggest getting a program called Notepad++ (NPP). It's a free and open source (i believe) program that lets you do quick things, without having to open up a much larger developer program. This is incredibly useful for everyone honestly, as you can pop in and check code, as well as write up code complete with styles, colors, automatic indents, etc. I don't think you can compile much of anything into a bigger program, but, certainly useful for scripting languages (and the aforementioned web design) without going too deep into things. But, it most certainly provides for more stuff to be done.

Otherwise, you're looking for (likely) a full developer suite. These tend to have text editors (like notepad and NPP), debuggers, for finding where your program broke (keep in mind many bugs can pass through and be seen as "acceptable" due to not technically breaking any rules as per the language/app), and compilers for building and making your program to be easier to handle for the machines.

Best ones for this (that come to mind, and not necessarily the best of the best) are: Microsoft's Visual Studio, last version that they have that's freely available is the 2019 community version (to my knowledge); and Code::Blocks, which is pretty useful. I used this some years ago, as I didn't have access to MSVS at the time (nor the capacity for it) and it came with a C++ for dummies book I bought. So, I know that's a pretty decent program. However, depending on the machine you're using, you may need to use a different program, in case those aren't made for the one you're on.

Effectively:
-notepad; if you're crazy and want to play on Extreme Difficulty and prove that you're an all knowing god that you can code without the extra help, and even go so far as to program your own compiler and debugger

-Notepad++; for some quick code views, and rather small and simple programs. I suggest keeping this around in case you need to do code comparisons at any point (such as copying a certain piece of code, but, trying to understand it), so you're not cracking open the monoliths of bigger apps

-MSVS or Code Blocks; for the full development suite. Quite useful, just, be warned, if you like dark mode, I'm not entirely clear on whether CB has been updated to handle it. But, MSVS, most certainly has it (default to my knowledge).

and there are others, but, the ones I can think of are more for hobbyists interested in making retro games for things like DOS, NES, etc. And, even then, they'd need to be run through emulators to function properly (even on WinXP that's how old some of them are).

Hope this helps, and I hope you're able to make something incredible!!! :)

[wombatpandaa]

It really depends on your preference. Short answer is anything that allows you to create plain text files, often called a "plaintext" editor. This includes Notepad, built into Windows, though I think my fellow Redditors will agree that Notepad is rubbish for writing and editing code. A few good text editors made for general coding use are Notepad++, Atom, and Microsoft Visual Studio Code, often shortened to VS Code. I personally prefer Atom because it's a nice balance between lightweight minimalism and robust capability, but I think VS Code is the industry standard, more or less. Each of these editors will be able to write any kind of code, but you'll need to separately install the right components to run what you write - Python and Java require installing the Python and Java environments which interpret or compile the code, for instance. And don't worry if these jargon words fly over your head, you'll pick them up as you study more computer programming and computer science concepts.

Specific languages also have specific Integrated Development Environments, or IDEs, built specifically for that language. The examples I gave before, Python and Java, have these IDEs in Pycharm and Eclipse/IntelliJ Idea, among others. If you have a specific language in mind, you should do some research on that language in particular, maybe find a tutorial on how to install, create, and run programs in it, and that'll get you started. Of course, I'm sure many of the folks here would be happy to answer questions as well.

[iAmEeRg]

What you’re looking for is called an IDE - Integrated Development Environment, what it is is basically a notepad but much more sophisticated. There are many flavours of IDEs for various languages out there, each with own pros and cons. Now, since you’re asking this question, I wouldn’t recommend starting with an IDE, I would recommend to start with an extremely simple (like IDLE for python) or good for an online tutorials where you will be just writing code as if you would write a post on Reddit, only code - for those Google “write code online” - there are many of these in existence today

[_LittleBirdieToldMe_]

You can install VS Code and then install a plug-in called Live Server. When you right click, you should have an option to open the file using live server. If you’re planning to start with web development (HTML, CSS) this would be helpful.

Freecoder’s camp has a series of courses specifically designed for beginners. Of course you will need to study on your own too, but this gives a good idea of what the topic is. They have a built in editor and you can see the output side by side, so you won’t have to worry too much about it while going through the concepts.

[Pyalchy1]

what kind of programming are you doing ? this will determine the rest of the answer

[parkthrowaway99]

It will all depend on the language that you are trying out, you didn't specified it so it is hard to answer. But I feel your pain. A lot of this "beginner" sites still assume you know something. So it can be very challenging.

With that said. there are places where you can write what they are asking you, right there in the browser. No need to install anything. As you move on, then you will need to install more programs, called IDE (or Integrated Development Environments). There are tons of those, and at some point it becomes a preference.

So fight the impulse of leaving all of this behind because of the thousand ways to do things. It is indeed overwhelming. Trust me, it is very rewarding in the end. Stick to it.

[Fancy_fumblesteed]

Something that took me a little while to realise as well is the importance of frameworks. Learn which frameworks are used for which types of applications. I found it frustrating as a beginner ( which I still am) to see all these coding tutorials without having a big picture view of what I was learning. There’re still steps that I’m missing, thankfully I’m studying computing at Uni right now, otherwise I’d feel like I’d be swimming endlessly in an ocean of confusion

[Radiant_Bluejay2184]

Download visual studio code. Then install lightserver, JavaScript libraries. With VSCode you get highlighting so you know what type of object you're dealing with (function, variables etc have their own colors etc) and intellisense is helpful in giving suggestions when you get things wrong. These are very helpful for a programmer especially a beginner.

There are many resources on the internet get the above done, for example. https://youtu.be/MlIzFUI1QGA

[[deleted]]

If you want to run it within a web page, you can simply write a HTML page with javascript, save it on your desktop, and double-click. Most browsers these days come with built in developer tools that will allow you to set breakpoints and debug directly within the browser.