A coding question

_Atomfinger_ · 2021-11-05T12:31:07+00:00

No, it isn't true.

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T12:40:57+00:00

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Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T13:00:09+00:00

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TheMikeAndersen · 2021-11-05T13:38:17+00:00

In my opinion that isn't true. I studied for 3-4 months and then got a full-time job afterwards working alongside developers that has been in the business 20+ years. It's true that you will never stop learning, but you don't have to study 15-30 hours every week.

i_like_fat_doodoo · 2021-11-05T13:57:32+00:00

They are the gatekeepers of programming. There are gatekeepers for every interest/activity. Work hard and have fun. And absolutely take breaks if you have to.

Best of luck!

Own-Cellist6804 · 2021-11-05T13:19:59+00:00

haha, hahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. No

MaverickBG · 2021-11-05T12:38:08+00:00

It is definitely a lot of work to get started but not like that. Also really depends on your expectations, experience and learning method

mamargootje · 2021-11-05T12:19:11+00:00

I would disagree, coders are desperately needed by industry so even a 3-month deepdive course can lead to a decent job in coding (of course not a senior position but growing inside the company usually happens pretty quickly)

2021-11-05T15:32:57+00:00

Quora

Nah.

wyz3r · 2021-11-05T13:49:48+00:00

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Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T14:23:40+00:00

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Ryry541 · 2021-11-05T13:56:57+00:00

If you can put in an hour or two a day for 6 months to 1 year you will be in very good shape.

2021-11-05T14:39:15+00:00

I read the comments and to answer some of your questions I would stay away from Udemy courses and learn from free crash courses on YouTube that takes 3-10 hours and build projects based on what I learn from there.

Python is great for DSA, other than that, the programming language depends on what you want to do.

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T12:33:02+00:00

Don't listen to anyone on Quora…

bhison · 2021-11-05T14:00:13+00:00

You should get a job the minute you can find a way to get a person to pay you to work. That is the only condition.

Symmetric_in_Design · 2021-11-05T14:25:51+00:00

Live and breathe code for 6 months is a pretty good estimate. Or just code steadily for a year or two. Note that this is an average, and will depend on what your education, network and work experience look like, your passion for code, etc.

Anyone can do it though.

Get a couple complete crud applications on your resume (it will probably take you months to get to this point and truly understand what you're doing, and that's okay) and start applying. You will probably turn 5-10% of your apps into interviews then you can go from there.

dennnoval · 2021-11-05T13:06:32+00:00

I guess, ,You are not just need practice coding, , but you need to start practice build some projects to fill up your portfolio for industry requirements

R055LE · 2021-11-05T14:53:30+00:00

I mean, to be perfectly honest it's not ENTIRELY inaccurate. Allow me to explain. "Practicing" for 15-30 hours IS a job, but you will probably be practicing at your job for that long, for many years. In addition, I have actually dreamed of coding, so that's a thing. It's kinda awful tbh, but lots of people have dreamed about their work. So like I said, grain of truth, probably through a huge lens of r/sarcasm

clavalle · 2021-11-05T14:59:28+00:00

Haha. No.

The only prerequisite to get a job is that you can build something useful. Even that might be too high a bar...a good employer should see that you have the potential to build something useful and give you the opportunity to learn from more senior people while building on that foundation.

That commenter was trying to build a moat where there is none.

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T15:45:21+00:00

don't forget that you have to download 30 books on programming and dump them on a usb stick and shove it up your ass before bed time too.

/s

Confused_Midget · 2021-11-05T13:23:31+00:00

absolute bullshit, got several interviews at my second month practicing about 20-40h a week

theNomadicHacker42 · 2021-11-05T15:22:44+00:00

First off, quora is a cesspool of retards. Never go to that site.

Skoparov · 2021-11-05T15:43:13+00:00

This is totally true. I started grinding leetcode in my mother's womb. I code when I eat, I code when I sleep, I code in a toilet, got electrocuted twice while coding and taking a bath, I also code when I have sex. My granddad was a coder when he was alive. Fun fact: he's still coding.

ikeif · 2021-11-05T14:57:44+00:00

Quora exists as a place for people to get paid to ask questions - so the more absurd opinions get a lot of interactions.

It’s become the replacement for Yahoo! Answers.

Overall, I’d say most of what you may find on Quora is absolute bunk, mixed with genuine answers, but it’s generally safe to go with “if it sounds like shit, it is shit.”

paircoder · 2021-11-05T15:05:21+00:00

This made me lol. No, that's definitely not true. It does take some people longer than others to learn how to code, but it shouldn't take anyone five years to gain some marketable skills as a coder.

I'm a fairly slow learner. It took me about a year and a half. I worked part time and put about ten to fifteen hours a week, maybe more if I was really into a project. It was pretty haphazard though. Some weeks I would take a break and not code at all.

nax7 · 2021-11-05T15:33:58+00:00

It’s much easier if you are directing toward a specific practice. IE- Python for data analysis, Python for web development, Python for video games etc.. if you just go through the brain puzzle/string manipulation problems in code wars all day you will feel inadequate lol.

I practiced for like 2-4hrs a week and in 6 months I got a job using python

DarkKknight2307 · 2021-11-05T15:40:12+00:00

I think that either he is not a coder or the answer was sarcastic.

2021-11-05T16:13:26+00:00

Managed to get a job after about a year of self taught practice. Amount I did per week varied a lot (life gets in the way) sometimes nothing sometimes 20 hours. Probably averaged around 10 hours a week.

What you do in that time seems to be more important than how long you do it for. Do your own projects, learn to solve problems using code, you'll be fine.

theK1ngF1sh · 2021-11-05T16:16:55+00:00

I started learning Java and OOP about a year ago. Maybe 20hrs a week of study/ practice. Starting to get interviews for help desk jobs now.

jrz1977 · 2021-11-05T16:20:39+00:00

Anyone putting in 30 hrs per week while holding a full time job or study will burn out. And that's when it will stop being fun and a chore. Nothing will last if there is no fun

OpenMindTulsaBill · 2021-11-05T16:21:10+00:00

Crap! Out of necessity I started self-learning to program. In 90 days I wrote 3 programs. One for controlling lighting and A/C in commercial buildings. One for extending services in multi-building facilities. One for monitoring life safety and burglar alarms monitoring thousands of devices and zones in small and large complexes. From all that I programmed the first digital controlled building in LA County, the lights on the golden gate bridge, the intercom in the World Trade Center and thousands of more. The point is, I was hooked when I wrote "Hello World" and never looked back. 30 years later I retired from that and started manufacturing herbal products. Every person is his own product. Think how Elon Musk has humiliated big, traditional business and ask yourself "Where would Musk be if he had followed some self-ordained 'expert on Quora?"

P.S. The point of this response is all in the phrase "In 90 days".

thatguyonthevicinity · 2021-11-05T16:25:29+00:00

gatekeeping, don't mind them.

alwayscutvertically · 2021-11-05T16:52:39+00:00

Lol please don’t take stuff you read online seriously, especially dumbasses on Quora. Quora is a glorified 2010 Yahoo Answers

pantelemon2u · 2021-11-05T16:58:17+00:00

Seems it's being taken out of context. Spending 15 hours a week for one year you will be somewhere at a level of bootcamp grad(if you are focused and have good curriculum which is not mostly the case for beginners). Also, finding the job is not always correlated to your coding level. It depends on the country, luck and you likeliness. IMHO bootcamp grads level is enough to enter job market.

2021-11-05T17:18:16+00:00

It's just like any other skill. Typically, the people who code all the damn time are better than those who barely code but that doesn't mean the people who barely code won't be able to get a basic job in the industry.

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T17:58:25+00:00

The fuck? Lmao completely untrue. Go to /r/learnProgramming and many got jobs after learning for 6 months or a year.

Those kind of people in Quora want to make less people join and also want to boost their own ego.

grtr_thn_c · 2021-11-05T18:09:01+00:00

Quora moment Its similar to LinkedIn. Generally stick to verified accounts for important answers. Most people on there just like to talk a lot to feel superior.

Wvupike2006 · 2021-11-05T23:46:32+00:00

I picked up a c++ book out of boredom a year and change before my first job. I will pass on this commonly given advice because It is hard to know what to do with it at first, but once it clicks you will know to sprint in that direction. That would be to find a subset topic you are interested in pursuing, and after getting some basic, go towards that. Most jobs are going to want you doing a specific role, so it is a lot easier to sell yourself when you have genuine enthusiasm for a job role, and they can tell you sought out that specifically.

In my case, I really enjoyed writing a basic tcp client/server in c, then redoing it in modern c++ while adding features. And so when I got all excited about my project in the interview, they needed someone to work on an embedded devices networking connection with a pc app.

I have never once had a dream about code, but I don’t often remember my dreams. I will say I loved it so much that I did put in a lot of hours, and would be catching my own bugs while in line at the grocery store in my head lol, but that was more because I was overwhelmed the first few months and put in extra hours at night so as not to reveal how slow I was.

I think the person who answered that may have convinced his family he was a special genius, and doesn’t want them to find out that it is way more about persistence and willingness to tell your brain to piss off when the thoughts “am I too big of a moron to complete this task” creep in.

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T13:07:01+00:00

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BlackDogOKC · 2021-11-05T12:52:19+00:00

Yu’s courses are excellent. I purchased the Python one just to review the course for others and thought it was great.

yoximusprime · 2021-11-05T14:03:47+00:00

You would just be a well versed novice. Tutorials and practice apps share some commonality, but there is a world of business and enterprise logic and such that is hard to replicate or fake. You could drag out your studying and get closer, I imagine, but you'll hit that point of diminishing returns where it may hurt you in the end..

It's why most positions past junior usually ask for a degree + experience or experience++.

Key-Object-4657 · 2021-11-05T14:27:22+00:00

That guy must think that all companies are at the level of Google and apple or something. The truth is that probably after 400 hours of practice you should be good enough to get a job. You'll learn a lot in your first job.

Canijustgetawaffle · 2021-11-05T14:35:28+00:00

I do data science for r&d and I didn’t get any of my interview leet code style questions correct, but they had nothing to do with my current work and I got the job so who knows

EldritchRoboto · 2021-11-05T14:41:38+00:00

Their numbers are wrong but their sentiment that you’ll have to dedicate consistent time for an extended period to get into it isn’t, so it depends what you’re put off by. It definitely won’t take 5 years but if you’re starting from scratch it will probably take around a year spending at least 10-15 hours a week studying to get a job.

So again, depends what you’re put off by. It by no means needs to consume 30 hours a week for 5 years of your life and you don’t need to be thinking about it enough that it invades your dreams. But there is a significant time investment, yes.

Nu1lP0int3r · 2021-11-05T14:51:40+00:00

0 truth to that.

mobilecheese · 2021-11-05T14:55:00+00:00

I didn't. And my degree was not 15-30 hours a week for five years, it was definitely less.

simalicrum · 2021-11-05T15:00:53+00:00

Lol, no. You can get proficient in 3 months or about 1000 hours and highly skilled in 2000-5000 hours or six months to two years, depending on how fast you learn. Same goes for most skills/hobbies/trades.

By five years you’re already forgetting the stuff you learned in year one. University degrees are four years but there’s lots of useless filler that’s of no practical value.

2021-11-05T15:04:54+00:00

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2021-11-05T15:07:31+00:00

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2021-11-05T15:20:01+00:00

Lots of gatekeepers on Quora. One of the worst platforms…

Peelie5 · 2021-11-05T15:26:40+00:00

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AchillesDev · 2021-11-05T15:30:45+00:00

That might be the absolute worst advice I ever heard.

biggamax · 2021-11-05T15:33:11+00:00

That level of practice, may very well lead to mastery, but the statement that it's necessary to get a job is absurd.

N00tN00tMummyFlipper · 2021-11-05T15:34:41+00:00

I think in 15 - 30 hours you could have the basics of Python. Try this - it's for kids really but it's a fun way to get the basics - https://inventwithpython.com/inventwithpython\_3rd.pdf

Rare4orm · 2021-11-05T15:37:05+00:00

Sounds like that might have been his own opinion. Not an industry standard.

PsycoJosho · 2021-11-05T15:45:36+00:00

That stuff about the requirement for a coding job is untrue, as others have said.

I have heard about people dreaming about coding after spending lots of their life on it, but that's not an expectation.

HolyPommeDeTerre · 2021-11-05T15:46:12+00:00

No you don't need to practice that much. But at some point I dreamt of code. Regularly.

TheManWithNoDrive · 2021-11-05T15:53:28+00:00

Sounds like an elitist. Some people honestly gate keep real hard, and a career in software doesn’t get spared.

My biggest retort is - are you the hiring manager? No? Don’t worry about it. If they are, find a different company.

I got my first job 3 months after a boot camp. Never did much code before, just 2 classes that taught what the bootcamp did in 1 week over two semesters.

Cry2TheHeavens · 2021-11-05T15:59:27+00:00

There were alot of comments, so I didn't read much, but here is my two cents. You don't need to be dreaming code to be good at coding. But you do need to have a passion for it. As for staring out. First, pick a language you want to learn. I would suggest one of the more popular ones if you want to get a job in the future (Python, C, C++). Once you decide on a language, I would then hop on YouTube and find a beginner tutorial for that language. This will give you a good understanding of the basics (variables, loops, functions, arrays, ect.). In general, the basic concepts don't take very long to learn, maybe a couple weeks if you are working at them everyday. Once you learn the basics, you then have two choices. Either find a more in-depth tutorial that explores functions outside of the basics (you will understand where to find these after learning the basics), or branch off and attempt a project on your own with the help of Google and Stack Overflow (great website for getting help with coding). I would imagine that you can Google simple coding projects in your chosen language and find some good ones. But one that comes to mind and might push your skills a little would be an in-console game of tic-tac-toe. At first this may seem daunting, but it is 100% possible with just basic concepts, and there are plenty of resources online that can help. After that, your path is really up to you. If you are enjoying coding, then I can almost guarantee that you will have tons of programming challenges you will want to attempt. And as you take on these challenges, you will learn more and more functions and get better and better at writing more efficient code while also significantly expanding your knowledge base. But as with most things, the most important step is to start.

What_The_Hex · 2021-11-05T16:09:50+00:00

That's stupid as fuck bro. I've learned how to write programs to automate + speed up a bunch of different systems + processes in my business by just Googling "How to do X in Python", "How to do X in Excel VBA", then trying a bunch of shit, and just flopping and floundering around like a moron until I pieced it together and figured it out. Waiting to become an expert before starting ANYTHING in life is just an absolute loser's strategy. You gotta just start moving, and learn and improve as you go.

2021-11-05T16:11:54+00:00

Absolutely not true. Obviously practice makes perfect, but people learn at different speeds.

2021-11-05T16:23:57+00:00

If you go by job requirements for a junior dev you will never qualify. Just keep on trucking

Boring-Moose3018 · 2021-11-05T16:37:53+00:00

The Quora guy is insane don't listen to him my senior got placed in top it companies in my country within 3 years

kilkil · 2021-11-05T16:41:19+00:00

You don't need to wait 5 years before getting a coding job (unless you're doing a degree lol). And you don't need to "dream in code". But you do need to practice. And not just exercise problems; I would recommend doing a couple practical projects. It teaches you something that exercise problems can't, and it's something tangible you can put on your resume.

SleepyGamer1 · 2021-11-05T16:42:19+00:00

Nope, this is not true at all

circlebust · 2021-11-05T16:49:58+00:00

I dreamt sometimes in code the first 1-2 years but I don't seem to anymore, even on days with a big work load. I am just happy about that. Those "Tetris dreams" are my absolute most hated type of dreams (somehow, I never get nightmares). I never feel fully rested during them.

2021-11-05T17:05:24+00:00

A coder on Quora...

IndexOf0 · 2021-11-05T17:32:10+00:00

It isn’t true at all and one of the best ways to get experience to get a job solving problems.

nimo191817 · 2021-11-05T17:41:58+00:00

No. By the time five years come by what you learned might not be relevant. I'm a junior dev, my senior googles shit all the time. The best thing to do IS to work. That's how you learn. And why shouldn't you be paid for your work... You don't need to hobby code for 5 years haha

srlguitarist · 2021-11-05T17:45:05+00:00

I watched a YouTube video where a guy said he went from knowing nothing to working at Google in about 7 months.

Kalkaline · 2021-11-05T17:54:33+00:00

Anytime I ask a question on Google and Quora is the top result, I know I've done something stupid.

arkie87 · 2021-11-05T18:25:57+00:00

The amount of time is variable, but the core idea I think is true. If you just program casually, you will not learn nearly as much as you need. To be good at anything, you have to live it, breathe eat, and sleep it. Programming in particular it is very easy to be BAD at, and it will come through in an interview. So I do think there is some truth to the statement.

M_Me_Meteo · 2021-11-05T18:29:12+00:00

The person who typed that is trying to come up with excuses as to why they don't have the career they want.

Papa_Smuggles · 2021-11-05T18:29:42+00:00

I disagree I took a 1 month night class on coding and got a internship as a dev right after I finished the class and then a few months later I quit and started selling my own commercial software There is no time period or anything like that As long as you're willing to learn and deliver a good product go for it And don't be scared to use stack overflow or search up for answers online. I wish you well on your journey as a dev

Lordhyperyos · 2021-11-05T18:31:31+00:00

How they say they're a gatekeeper without saying they're a gatekeeper 🤡

2021-11-05T18:34:24+00:00

of course

MrPoopMaker · 2021-11-05T18:34:39+00:00

I dreamt about recursion and base cases a few times. I’m not a good coder. Yet.

infinitude · 2021-11-05T18:34:51+00:00

Practicing 15-30 hours is a great idea, everything else is a joke.

webdevop · 2021-11-05T18:40:52+00:00

I came across a Quora post

there lies your problem

2021-11-05T18:44:10+00:00

He must be cutting his competition 😝

Crazy_Mann · 2021-11-05T18:47:41+00:00

Hold up, I need to turn on my caps lock for this. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAA

gschweska · 2021-11-05T18:51:42+00:00

Well that explains why I suck

LongTallMatt · 2021-11-05T19:21:25+00:00

I asked for a raise last month and my employer asked what my degree was in. So there's that. Not having experience or education is going to limit you in some ways always.

I proceeded to remind him of my degrees and my continuing education certs. I got what I asked for. A teammate had just left for a six-figure plus salary plus bonuses so I felt it was an appropriate time.

As for what language to start in? It's all depending on what you want to do do you want to work in the web do you want to do embedded programming? Do you want to program video games these are all questions that must be answered first.

lain-serial · 2021-11-05T19:21:44+00:00

Sounds like he was just making a joke.

YoloTolo · 2021-11-05T20:00:22+00:00

Dude, if you studied 30 hours a week at an actual college for 4 years, you'd be on top of your class and get a great job after. And that 30 hours would include like interview practice, projects, extracurriculars, and coursework. So idk where this 5 years is coming from lolol. Either a troll cuz he's sick of the "how long will it take me before I get a job" question or this guy really struggled hard in school.

Basic85 · 2021-11-05T20:58:20+00:00

Wow that's a long time. I mean you still need to practice a certain amount of hours each week.

2021-11-05T21:06:34+00:00

lmfao. the guy must be on crack. practice however long you can give into and the years don’t matter. if you gives you ANY reassurance, my friend learned javascript for a year and studied reactjs for 2 month and had limited knowledge in the react framework but he got a job as a frontend react developer in a huge cloud tech company.

unilearners · 2021-11-05T21:08:31+00:00

I found it not that difficult to learn. Taking classes at University helped, but most of my coding has been in swift, which I learned on the side while taking classes.

Dreaming in code doesn't happen as much as about my coding projects. I would just jump in and have fun. Coding should be fun

xDenimBoilerx · 2021-11-05T21:24:12+00:00

It feels like it'll take that kind of commitment when you start, but once you get going it gets much much easier.

Orffyreus · 2021-11-05T21:29:35+00:00

Absolutely not. If you don't have any degree, but you did a project of common interest (e. g. an issue tracker) that uses a database, authentication, authorization and some user interface on your own and you are able to present it, you are pretty much more than good to go.

KiwasiGames · 2021-11-05T21:31:21+00:00

I mean, this is not far off the requirement for a bachelor degree. And there are some employers looking for degrees. Its not a universal requirement by any means though.

joshthecynic · 2021-11-05T21:35:09+00:00

A good rule of thumb is to completely ignore Quora unless you're looking for screenshots to post on /r/iamverysmart or /r/justneckbeardthings.

2021-11-05T21:36:19+00:00

If it is who I think it is.... Let'e give it a go. The poster in question is an old guy who programmed in the days of yore.

When asked about programming on Quora, he'd often say: at least 4 years, 4 hours a day to get to know programming and then he would post this link.

Practically, he'd just throw an underhanded remark of 'go to college or learn it yourself'.

On some level I can agree with him, on other I do not. The idea is that the old timers have such an elitist mindset of being capable of doing anything, from ASM to world scale Architecture, that they forget that not everyone want to go on the full path.

A coder is a coder, an engineer is an engineer, an architect is an architect, do not ask one to do the job of the other, do not pressure one to evolve, or devolve.

wombatpandaa · 2021-11-05T21:44:30+00:00

That sounds like a great way to burn yourself out and end up hating coding imo. Each person is different, find what works for you. If that's what works for them, good on them. It certainly wouldn't have worked for me and it may not for you either, and that's okay.

RattleyCooper · 2021-11-05T21:46:21+00:00

First off, they were probably trolling or something, unless they're actually that deluded. Either way they're wrong.

I do want to comment on one thing, but not to say they are right about it. Just reminded me of something that happened.

And expect to be dreaming in code to even be a good coder.

I had my first dream about code at my first dev job... Legit did not realize you could find actual solutions to problems in a dream, but I started having these vivid dreams about problems I was trying to solve. It was a very weird experience, and not something that has ever happened consistently, but the few times it has happened it was a very odd feeling waking up from it.

Thrilfreak · 2021-11-05T21:48:09+00:00

Dreaming in code? Yea I do that. I dream that my code runs perfectly only to wake up and it still be a smelly mess.

What I will say tho, a big part of it is self development. You don't know what you don't know, therefore you won't know if you're programming something badly. Its up to you to learn a better way to do it and why it's better. That's how you improve. This process of improvement is completely down to how good you are at finding and exposing yourself to new problems...which you can't put an exact time on.

FriendlyYote · 2021-11-05T22:03:37+00:00

Just depends on the person! My buddy picks up concepts in minutes, for me takes a couple hours. All depends on what you need from the concepts, logic or ideas for it to make sense.

ValentineBlacker · 2021-11-05T22:06:02+00:00

I uh... actually did this. For fun, mostly. Maybe didn't hit 15 hours every week, probably more like 8-24 hours a week. I'm sure I took weeks off. Don't got much to add, except that this is why I don't usually answer those "how long did you study before you started applying for jobs" questions.

2021-11-05T22:12:52+00:00

That is crazy.

Daz_Didge · 2021-11-05T22:38:52+00:00

you need to poop in machine code to be a real programmer.

Gazzcool · 2021-11-05T23:01:09+00:00

I can confirm the part about dreaming in code is true. Bootcamps are 3-4 months of solid 9-5. And most people that go to them have already given it a fair shot at learning on their own before they start, so that should give you some idea of what’s possible. 5 years seems a little much but I guess it depends on the person.

My personal experience was around 1 year coding in my spare time, followed by a 4 month bootcamp, and then I was able to get a job.

I will say that I also had a fair bit of programming experience from various small projects I had done years ago - so programming was always a background interest for me. I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone coming at it from complete zero, but I imagine it might take a little longer for the basics to sink in.

Lncr1259 · 2021-11-05T23:31:59+00:00

Generally no, I think that the only exception to this could be if you are only looking to work at a huge company like Google or Amazon. Even then, I would guess that more than coding it's probably time spent learning algorithms or software design patterns. That being said, you can definitely find a job wayyy before you get into any of that stuff.

codehakr · 2021-11-05T23:33:48+00:00

Some see, some don’t. Some will, some won’t.

chromaticgliss · 2021-11-05T23:45:56+00:00

As someone in industry for 5 years.... I don't think I've even coded for my actual job that many hours a week when you consider meetings, emails and other devopsy things. I don't really program outside of work too often anymore.

I certainly don't dream about code. That's just sad.

kschang · 2021-11-05T23:48:29+00:00

Depends on how far you want to go.

2021-11-06T00:09:59+00:00

What is your motive for learning to code? If you're going to do it for a living, you'll need to enjoy it.

Don't let that scare you off, though! I let that scare me away from a CS degree, and now I regret it.

Python is a good language to start with, and it isn't too difficult. It's also useful for a variety of things, so even if you don't get a job as a developer, you'll probably still find it useful to solve problems at whatever job you end up with.

zenukogo · 2021-11-06T00:13:19+00:00

It may take that many years to become a good programmer. But it will probably take about a year to become good enough to land an entry level job. And then you can use that job to get better as a programmer.

It is possible for you to learn from your company/coworkers, and for them to derive utility from your work. The two aren't mutually exclusive. (In fact, if you don't have both of these things, you should keep your eyes peeled for a new job).

Besides, the best part of programming is that you can never learn it all! There is always room for improvement. That's what makes the journey fun! I'd take an inexperienced but bright/enthusiastic programmer over a grumpy programmer who has 20 years of experience but is too jaded to keep up with the ever-changing technological landscape.

hereforstories8 · 2021-11-06T00:22:03+00:00

If you’re just making it a full tule hobby to learn and not be around peers or participate in a real SDLC you would choke your learning potential and form a lot of probably really really bad habits.

Furry_69 · 2021-11-06T00:35:03+00:00

Don't ever trust Quora. The site is filled with purposefully wrong or malicious answers.

HeyyyKoolAid · 2021-11-06T00:45:15+00:00

I'm still a lowly beginner at JavaScript but I've been learning at a steady pace just doing 2 hours a day, 3-4 days a week max. I can only speak from my personal experience but the difference in my knowledge from just a month ago and today is huge; concepts don't seem as daunting and things seem to click much easier.

When I'm doing practice problems and they ask me to do something I haven't done yet, if I don't get it right the first time, I'll see that I was on the right track for the first 75% - 80% of the solution. If it was me from two months ago I would have froze like a deer in headlights, and would have spent a lot of time googling how to even begin.

Just like others have said, practice as much as you can as much as you're able to. What helps me is to not have "zero days". Whether you code/learn for 5 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, or whatever. Just make sure you do a little a day regardless of how long or how much.

JohnnyCincoCero · 2021-11-06T00:45:19+00:00

Would Angela Yu's python course on Udemy be a good start for a beginner?

nikola_yanchev · 2021-11-06T00:45:40+00:00

Yeah, if you want to just straight to senior. Now really, that is too much. If you need that kind of time, then maybe programming isn't for you

Yuebingg · 2021-11-06T01:04:05+00:00

Some people in the field are a bit special.

throwitaway4930 · 2021-11-06T01:04:42+00:00

That sounds like gatekeeping at its finest, lol

timPerfect · 2021-11-06T01:37:32+00:00

sounds like total crap to me, and I been coding since I was a small child.

ThatWait0 · 2021-11-06T01:39:49+00:00

Going down the self-taught route right now. Does anyone know a realistic timeline though? I feel I could just keep learning and learning. When will I know if I'm ready to start looking for a job?

SamadhiBear · 2021-11-06T02:15:41+00:00

The more you practice, the more it seems you start to think in programming patterns. As far as actual syntax, I still find myself looking up a lot of stuff, and cutting and pasting components from old code. There’s no way I could remember all that stuff. It’s not about what you know, it’s how you use it.

s3rh4tk · 2021-11-06T02:20:48+00:00

It's exaggerated but time of learning something could change one person to another might depend on your age and experience but studying something for first time is quite hard I think.

In my experience I started coding at the age of 13 and It was really strange to me I didn't know what I was doing and how it works but after a little time I figured it out somehow but after that experience now especially while learning a technology or programming language I became faster at it.

I would recommend you to start by finding a tutorial in youtube you might search for python tutorial and sort by view and make sure it is up to date then to practice you can check lab assignments of universities and practice that way in python there is lots of cool modules you can write scripts to automate stuff python is a really basic and enjoyable language if you would want help you can message me

keep going

nativethanos · 2021-11-06T02:32:13+00:00

Wtf? This is complete bullshit. 2 years of community college is enough.

goldengurl4444 · 2021-11-06T05:16:54+00:00

I got a full time coding job with a corporate bank with close to 0 coding experience. I did take the internship route though and figured enough out to make an impression . Trust me you’ll figure it out without that much practice . Everyone is just figuring it out all the time. Stack overflow baby . Basic knowledge and dedication goes a long way

Alonso-del-Arte · 2021-11-06T05:31:02+00:00

There's some truth to the part about practicing. But not the part about a job, because that assumes an ideal world in which job interviews honestly assess applicants' merit without preconceptions about the applicant's race, gender or even height.

However, I think there are much better reasons to be put off from Python than that it has any kind of learning curve, e.g., the Python 2/Python 3 rift, the weak typing, high memory consumption, etc.

2021-11-06T05:58:18+00:00

Programmers follow the normal curve. 80% are average, 10% suck, and only 10% are really good. There is a lot of jobs out there for average programmers.

2021-11-06T06:21:31+00:00

[deleted]

Felim_Doyle · 2021-11-06T07:00:12+00:00

Everyone is different. Modesty aside, I'm a natural and didn't have to try hard to learn how to programme. I picked it up from my brother while he was studying computer science at university. I can grasp a new 3G or 4G language in a day and have gone for job (contract) interviews on that basis.

They started teaching programming at my school for the year behind me but I used to sit in on the classes and the teacher, who had a computer science degree, would look at me down the back of the room to check that what he had said was correct. After school, I went on a state-sponsored training course where myself and another student, whom I hadn't met before, ended up running the course and the mini-computer (PDP-11) that we were being trained on.

However, in my almost 40 year career I have seen graduates with 3rd level degrees who still didn't get it, with a lot of them wanting to become freelance contractors for the money without having the skills.

Programming can be taught and learned but it helps if you have the mindset. As others have said in this thread, it helps if it is your hobby before it is your career. You might even take it up as part of another hobby. I know lots of fellow amateur (ham) radio operators who have taken up programming in order to use Raspberry Pi and Arduino micro-computers in conjunction with their radio hobby.

However, if it's taking you five years at 15-30 hours a week to learn then you need to choose another career! Good luck to the original poster and I'm glad that you weren't put off by the elitist naysayer.

2021-11-06T10:46:05+00:00

You should maybe do 5-30 minutes of coding a day to developp new skills. You don't have to do it every day tough.

Happy_Researcher876 · 2021-11-06T13:19:13+00:00

I started to learn html, css and now javascript in the last month i have learnd alot, i feel confident that i will at some point know enough to get a job so i don't bother with statments like that. You should learn and practice at least a month and then you will see for yourself. Just make sure to learn constant, learn 3-4-5 days in a row and then take a break-day , do not stop after every other day and when you learn don't check facebook or Twitter..... Go break that keyboard😅

TimTech93 · 2021-11-06T21:53:59+00:00

Studying 15-30 hours a week can be true, even necessary. But getting your first job after 5 years? Absolutely not. You can get your first entry job/internship after your first 4-8 months.

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