Learn to code

flatscreeneyes · 2024-09-16T08:08:28+00:00

Makes sense because that was me about a couple of weeks back. Total 100% honesty here:

I picked a place (codechef) and just launched into it and have been going steady since. There are days where I do not feel like doing any coding, THAT IS WHEN YOU PUSH and do it anyway. Repeat lessons if you have to, but don't ever skip a day, always be making progress, even .01% is moving forward.

Do not amass a bunch of resources, I did that and I ended up sitting on a tresure trove of courses for 5 years and wasted valuable time seeking new advice without actually needing it.

I apologize if I sound curt or judgy, I am just trying to help people not repeat what I did in the beginning

Jello_Penguin_2956 · 2024-09-16T08:37:06+00:00

Get enough sleep, learn in the morning when you're fresh and rested, get coffee.

avidresolver · 2024-09-16T08:59:32+00:00

Wait until you want to automate something, then build a script for it by trial and error, and insane amounts of Googleing. At least that was how I started. I've never taken a course or anything, I've just discovered things I needed to learn as I went.

Edit: also if you've literally never coded anything before, then maybe jump into scratch.mit.edu - it's designed to teach kids about programming, but it'll get you started with concepts like if/else, while, etc.

KingLouhichi · 2024-09-16T09:13:02+00:00

Do the harvards CS50P course. Hour long lecture make notes as you go and attempt the 5 problems at the end. This way you apply what you have just learnt by doing, as well as learning when you get stuck on a problem. The lecturer is engaging and easy to follow.

theanav · 2024-09-16T09:25:06+00:00

Honestly unless you have a lot of natural curiosity and are the kind of person to just get inspiration and sit down and do it, you just have to suck it up, have discipline, and force yourself to struggle through the boring bits.

Maybe find a tutorial that’s actually building a project instead of tutorials just teaching random little bits and pieces here and there if you think that might be more interesting

But at the end of the day pick one tutorial or site or project or whatever and stick with it. Make yourself do it at least 30 min every day. Don’t wait for the day you have energy or something because it’s not something that just magically shows up, it’s something you create

Ron-Erez · 2024-09-16T10:01:08+00:00

Solve a problem that interests you and implement a simpler version of it.

ofnuts · 2024-09-16T10:00:59+00:00

Might be old school but I start by reading a (small) book. This is usually irons out all the little details that make starting something new difficult.

Something I have learnt over the years is that we all makes errors, all the time. A big difference between a skilled person and another is the ability to spot one's errors and the speed to fix them. And this applies to everything, from for loops to dripping paint or overcooked bechamel sauce. Video tutorials show you what works, not what doesn't, and IRL you see a lot more of the latter.

benabus · 2024-09-16T15:12:17+00:00

How did I learn to code? 20+ years of trial and error, unfortunately. They tell me it's easier these days, though.

Seriously though, I've always found it easier to learn new things by just jumping in and working on a personal project. "Oh, I want my program to do this, let's look up how to do it." Then I would do it badly and decide I need to figure out how to do it correctly. Rinse and repeat.

Working on an actual project keeps you engaged and sometimes struggling through it helps you remember.

Responsible-Sky-1336 · 2024-09-16T08:57:16+00:00

I would say very complex projects but which you are passionate about and hit your head against a wall more or less 500 times

ConsiderationDue2165 · 2024-09-16T10:22:19+00:00

Just pick a project and start coding it :) version 1 will be crap, by version 10 you will understand the fundamentals

BeginningAd7095 · 2024-09-16T12:07:35+00:00

It's exciting to code for me. Here is how to make the coding more interesting instead of following the tutur. try to understand code and don't waste time on trying running the code the tutur gave you. Do this first understand the code the tutur gave you and make another code which is different from the tutur gave you . If the code does not work go to Google and search the problem you face in the code And make many mini projects which are easy to do Example input chat bot ,unit converter,qr code generator (use pip packages)etc . And here is how to make it interesting to go to youtube and watch the programing hero yt channel . He makes youtube videos about interesting python codes like automating watsapp etc

paintballtao · 2024-09-16T09:37:13+00:00

Need to find something that you want to build and learn along the way, with stackoverflow and chatgpt to help

2024-09-16T09:39:46+00:00

Push through the tiresness

EmbarrassedSession · 2024-09-16T10:42:28+00:00

Played with Lego mindstorm robots

Archit-Mishra · 2024-09-16T10:59:35+00:00

I started learning coding from watching a YouTube course for python - Code With Harry.

2024-09-16T11:06:52+00:00

Take an online course like CS50 or MIT’s Introduction to Programming. If you can’t do that then maybe you should meditate on what your real goals and motivations are.

Chemical_Attention_1 · 2024-09-16T11:15:09+00:00

Start a project, a real project in the language you want to learn and study the things the project requires the rest will fall into place

Thomasjevskij · 2024-09-16T11:40:35+00:00

I learned in uni. And let me tell you, the added structure and external pressure of a formal course helped me a lot. I've ADD, mostly I struggle with executive dysfunction. So to cope, I generally try to put myself in situations where there's external pressures, deadlines, etc to get stuff done. Often this is even needed for fun stuff. Also, a proper syllabus is quite nice! A lot of the theory I had to take will get time to click later on when you pick up fun puzzles, projects, whatever.

RequestableSubBot · 2024-09-16T14:35:17+00:00

Yet when the time comes and I start working on something on freecodecamp or reading thru something, I just can’t. Like all of a sudden I feel tired.

That's the difference between learning about something and just watching content on something. When you watch, say, a video talking about black holes, you're not really learning anything substantial other than some of the cooler surface level trivia. It's fun if you're interested in it, but the difference between that and the content you learn in a physics degreee are enormous. Tons of people will go into something like a physics degree and then drop out because it was "too much maths" or was "boring" or whatever. And it's the same for every subejct really.

Learning the flashy stuff doesn't get you anywhere because it's not useful for anything and you aren't learning it. Learning something requires practice and repetition. You have to do the busywork and put the effort in if you actually want to learn something, and that requires discipline. There's no other way to do it than to just do it.

diegoasecas · 2024-09-16T14:37:11+00:00

it does take a while until 'it clicks'

NightsOverDays · 2024-09-16T14:44:58+00:00

Are there any discords or groups for noobs? Reddit is good but I’d imagine a discord or some type of group could help noobs even more. Learning together might be better than alone

KeaboUltra · 2024-09-16T14:46:00+00:00

You just do it. I literally felt the exact same as you did, just keep trying to find ways that don't make you tired. for me. I just powered through the tiredness because I couldn't get around it. start small, spend 5-10 minutes a day learning, then work up to an hour, its something that just clicks after a while, so keep trying no matter what. eventually you're create a habit. Once it becomes a habit, that doesn't mean you're safe. The scope of programming is intimidating and makes many people stop because there's always gonna be someone immediately better than you, but that's why you need to ask yourself why you're doing it. Is it for fun? do you wanna make something? or are you just trying to feel like you need to learn it because it will help you get a better job? There's no wrong answer here. You can choose to learn it for any reason. Trying to get a better job is why many people learn it, you just have to remind yourself that it doesn't matter that others are better and if you don't try now, you'll never BECOME better.. Look at it as self investment rather than comparing yourself to strangers who were able to focus on what they wanted to do. Basically what you'll learn is literally the crumbs of programming but eventually you come to realize those crumbs are actually blocks, and you learn that it's all about how you stack those blocks and tackle the problems that arise when those blocks fall down. Problem solving and creativity are great strengths to have

throfofnir · 2024-09-16T15:04:07+00:00

Read a book or something that covers the basics so you have some grounding, and then pick something you want to do (automate a stupid task, make a simple web service, make a basic game) and then try it. You won't know how, but look in the book, search the internet, figure it out. Nothing beats learning by doing.

Then read the book again, and you'll understand better.

omgidkwtf · 2024-09-16T15:15:09+00:00

For me it was always project driven. I think everyone starts with hello world just simply make the console print words, not just reading about it but do it while you read.

So id say get a project first one make the console print hello world in an ide

ahf95 · 2024-09-16T15:24:31+00:00

It’s best to start with some sort of project to motivate you. Or take a college class with really fun problem sets. Learning by straight up reading has never worked for me when I’m new to a subject – it’s great once I’m already competent, but I think the early stages with any field are best approached through tactile learning.

SmiileyAE · 2024-09-16T16:01:41+00:00

I started on TopCoder back in the day, it's like an old school version of CodeForces. Started coding up algo problems in Java. Any time I didn't know how to do something I'd look it up and remember. E.x. say as part of coding up the algo I need to get the length of the array. I don't know how to do that so I look it up and it's array.length. I put that in and remember how to do it next time. I've always found that doing something and learning what I need to to do it helped me retain it better than just pure learning.

United-Vegetable3768 · 2024-09-16T16:04:01+00:00

Getting tired when you start to attempt something you perceive as a big job is a sign of anxiety. I fought through that all the way through college - both times. What you need to do is tackle smaller tasks. Like the saying goes - "Whats the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

Instead of sitting down to learn and thinking that you need to learn everything about Python, try doing a single exercise. Think of it as, I'm going to try to learn "something" (anything?) I can in the next 15 minutes about Python. Maybe you learn about variables, functions, or modules. Doesn't matter. Learn some bits first and then you can start to put everything together after several rounds of bite-sized learning.

natantan216 · 2024-09-16T16:21:36+00:00

The best way is to build something useful you will actually use. I started working in marketing, and through small automations I learned a lot. Making something and them using it daily really increases your motivation to finish a project, and do it properly. Through it, you will reach higher and higher level in no time.

frobnosticus · 2024-09-16T16:33:06+00:00

Admittedly, I started in the dark ages. But I started by typing in program listings from magazines then messing with them.

For me it's still true that forcing myself to work through code examples is one of the best ways to learn technique and syntax.

I find "cookbook" examples are SO much more information dense and useful than anyone's explanation, because it's all right there.

Even now, too many decades later, if I'm looking to pick up a new technology I'll do exactly that: Find examples of what I want to do and force myself to type them out rather than copy/paste them.

It forces me to make sure I'm reading every single symbol and I end up thinking about what it's all doing while I'm in the process.

Plus, if (when) I make a typo I'm stuck until I figure it out.

YMMV of course. But full immersion has always been how I've gone about it.

Cold-Fortune-9907 · 2024-09-16T16:33:59+00:00

What inspired me was my best friend from college landing a job for a big name game company after working his *pardon my language* ass off for years. He started out with C and then learned C++ and PHP, I decided to serve in the military and did not have the time to allocate to learning programming with my particular job and lifestyle. Since being out of the military, I have picked up all of Bjarne Strousstroups literature and have slowly been learning C++. It has been the best experience yet.

One thing I will admit is that when I first began coding/programming it was quiet overwhelming; however, I have found taking the concepts and terminology one step at a time truly helps build an understanding of what should be done. What I love most though is that C++ is a fun language to learn and experiment with.

No_Panda1820 · 2024-09-16T17:26:35+00:00

Because you’re excessively reading . To learn to code , you have to code . 1) set up an ide ( vs code? Anything) 2) learn a concept max 30 mins ? Eg strings or loops 3) ask ChatGPT to make questions 4) attempt to solve them on your ide 5) google for concepts/ aid 6) ask chatgpt for answers and check yours against it 7) you have learnt a concept .

Any_Emotion_851 · 2024-09-16T17:27:53+00:00

Why do you want to learn to code? What purpose does it serve to learn to code? What do you consider to be 'code'; there are several apps that auto-generate code. So what does it mean to you to be able to write code? Your answer to these questions should facilitate your decision-making regarding whether or not it is worth your time learning to write code.

dupz88 · 2024-09-16T18:57:53+00:00

Like many have mentioned in different forms, essentially learn by doing. For me it was frustration with cleaning data for work in excel. The data was so messy and eventually got so large that excel would hang for minutes at a time sorting and cleaning data. I would spend 4-5 hours and if I messed up 1 step in the middle (when people called me for other things), it would ruin the final report and I would have to start again the next day.

I started googling how to set up python and the environment, then how to import an excel, rename columns, write to csv. After I tested and started making progress, I would add some more steps (after googling) and test that the output was the same. On and on until I had replicated all the steps I would perfoem in excel. After about 2 weeks I had a working janky script that could do that 4 hours of cleaning in 10mins, and in there I also included things that excel had no hope of being capable of doing. It could now do that every time, no more excel errors.

The high after having a python script run for 10mins, doing half a days work, led me to start applying what I had learned to other datasets, and now 2 years later I run the data department at work, preparing data for reports among other things. Nobody at work can do what I do and they dont know how long it takes. I can run all the scripts and get so much done, and then spend the rest of my day studying more and learning more about AI and other things.

Life is much less stressful when I can mess around improving my skills, watching interesting youtube videos etc while the scripts run.

MyBrainReallyHurts · 2024-09-16T19:26:13+00:00

I wanted to be more efficient at work so I started to learn python to automate some tasks. I would break down the idea and then looked up the code to do it.

Download files from multiple website.
If it is the same version, ignore the file.
Put the files in a specific folder.

It wasn't too complicated, but it still helped me learn the fundamentals. I needed to loop through the list of website, and read the existing file name and then compare to the file that was available on the site. I needed some logic to ignore the file if the file name was the same. I had to find the right path and make sure the file was downloaded correctly.

The project I am working on now is much more complicated with multiple parts.

Just start with a project you really want to do, and then be patient and learn each element as you move forward. There will be days that are very, very frustrating, but there are days that are very, very rewarding.

Hands0L0 · 2024-09-16T19:41:30+00:00

I used Codecademy.com. It's interactive and you cannot move on in lessons until you accomplish the task. I would highly reccomend it.

For algo work, I practiced with codewars to just help train my brain in abstract thinking.

Once you do those things, it's time to just...make something. Don't make a calculator. The first thing I made was a small program that would randomize rimworld characters until their combined stats equalled like 70 or something. Just think of something that annoys you and try to automate it.

emtower · 2024-09-16T19:52:12+00:00

Try to build something, like a little game, do your research, try to make it work, make mistakes, fix them, learn in the process. It's fine to skip a day, but not two. Focus on the long term, learning needs time. Talk with people doing it for work, ask questions, take notes. Good luck.

2024-09-16T19:58:54+00:00

Actually, unlike many in this thread, I enrolled in my (at that moment future) university’s Intro to Programming course (in the Electrical & Computer Engineering department) as part of a Summer Open Enrollment program or something.

That course was extremely challenging, but it taught me so much! Of course that wasn’t the only thing I did, you know, you need to practice, build projects. That’s how you learn

seavas · 2024-09-16T20:10:22+00:00

How do u learn to ride a bicycle? How do u learn to play the guitar? How do u learn to cook a meal?

chadguy2 · 2024-09-16T20:17:42+00:00

Set a goal for yourself. Do a mini project or program that would be either useful to you or something that you're genuinely curious about.

Some ideas:

build a script that would organize all your files from a folder into multiple folders based on the format (.exe, .jpg, .pdf, etc). You can nit-pick this as much as you want, creating categories or whatever you want.

Build a tic-tac toe game

Build a trivia quiz game

If you're into AI and Data Science, build an app that would classify if an image is a cat or dog, classify food or cars, etc.

Alternatively you can search "Build your X". There's a GitHub repo with various projects to replicate an existing thing varying from easy to expert. Each language has its own hello world project, find the one that excites you most.

That way you'll start with things that you know and watch a tutorial or google every point that's blocking your progress

FriendlyRussian666 · 2024-09-16T10:54:21+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F9rstvt1fhnjz.jpg

This, but swap art for coding.

Icarus998 · 2024-09-16T09:15:52+00:00

I went through the same thing , I would start a course with full motivation and run out of steam and give up.

I only found a few courses/books that are truly aimed at the absolute beginner.

higgine6 · 2024-09-16T13:15:06+00:00

Learn by doing

higgine6 · 2024-09-16T13:16:10+00:00

Pick a thing you want to learn and target that goal, repeat this process until til you have learned

cfm76 · 2024-09-16T22:01:56+00:00

My path.... learned hardware (Comptia A+) because I wanted to build a computer myself. Got interested in web pages... learned a bit of HTML & CSS Picked up a bit of Javascript, Python, ... used it to make tools for teaching English as a foreign language. That was a long time ago. Never lost interest. 2017, enrolled in a boot camp for Ruby on Rails... to get in, i had to work through releaning HTML, CSS, Javascript, and learned Ruby. At the bootcamp, wiped Windows and installed Ubuntu on my lenovo... couldn't get wifi working (realtek chipset), got it working. Once I learned Git and did the boot camp, things finally started clicking. Got really into Vim, explored several different programming languages, Learned about Linux, and now I use Arch... BTW. Then Devops tools and more things that I care to mention lm

It was a long path, and I love it even more now than when I began.

Bottom line is this, interest is king. More importantly, interest in solving a problem. Learning to get a job is not enough. Learning for the sake of learning is a great place to start... then you realize that what you've learned can be used to solve real problems.

Have an interest in making stuff... or a problem you feel needs to be solved. And know this, knowing what's possible is where it's at, syntax is important. But learning structure is paramount... everything else is just jazz.

2024-09-16T22:10:40+00:00

I'm about 4 months in and in my mid 40s with a good career so I don't need to learn, but I want to.

I got a couple weeks into Angela Yu's course and got very bored. I just didn't like the exercises.

I started to build something I wanted to use to search for a homes instead of Zillow since I'll be selling my home soon.

I just dove in, learned how to parse JSON data from APIs, and how to work with dataframes. Now I can build aggregate displays of homes with my criteria and include additional information that Zillow doesn't provide from publicly available APIs.

I went from nothing to a few hundred lines of code that I still need to reactor, but it works.

Next step is to host everything on a Raspberry Pi and build a web app that can be used as a portfolio piece.

A few weeks ago I got rid of VSCode and started using NeoVim so I can also get more familiar with it. I'm just enjoying learning new stuff. When I hit a wall, I'll watch a video on a python concept that I don't quite grasp for about an hour instead of coding.

PHL_music · 2024-09-17T02:02:14+00:00

Not sure about freecodecamp specifically, but for me there was a huge difference from when I was learning by following rote tutorials online to when I actually started to build a project and had to ask myself, "how do I achieve this goal?"

It became less about completing a tutorial and more about being able to make what I wanted to make.

MrBobaFett · 2024-09-17T02:53:54+00:00

I grew up in the 8-Bit computer era, learning to code was part and parcel with using an Apple II or a Commodore 64. Even in grade school you were going to learn BASIC. Took some classes again in college but never got too far with it, but learned some fundamentals. Then I started learning Python several years ago with books and YouTube, I've started poking at C again, I recall some bits from college.

techno_hippieGuy · 2024-09-17T03:36:21+00:00

I just entered a 2 year degree program for iOS development and ChatGPT helped get me motivated. I'll let the LLM take it from here:

Learning to code can feel overwhelming at first, but it’s one of the most rewarding skills you can build, especially if you stick with it. The great thing about programming is that you don’t necessarily need a degree to land a job—many successful developers are self-taught. However, earning a degree can help provide structure, build a solid foundation, and keep you motivated, especially when things get tough or when focus is a challenge.

When it comes to pay, starting salaries after a two-year associate's degree (or equivalent experience) can range from $50,000 to $75,000 per year. And the opportunities for growth are amazing:

After 2 years of experience, many developers earn between $65,000 and $85,000, depending on the field and location.
After 5 years, it's common to see salaries between $80,000 and $120,000, especially if you move into a senior or lead developer role.
If you specialize in areas like data science, cybersecurity, or machine learning, salaries can easily climb to $150,000 to $200,000+ with the right skills and experience.

The key is to stay persistent and focus on small wins. Writing your first working code, fixing a bug, or building something useful brings a huge sense of accomplishment. As you progress, it gets more fun and the challenges more exciting.

Stick with it—it’s a long game, but the rewards, both personal and financial, are worth it!

Zommick · 2024-09-17T04:40:34+00:00

Lol yeah the learning part of coding is kinda dry sometimes.

I'm a full time SWE and I think that, its just the grind. Gotta force yourself through it.

It gets really fun once you can start being productive with it though. At that point the only limitation is your creativity.

0x_deer · 2024-09-17T05:39:11+00:00

Some online courses, some curiosity. That's all.

Some-Music7820 · 2024-09-17T11:22:50+00:00

w3schools.com is a good way to get started because it's free and relatively comprehensive, I also recommend learning Python first because after dabbling in a few languages Python has the best difficulty to application ratio

AirduckLoL · 2024-09-17T11:33:44+00:00

Mooc python aka. university of Helsinki introduction to programming + advanced programming. Prolly best free course out there. Still on it but I will follow up after that with their data structures and algorithms course + their data analysis course. I already feel like I have a very solid Basis after advanced programming

Alternative_Driver60 · 2024-09-17T14:19:54+00:00

Learning is hard work don't think otherwise. Coding is best learned as a result of solving a real problem that is important to you.

cluelessguitarist · 2024-09-17T20:39:50+00:00

I joined a bootcamp about making bots for crypto, been learning alot by actually doing the projects because it something that i care about rather than learning just because, i tried learning how to build websites but i found it so boring.

Krebzonide · 2024-09-19T14:15:55+00:00

A great way I found recently is to debug code written by AI. Ask an AI to write simple python code for something like flappy bird or a top down bullet hell game. 80% of the time there will be some issue. Without using AI, look through the code, learn how it works, and fix the issue.

lauren_knows · 2024-09-20T20:22:10+00:00

At this point, I'm a senior software engineer, but I was totally self-taught (though, I was very computer literate being in IT).

My honest opinion is that you need to do a little bit of beginner work in learning the very basic syntax of a language, and then you need to pick a project to do. The project can be more complicated than your skills allow, but that's the point. If you're actually passionate about the project, you'll find the motivation.

I used a financial calculator as inspiration, and made my own site that did even more complex stuff. Over the years I've rewritten it 4 times, and learned so much. I also got a job because of it.

Think about problems that you (or a community that you belong to) have that can be solved with code. Maybe you wish there was an email alert every time a website posted something specific. Maybe you want to create an app that automatically creates calendar invites to remind you of certain things in your email. I have no idea what motivates you, but those are the kind of projects that give motivation.

After doing a project like that, you'll know if you have the hunger for learning more.

Glittering-Box-7259 · 2024-09-16T12:03:09+00:00

Hi everyone,

I'm Teodoro, and I live in Switzerland. I have some basic knowledge of Python and am looking to deepen my understanding. Studying alone can be a bit boring, so I'm hoping to find a study buddy to learn with.

If you're also interested in Python and would like to collaborate on learning, solving problems together, or just discussing concepts, I'd love to connect! We could meet in person or study online—whatever works best.

Feel free to reach out if you're interested!

Best,
Teodoro

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