How to Start Learning to Program
Changing careers, getting an idea for an application out of your head, or just learning something new and useful are all great reasons to start coding. Learning a programming language can seem as daunting as learning a real foreign language, but with the right tips, tricks, and resources (conveniently provided below), you can go from awkward bash user to viscount vim.
Understand why you want to encode
Before switching completely to a new language, you need to figure out exactly what you want to get out of coding. Is this a new career path filled with more flexibility (and cash)? Maybe you want to act on your own and learn how to create your own applications ? In any case, you don’t need to be afraid of the number of languages or the complexity of certain software products required to start coding.
Learn several languages to get a feel for it
If you’re not sure if you want to use a particular language, or if you want to try what’s out there, before investing more time on the project, you should learn the basics of working with multiple languages. You will understand the concepts of each programming language, learn how different symbols perform different functions in each language, and figure out how they interact with each other.
Save money, borrow free books
Don’t spend a dime on books unless you really need to. If you’re looking for reading material, how to cram a list of over 500 free books on programming, math, and engineering into your brain. There are books on popular languages like C , primer tutorials on devices like the Raspberry Pi , and even a list of machine learning books , so check out this Github database to find out more .
Understand what Github is
Speaking of Github, you need to understand how it works if you plan to make programming an important part of your life. Fortunately, this video explains what Github is as simple as possible, and is the perfect stepping stone to understanding how version control works .
Find the challenge in some insect hunts
So if you have tons of experience and are ready to flaunt your stuff, why not take on a real challenge? You can make a few dollars by visiting bug boards where companies post vulnerabilities in the software they want to fix. You will need additional tools, software, and possibly a Linux-based operating system to get the job done, but if you think you’ve grown enough as a programmer, it doesn’t hurt to put your skills to the test on a real problem. …