Learning to code:
People say that learning to code is hard, some say it’s easy, some say it’s not but there are still others who say that it’s like making Lemonade without the lemons and that can’t be done. To those who say it’s impossible, I say it is simple and I repeat that again and again SIMPLE! ONLY IF you learn to visualize it logically, which forms the base of good programming.
- Learn to VISUALIZE! And have Fun with it.
Believe me! The biggest mistake that newbies make, is to treat the task of learning code as something monstrously difficult and something that would take ages to master. Going through chapters on coding is not going to get you anywhere but put you in a state of confusion until and unless you start tinkering with it. Put those codes into use and start experimenting with it! There is always a LOGIC to coding which you should be able to VISUALIZE. Try to walk through it as you go and never fear to experiment. (As a Tip, try to make a personal program with realistic goals. Above all HAVE FUN!)
- Do not skip CHAPTERS!
We have seen people rush through learning code, out of excitement or boredom they skip the first few chapters thinking that they are insignificant, not knowing that those chapters are the most important of all as they deliver sound fundamentals. You can’t construct a building without a strong foundation and it goes the same with code. To put it in a nut shell it is always better to learn to crawl before you learn to walk and then to run.
- Perfect your skills by coding on paper.
Learn to code on paper… That’s right, on paper by hand. People have this misconception that it is entirely useless to do coding on paper. Coding on paper has its limits but it also offers us immense benefits giving us pro programming skills. When you learn to code on paper your mind has to pay attention to details as you don’t have the compiler to say “I have got your back”. This sharpens your precision skills as you have to become the compiler yourself. Debugging your code and trying to understand the logic visually at every step. This sort of training increases your level of confidence, helping you prepare yourself for tests and interviews.
- Get help from seasoned experts or people with reasonably sound understanding.
I know that it’s hard for us to imagine that even Shake Spear must have been in somebody’s English class! But you know we all need idols to look forward to, someone to seek inspiration from or better still, learn from.
We have to swallow our egos and act with reason and take initiatives to clear our bugs to help from the pros. Do be warned that trying to solve it on your own at first will make you a better programmer than just saying “F1…F1…F1” (Help ! Help! Help!) at every roadblock you hit. If your programming mentors are passionate they would absolutely love to help others like them.
- You need to know when to step away from your work.
Let’s admit it we all do get stuck at some point or the other but then that’s how it is, spending hours at the same piece of code trying to make it work. But then a nice break might be the only reasonable way to fix it, as you might get a totally new perspective to solving that problem.
Please do not see coding as just work and end up doing everything mechanically, tinker with the code and have a bit of fun with it, and when you solve a problem on your own you might even have those “Aha” moments that make you more confident. Do not feel shy to experiment as this is what makes it pleasurable and kicks in the heart beat. As a rule, we rarely forget our best experiences and so make it yours!