2023 Step-by-Step Guide: How to Become a Coder | Learn the Best Ways to Start Coding
In 2018, I found myself in a situation that many of you are probably going through. I felt the desire to change, perhaps starting again, in a new specialty or a second job, as I used to work in the field of currency exchange. I was passionate about reading about technology and programming languages. Here was the starting point. So I decided to learn programming and dive into the depths of programming, so I knew I had to teach myself. I am now working on developing websites, and this site is built by me and many, many other sites. So let’s get started, on how to become a coder in the 2023 step-by-step guide | learn the best ways to start coding, and what is the importance of programming.
Why Learn Coding in 2023?
There are tremendous developments in light of a legitimate concern for coders, and there are many open situations in the field of programming. Since you can’t find an unemployed programmer, and also with the revolution of artificial intelligence, the demand for skilled programmers has increased. In the transition from the information age to the knowledge age, “learning how to learn” is a skill that sets you apart from the crowd. With so much information available easily and in real-time, learning models based on simple transfer of knowledge no longer make sense, especially for generations born into the digital age.
What is Coding?
Simply put, coding is the way humans and machines communicate. Where humans communicate with each other in human language or in a language understood by both sides, similarly, there are languages that allow humans to communicate with the machine. These languages are called programming languages. Programming languages are translated in several ways, starting with the binary code (0 and 1) and ending with the machine language. The process of writing programming instructions is known as coding.
The Importance of Learning Programming Languages
Programming languages are of great importance, as they act as a bridge between people’s ideas and the machine’s implementation of these ideas. As a deep understanding of programming languages allows developers to implement a variety of programming solutions.
It seems that the growth of the demand for programmers has not shown any slowdown, but on the contrary, the demand is increasing. Your learning to program increases the chances of your project growth and your potential profits. Or until you start your own business or start another job as a web developer, for example.
Popular Programming Languages in 2023
Let’s get to know together the most popular programming languages in 2023. Although there are more than 220 programming languages, some programming languages are used more than others. Knowing this information is of great importance in the world of the software industry and the programmer’s job.
According to a study by DevJobsScanner, JavaScript/TypeScript ranked first with 29% of the vote. This is followed by Python at 20%, Java at 17%, C# 12%, PHP 12%, C/C++ 9%, Ruby 4%, and Go 2%.
Preparing to Become a Coder
Let’s be honest, programming is cool. Programmers play an important role in every aspect of modern life. Programmers stand behind the architecture of our digital world, ensuring that our online experiences run smoothly.
If you are thinking of entering the world of programming, you are in the right place. You probably also know that the demand for programmers is really high. But you are not sure how to make a career leap if you have attended university or maybe you already have a job. So don’t worry, you don’t need a degree to be a programmer.
Assessing Your Interests and Goals
You must first evaluate your interests and goals, for example, I am interested in developing websites, so my goal is to be a successful web developer. Therefore, I will follow developments in programming languages, and subscribe to educational groups for beginners on Facebook, Discord, Twitter, or anywhere else.
If you want to be successful in your career path as a software developer, you must be constantly aware of all updates and developments in the path you are interested in. So that keeping up-to-date with developments helps you develop your career and be a successful programmer.
Acquiring the Right Mindset
It is important to have the right mindset when learning to code. Having the right outlook can put you on the ball while figuring out how to code. Having the right mindset will help you become a better developer just by changing the way you think and do things in a better way.
The way we think affects our productivity, if you do not change the way you think about how things work, then you will stop progressing and may start procrastinating. so how to Acque the Right Mindset?
- Stop procrastinating
- Face your problems, it is not a shame to make a mistake, but the fault is that you do not learn from your mistake
- Choose the programming language that you will start learning carefully
- Don’t limit yourself to a corner
- Take a break whenever you feel bored
- Be patient, learning takes patience
Building Problem-Solving Skills
No matter how well you know programming languages, there is something employers value more than being a professional programmer. It is problem-solving, as problem-solving is not a skill that comes to everyone. Problem-solving is a hard skill that takes a lot of time to master.
Since the world of software is rapidly expanding and moving, the ability to find a solution to complicated problems has become a required skill these days. You must study data structure and algorithms to be ready to dive into the depths of complex problems and try to solve them.
Choosing the Right Learning Resources
Learning to program has become inevitable. No matter your profession, understanding coding and technology is valuable. As programming is the basis of innovation in almost all modern industries.
The market today is looking for people with multiple specializations so that you can work in your basic job, and work as a programmer in your spare time.
In addition, the Internet has become full of educational courses that allow you to learn programming from the comfort of your home. Here we have compiled the best free courses that you can visit to learn new programming skills:
Online Coding Platforms
In our CSS Practices, we will help you pave the way for your transition into the software industry. Then comprehensive programs from small applications to complete sites from A to Z.
But you may be ready to start right away and explore your options. So let’s explore the online coding platforms:
- Khan Academy
It is a well-known non-profit platform that offers free educational resources. It provides a wide range of free training courses, including the basics of programming and computer science. It also contains a mobile application for Android and IOS completely free. - GeeksforGeeks
It is an online education platform focused on helping people learn programming and computer science. It provides articles, contests, tutorials, and even job listings for programmers.
The courses come in the form of free and paid courses in several categories: live, self-paced, and school. Students can choose to learn from the experts either via live broadcasts, pre-recorded clips, or a combination of both. - Codecademy
It is an interactive platform that provides many high-level training courses that include computer science, web development, and several other disciplines. In addition, it provides many documents, instructions, and various articles. Codecademy also provides both free and paid courses at a price of $20 per month.
Coding Bootcamps
Coding Bootcamps offer intensive training programs for those who wish to join the technology sector. Programming Bootcamps graduates enjoy high competitive rates compared to bachelor’s graduates in the same field.
Here we will recommend several Coding Bootcamps for you to see what is right for you:
- Actualize
It is a Coding Bootcamp that values quality education above all else. They only hire qualified teachers who have professional teaching experience as well as professional software development experience. It offers evening and morning courses, in addition to weekend courses. Since you can train without leaving your primary job. You can also attend online courses or even be present at the main headquarters in Chicago. The cost of the camp is $14,900 and its duration is 12 weeks. - Learning Fuze
It is a 14-week training program that aims to bridge the gap between the growing demand for developers and the huge shortage in supply. LearningFuze focuses on JavaScript and Node as it is directly related to the market need in terms of employers. More than 95% of the students participating in the camp find work in Southern California. The cost is $15,995 and the duration is 14 weeks. - Clarusway
It is a well-known and well-respected training school based in Virginia, offering diverse programs in areas such as cloud engineering, DevOps engineering, data science, data analytics, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, web3 development, software testing, and many more. Each Clarusway specialty has a specific duration and price.
Self-Paced Learning vs. Instructor-Led Learning
You may have often wondered, is self-education or a teacher-led course better? So let’s answer this question with small comparisons.
You will find that self-learning gives more flexibility, but a teacher-led course gives more commitment and may lead to more guaranteed success. According to a study conducted by CompTIA, individuals who studied under the hands of teachers had a success rate of 93%, while people who were self-taught had a success rate of 66%.
So why do so many invest in a teacher-led course? Let’s find out:
- A fruitful learning environment
The reason students do not complete online courses is a lack of motivation. Self-education requires discipline in learning and motivation, and this is a challenge for some students.
While teacher-led courses provide a structured learning environment that can help you stay ahead on a clear path. Because you have a road map, a study schedule, a predetermined time for everything, and even someone to guide you directly. - Personal attention
Students taking an instructor-led course receive individual attention. In contrast, self-learning does not receive personal attention from your coach, because it is either an article, a document, or even a pre-recorded video. - Increase participation
Self-learning courses may lack some stimuli, including participation with peers or with the teacher while learning with the trainer includes active participation and discussion with the trainee, and this increases the speed and efficiency of learning.
Learning the Fundamentals
Learning programming is not difficult, but you need to pass several preparatory courses. So that you can think logically and have the ability to solve the most difficult challenges. Here I will talk about the basic steps of a web developer, for example.
HTML & CSS
HTML is designed to structure and used to add elements to websites. For example, If I want to add text, use the <p>
tag, and if I want to add a hyperlink, use the <a>
tag. As for CSS, it gives aesthetics to the site in terms of time, dimensions, height, width, and distribution of elements in an aesthetic and consistent manner.
JavaScript
Javascript is a high-level language. JavaScript is used to give behavior to the elements, for example, if you want to add color if there is an “active class” in one of the links. But when I press a certain button, it performs a certain behavior. JavaScript gives movement and effectiveness to the site so that it performs a certain behavior when a certain condition is met, and so on.
Python
Python is a high-level language. Python is used for website development, data analysis, and data automation. Due to its ease of learning, it has been adopted by many programmers for use in managing software related to financial matters.
Java
Java is a very powerful language that is involved in many fields, including building websites, building desktop applications, and building Android applications. And due to the strength of its spread, it is widely studied in universities and private institutions, and its use to understand the method of algorithms and data structure.
Data Structures and Algorithms
Understanding data structures and algorithms is an important aspect of a successful developer. Since if you want to work in a large company such as Google, Microsoft, or Meta, you will be asked a lot of questions about algorithms and data structure. You can learn data structure and algorithms from Google and Freecodecamp.
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