Coding can be daunting, especially if you’re trying to do it from scratch. If you’re looking to learn how to code, this post provides everything you need to know about coding for beginners.
Whether you are a student, working on a research project, or interested in making your web pages better, learning to code is an exciting and rewarding experience. As a language, coding helps you understand the logic behind how websites work.
What is coding?
Coding, or programming, is the process of writing a set of instructions for a computer so that it can solve problems and make decisions.
Furthermore, coding is a language used for programming apps, websites, games, and more. It is a kind of art.
Coding is the language computers speak. By learning to code, you’re learning to speak to computers — and have them speak back!
Why is coding important?
Coding is the process of taking information in one form and translating it into another form. Coding helps computers communicate with each other. It allows for the creation of applications, games, and mobile phones to name a few.
If your goal is to be a coder, it will be useful to understand the basics as well as how coding can be used for communication purposes. At its most basic level coding involves using a combination of letters and symbols to represent language which is then translated by a computer.
Coding is becoming increasingly important. It’s one of the key foundations of web development, but it’s also vital for many jobs in the tech and creative industries. Coding isn’t a nice-to-have skill – it’s a prerequisite.
Basic coding languages
HTML
HTML is the fundamental building block of the internet. It’s a set of codes that can be wrapped around text and graphics to build websites. HTML stands for hypertext markup language and is the main coding language used on the web for building web pages.
In its base form, HTML can be used to make a simple page with a few basic features. But, as soon as you dig deeper into it, you will start to find yourself creating web pages that contain full-featured applications with complex navigation and features.
Having a good understanding of HTML will give you a solid foundation when it comes to coding.
CSS
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. It is the standard language of a web page that determines its layout style. Also, how a web page should be displayed on the screen.
It also handles the layout of a web page in emails, RSS feeds, and other media formats. The most important part of CSS is that it separates content from formatting.
In other words, CSS is used to change the appearance of HTML elements. With CSS you can control the look/appearance of a web page or any element on the page.
PHP
Once you have mastered HTML and CSS, the next logical step is to learn a programming language.
Which one you choose depends on your future aspirations. One of the most popular programming languages out there is PHP.
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language. It is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML.
JavaScript
JavaScript is the shortest language to learn. Also, it is the second most popular in the world with a high demand for coders.
JavaScript is a programming language used to add interactivity and media to different types of websites.
It can be basic or very complex. But it all begins with knowing your way around your coding environment. The biggest advantage of JavaScript is that it can be applied to all cool things including web browsers.
Besides, JavaScript also comes with a big support system from developers. This type of coding language is used by professionals to build or structure the complex projects
Resources to help you learn coding
Whether you are a newbie trying to pick up the basics of web development or an old pro, these resources will give you a great head start.
Code academy
Code academy is a learning site that teaches you different coding languages in a fun, interactive way. It is one of the most popular resources to help you learn how to code.
It has free content that focuses on three main programming languages. HTML and CSS (for web design), JavaScript (for backend web page development)
The academy also includes exercises designed to challenge and refine your skills.
W3schools
W3schools is a free Web design education website. It is aimed at beginners interested in learning Web design. Also, Web developers who want to learn new technologies quickly.
W3Schools provides information about HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, and more. They are written in plain English understandable by anyone who has attended secondary school.
The tutorials are written by volunteers from all over the world. The aim of W3Schools is to educate and train.
Code avengers
Code Avengers supply learners of all levels with educational videos on coding. The tutorials are available to teachers, students, or for personal interest.
The site is fun and easy to navigate. Also, it uses an intuitive, video game-style interface for various coding languages.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the most popular online educational tools to learn to code. It was set up in 2008 by Salman Khan, a hedge-fund analyst and MIT graduate.
Interested in learning how to code? Khan Academy can help. With over 5000 coding videos, it’s a great place to start.
Learn everything from the basics of computer science to useful practical topics like loading web pages.
Treehouse
Treehouse offers online video lessons with a curriculum that covers web development. It also covers app development, programming, and more.
You’ll learn everything you need from coding basics to more advanced topics that will help propel your career.
You can learn at your own pace, from anywhere in the world.
Quick tips to learn to code
Know why you want to learn to code
Your goals are very important. Why you’re learning matters a lot. Most people start coding without knowing why or what they’re actually going to achieve.
Start by answering those questions and figure out how long, you can dedicate your time to learning to code.
Coding is no simple task. It can take a lot of work to build something of any significance. So, be both realistic and ambitious with your goals.
Choose online resources
Making those first steps into programming can be tricky, but there are plenty of online resources to help. Coding is a great skill to learn and opens up a whole world of opportunities that you never imagined possible.
There are several online resources, including websites, and online courses designed to teach coding skills.
Grasp the fundamentals of coding
The first thing to do when learning to code is to gain a grasp of the fundamentals.
In most cases, this means the basics of programming languages and the basics of code syntax.
These two aspects are crucial to helping you to learn how to code and become a pro at coding quickly.
Code by hand
Coding should be fun. When learning to code, you’ll often find that it’s easiest, or even as fast, to code by hand.
It helps you to get a better picture of what’s going on behind the scenes with your code and gives you a greater appreciation for what’s happening in the software development cycle.
Nothing beats the experience of coding by hand. There are a lot of tools out there that can help you avoid basic syntax errors.
But no tool can take the place of code reviewed and edited by a human. If you have the time, It is highly recommended to code every single day.
Take breaks when debugging
Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors in a program.
Debugging can be a super frustrating part of writing code. But don’t give up and think your code is trash, keep at it!
When you are learning to code, you will inevitably hit a wall. Whether it is logic or syntax errors, there will come a time when nothing makes sense anymore.
It’s at these times that you will need to take a break from coding and do something else. This way, when a bug does bite, you have less time invested and can work through it more quickly.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Learning to code is a challenging but rewarding journey. While there are so many opportunities to get help, there are many ways you can help someone else.
Even if you don’t have the answer, your willingness to help out will lead you to the information needed.
At this very moment, thousands of coders are a few Google searches away from solving your problem.
The more you look for solutions to your problems, the better you’ll get at solving problems yourself. Soon you won’t need to look outside yourself for help.
FAQs
How long is it going to take me to learn to code?
It depends on you and how passionate you are about coding. Many people begin a course and quit because it’s too hard. Also, they don’t have enough time to dedicate to learning.
Some cannot afford a strict schedule so there is no doubt that with practice, you can do this in your spare time. For an average learner, I would say at least 6 months.
How much do programmers make?
Coders, like plumbers and electricians, have a variety of incomes from the very high to the very low.
If you are learning to code as a hobby and have no previous experience, you won’t be able to command anything but less than minimum wage. Some coders are eligible for health insurance and other benefits through their employers.
On average, as a programmer, your salary will depend on what you choose to work as and where you live.
A simple search on Salary.com shows that the average salary for a coder is around $54,000 USD / year.
Is coding the same thing as hacking?
Not at all. Coding is the use of programming languages to create applications or solutions using a methodical approach. Hacking is breaking into systems or networks without authorization.
Final thoughts
More and more people are dabbling with building websites and creating programs for their businesses.
But many find that they don’t have or need the official training, the expenditure, or the time to take years to learn to program.
But, coding is a skill that anyone can pick up. So if you are interested in this area there are plenty of resources that can teach you everything you need to know. We have tried our best to provide you with all the information related to this task. Good luck!
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