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"Where do I start from?": Newbie Guide to Programming
So many people want to get into tech now and the prevailing question experienced coders get asked the most is > “where do I start from?”
Truth is, that’s a good question to ask actually because “Tech” is “Vast”.
There are so many branches and different forms of “tech” that it’s just too much for one person to know it all.
Usually, like everything else, one has to pick one single entry point, then gradually build your way up into other branches therein.
There are two forms of tech basically,
the Hardware Engineers - folks that almost always build and / or program devices, robots and the likes using softwares like Arduino,
the Software Engineers - folks that build stuff using what tech bros/sis call “Programming Languages”.
I’ve heard people legit ask, "what do you mean by programming language again?" Do we have to learn “French” or something 😀 Lol, no. It’s not French or German.
In layman terms, Programming languages are languages (codes) computers or any electronic devices understands. It’s why you hear people in tech say stuff like “I’m coding”, they basically mean, I’m instructing a computer or a device to act or do something.
Like humans of different race, different computers/ devices understand different languages. It’s why people say I know this programming language, I don’t know that one.. etc..
So which popular software programming languages exist and what are they used for;
JAVA, C#, C: for building Android apps, Enterprise Applications(MS word, Photoshop etc)
Web scripting languages(HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP): for building web applications.. (Facebook, websites, etc)
Oh, there’s also python, (calm down, not a real snake😅) - for building web applications too, AI and machine learning stuff as well...
and so many more other programming languages.
So if you want to get into tech, first question you ask yourself is “what kind of software would I like to build?”
Mobile? Desktop? Web? Etc.. This will inform your choice of the programming language you should learn.
Also, If your reason for wanting to learn is “So you can Make Money”, that’s also a valid reason my friend! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Depends on who you ask.
If you ask me, I’ll say like any new skill you’re trying to learn, it requires patience, consistency and long hours of practice time.
So, No, it’s NOT easy. It requires you to be ready to learn, sometimes on your own, most times using the Oracle - Google.
"Tech" is not a walk in the park. However, anyone can get into it. It doesn’t matter what you study in the university. But you have to be ready to study.
It’s sometimes boring, sometimes interesting, just like any other profession I guess. Difference with tech is that, you don’t have to go to a university before you start building stuff. You can start where you are. With what you have - Google & Will & Discipline. 🙂
In conclusion, not everyone can learn on their own, sometimes, people need a little guide here and there. So you can signup to FreeCodeCamp, Coding BootCamps, subscribe to Youtube playlist - Net-Ninja, buy courses on Udemy... basically, whatever works for you.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Go get em!
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