How to Learn to Code For Newbs
Published: 2020-01-25 00:19:20

Coding has exploded in recent years, changing from something used in computer games and the occasional electronic device, to something which shapes the way that we live in the modern world. Pretty much every device, electronic item, and modern piece of machinery contains at least a little bit of code. As the number of use cases for coding grows, the number of coding jobs available will also continue to grow. This means that now is an excellent time for learning how to code for beginners.

We will begin by defining what coding is and why you should learn it. After this, we will move into a step by step guide to coding for dummies. We will look at some of the most popular coding languages, along with a few online coding courses that will help you learn these languages.

To start with, we need to define what coding is. Most programmers would agree that coding is:

‘The act of writing code that is compiled to form programs, that can be executed by a computer or a code reader, and that has a specific function or set of functions.’

Now, this definition is quite broad. In reality, exactly what we mean by coding will depend on what sort of coding we are referring to. For example, a web developer writes code that is used to build responsive, functioning websites. In this sense, coding is creating the best possible website. You can learn more about coding in our previous article.

However, someone who works in navigation and aerospace engineering might be required to write code that lets an airplane run on autopilot during long journeys. Although this is entirely different from building a website, it is still coding.

Before you start looking for the answers to “How to code for beginners”, you, therefore, need to think carefully about what sort of coding you would like to do. This will dictate the languages that you choose to learn and how you learn them – but more on that later. For now, let’s move onto a quick look at why you should start learning how to write a code for beginners.

Why Should I Learn To Code?
As noted above, coding is an exciting new field that presents a world of opportunities for people who are willing to learn. Despite what you may have heard, learning to code isn’t that hard – especially when you compare it to the skills that are required to get the most skilled jobs.

The average person can learn the basics of how to code for beginners fast enough to be able to start writing their simple programs in a couple of weeks. A few months of hard work will leave you fluent in at least one programming language. Working hard to learn to code for beginners for more than a few months should give you all the skills that you need to become a career coder.

Some of the reasons why you should learn how to code include:

Coding is fun! Imagine having the skills to be able to build your websites from scratch, to be able to create responsive mobile games, and to be able to program data analysis packages. If you learn how to code, you will be able to do all of this and more in a fun, engaging way!
Coding will give you valuable skills. Learning how to code for beginners will provide you with enough skills and experience to pursue a career as a coder or programmer.
Learning how to code will provide job security. In the same way, being able to pursue a career as a coder will give you a significant amount of job security. Coders and programmers are in demand throughout the modern world, leading to a lot of jobs in the field.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why you should start learning to code right now. Because of this, we have put together the following step by step guide. Dig in and have fun!

Step By Step Guide To Coding For Dummies
Although coding is relatively easy to learn compared to a lot of other technical skills, it is still something that scares people. At first glance, it may seem complicated, confusing, and very, very hard to master. I mean, how do you go about learning how to code a website if you have no programming experience whatsoever?

The answer is simple – you follow our step by step guide to learning how to code for beginners! By the end of this guide, you should have a clear understanding of the steps that are required if you want to become a programmer, along with the things that you can do to help fast-track your journey.

Step 1: Work Out Why You Want To Learn How To Code
Now, the first thing that you need to do – before you even think about enrolling in courses or starting to watch YouTube videos about coding – is to ask yourself why you want to learn to code. Sit down and think carefully about what you hope to get out of it, why coding is a skill that you want to learn, and how much time and money you have to commit to it. Consider:

What sort of skills you want to end up with. Do you want to become a website developer? Or perhaps you would prefer to be able to build mobile apps or work in software engineering? You will need to think carefully about this because it will largely dictate the languages that you are going to learn.
Why do you want to learn to code? Is learning how to code simply something which interests you that you are going to be doing in your spare time? Or is programming something that you would like to pursue a career in further down the track?
How much time and money you can commit. If you are only going to have a couple of hours per week to commit to learning how to code, there probably isn’t a whole lot of point enrolling in an intensive course. In the same way, if you want to join an intensive course with support, you will have to be prepared to pay for it.
Identify and write down your coding goals and store them somewhere safe. These will quickly become the basis of your journey from novice to master coder.

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Dave is a project lead at [Burbro](https://burbro.com/), and writes about a variety of "techie topics". You can follow him on Twitter or Github.

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