🧠 6 Things I Learnt from 2 Months of Coding
A beginners guide to coding
I’ve been coding for two months now!
Thank you! Thank you! Stop it... You’re too kind!
Along the way, I’ve learnt lots of things that I wish I knew when I started.
And they say sharing is caring... So, here's 6 things I learnt to help you get started on your journey!
🤔 1. Work out why you want to code
This will save you looooaaaaddddssss of time in the beginning.
Think about what it is you want to do with code. Make games? Create websites? Build on the blockchain? Develop iOS apps?
If (for example) you wanted to be an iOS App Developer, then you need to research what languages iOS App Developers should learn (hint... it's Swift).
Before beginning The Odin Project I knew I wanted to learn Full Stack Development and then move into Blockchain Development.
I had a starting point.
And from there I googled myself a roadmap:
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
Solidity
💬 2. Learning any language is more important than learning the right language
That said, I know how easy it is to sink hours into googling things like "Best programming language for beginners" and still not knowing exactly what language you want to learn.
Or maybe you don't even know what it is you want to do with code... you just want to code!
That's totally fine too!
And here's the thing. At the end of the day, your first language (or even languages) doesn't really matter.
What matters is getting started.
You'll learn so many different skills and concepts that will make you a better programmer. And if you decide you want to learn a different language or go in a different direction in the future? The things you learnt and skills you picked up will make learning that next language soooooo much quicker!
And if you are STILL stuck for where to start... here's 2 suggestions and why you might want to pick them:
🐍 Python - it's used in lots of different scenarios (for example task automation) and is a classic suggestion for beginners because it's easy to learn, lots of fun and in high demand
☕️ JavaScript - adds interactivity to websites and is a great choice if you want to get into web development (along with HTML and CSS).
👨💻 3. Code every day
I know. I know.
EVERY DAY?!?!
Yes, every day. Or at least as close to every day as possible. Things happen. I get that.
I've got a young child and work a full-time job, so I know finding time can be hard.
But I also know that coding every day kept me honest. It's very easy for a one day break to become a 3 month hiatus... just ask my gym membership.
So, try and steal moments. I coded whilst eating breakfast, on the train and on my lunch break.
And as James Clear states in Atomic Habits:
If you can get one percent better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done.
🔍 4. Googling isn’t cheating
You heard it here first.
Well, ok... You may have heard this a lot. But that doesn't mean you believe it.
Whilst learning HTML, CSS and JavaScript I've forgotten so many bits of syntax and received too many console errors to count.
And I've just gone and googled it.
Yes, I spent a lot of time thinking about the problems first. And after googling, I try to understand why the solution fixed the problem. But I still googled it.
And who cares? Developers do it allllllll the time.
And don't just take my word for it... Danny Thompson does it too:
📱 5. Learn and build in public
You don't have to do this on your own.
You really don't.
In fact, it's better if you don't!
The tech community is one of the best I've been a part of!
I've joined discord groups where I've networked and received help when I'm stuck on coding problems.
I've been doing #100DaysOfCode on Twitter, sharing my progress and mishaps along the way! And I've met some great people who have supported and encouraged me.
I even started a blog (but you know that... you're reading it now) to dig deeper into topics and so I can look back in three years and go "IN YOUR FACE PETE! Look how far I've come!"
💻 6. Watch less, do more
It’s very easy to get stuck watching coding tutorials on YouTube and mindlessly follow along. I know. I’ve done it.
Don't get me wrong, tutorials are amazing. They inspire you and can teach you about new concepts and ideas that you can implement in your own projects. However...
They are also created in near perfect conditions.
The fact is, you will come across problems and bugs that aren't present in tutorials and overcoming these are one of the biggest challenges for new coders.
So, get out there, build your own projects and learn from your mistakes.
📝 Conclusion
I've only been coding for 2 months but I know that learning to code is going to be a lifelong learning process.
That said it can't hurt to start off to the best of your ability... So, make sure you:
🤔 Remember why you wanted to learn coding in the first place
💬 Don't worry too much about what language you learn
👨💻 Code every day or as much as you can
🔍 Make google your friend
📱 Make friends who aren't google
💻 And spend as much time making and building as possible