Just about every aspect of life is somehow impacted by computers – from health care to food service to just about any industry one can imagine relies on computers. It is because of this that programmers are in demand for a wide variety of companies, making the ability to code attractive to a wide variety of employers. Programmers are needed now, more than ever because there is more than desktop software development. Now, there are websites, mobile applications, web apps, browser extensions and numerous other projects, providing numerous opportunities for programmers. For those like myself without a degree in Computer Science, that doesn’t mean you can’t become a programmer. There are more resources to learn how program now more than ever. One can easily teach oneself to code in their free time, and what can start as a hobby, could develop into a full-blown career very quickly. There are plenty of resources available to teach yourself how to program, and while formal education is very beneficial, one doesn’t have to go to school to learn how to code. Teaching oneself to program can open the door to many new opportunities and very lucrative future. It is a great skill to learn and is worth considering when one is between jobs or is interested in perusing a different career path.
Where to Learn:
- Code Academy– Code Academy provides free, interactive coding lessons on their website in HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and more. Code Academy also provides some gameification with badges and social media integration making learning how to code more fun and provides some interaction among users. This is how I am currently learning HTML and I personally must say it is a fantastic way to learn. It puts all the tools one needs to learn code in their web browser and breaks the content into easy to manage lessons.
- UDemy– Udemy offers course on much more than coding for reasonable prices. Although they are simply video course as apposed to the interactive lessons offered by code academy, it does allow for content to be seen on smartphones and tablets. Each lesson is typically between $30 and $50 and is a good way to learn as well.
- W3Schools– Similar to Codeacedy , although slightly less sleek, W3schools offers interactive lessons on a wide variety of programing languages. W3Schools also provide certification tests for a fee to become certified in a language.
- iTunes University– Want to have the college lecture experience without the expensive tuition? iTunes University offers free audio and video downloads of real college lectures from some of the top universities in the world. Classes can be downloaded to one’s computer, or iOS device and also has iBook support, allowing students to purchase textbooks and other course materials directly on their device, for the full college experience.
- Books/Ebooks: Books may be the oldest method of learning how to code, but is still one of the best. Books let users learn at their own pace and provides a reference guide to refer back to later on when questions inevitably arise.
What you need to Get Started:
If you want to start learning how to code, there are a few things one will need to get started programming.
- Text Editor- Text Editors are where the actual code is written and can be as simple as the text editor that comes on one’s machine or can be more advanced and offer features that make coder’s lives easier. Notepad++ is a very popular editor for Windows and offers color coding, automatic completion of tags and more. On the Mac side, Textmate has been widely reviewed as the best text editor fore mac users. These are, however, simply suggestions and it is highly recommended to go out and try some different editors before deciding on one to best meet one’s workflow.
- FTP Client- For any web development, the files need to be taken from one’s own computer to the hosting service online, that is, unless one is hosting from their own computer, which is not recommended for many reasons. Filezilla is an immensely popular, open source FTP client that does everything beginners and even more advanced users need to do.
- Patience- Learning how to code can be frustrating at times but, learning how to program is very rewarding both on a personally, when you can make something work, and financially due to the many opportunities these skills open one to.
About the Author
Mike Gdovin has been blogging about technology since 2006 on his blog, Gdovin.net. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Media from Kutztown University with a minor in Journalism, Public Relations and Business. In addition to blogging about technology, Mike is a video producer, technology consultant and social media expert.
