Here are some of the best tips and resources to set you off on the right foot.
Are you trying to learn the bare minimum to score a promotion?
Are you looking to make a big career change?
Do you want to create the next great app?
Thrill your roommates by programming your various smart devicesto do something awesome?
Knowing your reasons will help you choose the best path.
While there is no single best programming language to learn, some languages are more user-friendly than others.
Mobile app makers use Swift or C to make iOS apps, and Java or Kotlin for Android apps.
Video game developers may turn to Unity or even C# to bring their games to life.
Above all else, just get started learningsomething.
Want more one-on-one coaching and career prep without doing a full-time bootcamp?
In other words, improve your skills in concepts like pattern recognition, algorithms, and abstractions.
Theres also lingo, like loops, which are bound to pop up in any language you use.
I cant recommendHarvards CS50x Introduction to Computer Scienceenough.
As a self-taught programmer, you might also benefit from books that offer broader advice on the profession.
A corollary to that behemoth isClean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanshipby Uncle Bob Robert Martin.
Thats the beauty of interactive coding tutorials you could find around the web.
Coding games are also a fun way to get your feet wet.
If you have an hour to kill, you might give the simpleHour of Codegames a try.
After all, these products are designed to teach coding logic and syntax without boring easily-distracted children.
(Or, if you want to start with something easier, try the simpler Alexaskill blueprintssite.)
By recreating existing projects, youll learn more about the inner workings of your highly customizable rig.
I recommend checking outCS Dojo,TheNetNinja, and HarvardsCS50YouTube channel.
Start small, but think big.
(Maybe use your coding chops to buildan amazing setup for game night.)
If you get stuck, dont give up.
And then try, loop back and try.
It never hurts to phone a friendor internet stranger.
Schools likeFlatiron SchoolandGrace Hopperdo offer scholarships or deferred tuition to make these bootcamps more affordable.
