How to start learning programming

Programming is one of the most valuable skills that can be acquired in the 21st century. Whether you want to advance your career, create software, games, or understand the world of technology, learning to code can be an important tool in your professional and personal development.

However, learning to program can be very intimidating. Even before I wrote my first program, I thought that programmers were an elite group of people with talent beyond anything I could possibly have. From the conversations I’ve had with aspiring programmers, it’s a common misconception that programming is an activity reserved only for the most advanced techies.

With the time, diligence and access to the Internet, anyone can become a programmer from scratch.

What is a special mindset

Perhaps this is the most common myth. They say different things: that programmers have a different brain structure, that they are alienated and withdrawn. And without this, you cannot become a successful professional.

Is it true? Partly. But a successful programmer doesn’t always have to be a snob. What is important and necessary to know in order to learn to be a programmer:

Be able to work in a team. Regardless of where to start: web programming, mobile application development, layout and much more – it’s a team effort. Therefore, without this – nowhere.
Understand what priority is and how to properly prioritize it. Even in the most prestigious company, programmers often get tasks in the style of “Do it now, but this was necessary yesterday, but here – quickly and only correct it.” Structuring tasks is one of the most important skills of a cool progger.
Have phenomenal perseverance. No, you won’t have to sit in the office from call to call, but spending a lot of time at a laptop or computer is for sure. That is why IT people are considered unsociable: it’s just that while everyone is resting, most of them prefer to work.
Don’t be afraid to improve and learn new things. Programming languages become obsolete, new ones need to be learned, mobile applications are created on new platforms, dozens of services appear every day. If you want to become a good programmer, you need to be flexible and ready to upgrade your skills.
Love your computer. There is nothing more to add here. Your machine is the main working tool.

Already these skills can bring a stable and good income. And what if we add professional skills and education here?

What a programmer needs to know

Surprisingly, the role of mathematics in the life of a progger is greatly overestimated. Yes, this science is basic, and knowledge of vyshmat can be a good foundation for building a successful career. But this is far from the main thing, where you need to start learning programming and choose learning java.

Even without mathematical knowledge and a technical base, you can build a career as a cool programmer. In the process of studying at a computer school, you can get absolutely all the knowledge that a good specialist really needs to enter IT from scratch.

The truth is in the details

A career in IT is a lot of work that can only be done with a high degree of attentiveness. There are many areas where perseverance is also important – this is surgery, jewelry, various measurements. But in programming, this skill is almost basic.

Self-discipline, attentiveness and diligence – these are the three pillars on which the career of a successful programmer in a world famous company stands. Just like sitting at a laptop will not work, as well as scrolling the feed on social networks, likes and watching videos.

What you need to be prepared for when starting to work as a programmer:

Even simple tasks sometimes require a huge amount of time. Of course, then they can be solved much faster, but at first you will have to work very hard to find a solution to the problem.
How to program – it is important not not to fall, but to be able to rise. Any failure along the way, broken code, omission of a variable is just a stepping stone to a successful future. And even if the site is down, you can’t leave it and just leave. You need to raise your baggage of knowledge and experience and find that very variable.
Where to start programming: remember that the first time is unlikely to succeed. Not a good website, not a user-friendly mobile app, not even a chatbot. Programming mistakes are absolutely normal, and I would even say that they are useful. My best graduates spent several hundred hours searching for solutions and implementing their projects. And write correct code. But then for them this task was something comparable to a rebus in children’s books.

Algorithms matter

Everything in programming is based on algorithms. If in general, then there is the concept of decomposition. It is the breakdown of large and complex goals into small sub-goals. Or the maximum simplification of the task. As a result of crushing, the problem no longer seems so complicated, and its solution seems to lie on the surface.

This attitude to things is called algorithmic thinking. Did you recognize yourself? Congratulations! Then the path of a programmer from scratch is just for you! It remains only to add the necessary knowledge and experience.

But often the importance of algorithms and the ability to compose them correctly is simply underestimated. As an example, try to write an algorithm for cleaning the apartment or making coffee. Now imagine that in programming for absolutely any task you will need to prepare dozens of commands and conditions, otherwise they simply will not be executed.

Not everyone thinks in such algorithms. Someone visualizes images, others present abstract models. They, of course, can compose an algorithm, but this will be the fruit of long and hard work, but not the talent and natural nature of their brain. In this case, maybe it makes sense to find yourself in a profession related to creativity or communications?