How To Approach Programming As A Code Newbie 🤔

2020 May 28th

I get lots of messages on Twitter regarding this subject – how to approach programming as a code newbie. How to get started? What resources to use? What path to follow? And many more questions.

As a result, I have decided to write an article about this subject, so I can refer people here rather than repeat myself every time. I do not blame anyone, as I went through the same issues when I started. However, it is time-consuming for me to repeat the same thing over and over again.

WHERE DO I START 🤔

I cannot say this enough: FreeCodeCamp is a fantastic resource. If you never wrote a line of code, FreeCodeCamp is the best place to start your journey. Why do I say this?

First of all, it provides a clear path of progress. It starts with the basics, such as HTML and CSS, and it ends with advanced stuff like front-end development and back-end development. You also learn about security and other cool stuff.

Besides the platform, they have a YouTube channel where you can go in-depth on some subjects. For example, let’s say you want to learn NodeJS in-depth. You can go on their YouTube channel and find plenty of NodeJS tutorials.

Therefore, I firmly believe that FreeCodeCamp should be your first starting point. Be aware though; this is not the only path. You can follow another way and become a developer. This is just my opinion.

WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE 🚀

The sky’s the limit. If you finish FreeCodeCamp by going over the whole curriculum, by completing all the projects and by supplementing your learning with their YouTube channel, I will dare to say that you are even ready to apply for your first junior role.

From here, I would advise you to specialise in an area like front-end or back-end. I never recommend beginners trying to go full-stack from the beginning, because it is way too hard and complicated. In my case, I started as a back-end developer, and now I am slowly transitioning in a full-stack developer.

Depending on what you choose, learn the technologies and tools from that area. For example, when I started with back-end, I learnt Python (Django), JavaScript (NodeJS), PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, how to deploy on Heroku and so on.

I would advise you to do the same. Back-end and front-end are very complex on their own. Trying to learn both at the same time is even more challenging. As a result, learn back-end or front-end, and transition to full-stack over time.

CONCLUSION 🏁

These are my thoughts, and I hope it helps you decide. I see way too many people struggling with approaching programming as code newbies, so I thought I would create this short article. If you want to add something, feel free to do it by leaving a reply in the comment section.

⚠️ By the way, I opened my YouTube channel recently, where I am talking about subjects similar to my articles, but in greater details. The channel is not a substitute for my blog, but they instead go hand in hand. Click here to subscribe to my new channel. If you like my articles, I bet you will love the videos too. ⚠️

Also, you might be interested in other articles from my blog: