The internet has so many places where you can learn to code. The problem is that there are so many options, and it can become overwhelming for beginners to know where to start. I found that when I was looking for ways to teach myself code I quickly become overwhelmed by the vast amounts of information available. I watched YouTube videos, looked for online courses, and tried to follow the steps many people suggested. While trying to figure out what steps I should take to learn code I learned about all of the types of code. From Java and Python to C++ I was feeling kind of lost. I also realized different computers and operating systems were necessary for different types of code. For example you need XCode for Swift, but can write C++ in Notepad.
I finally decided I was going to start by going into the world of web coding. I tried many different ways to learn C++. I finally discovered W3 Schools, which was pretty good for getting down the basics. I followed their tutorials which were pretty easy to understand. Now knowing the basics I like referring to W3 Schools to get quick reminders on how to code certain elements in html, or take on new projects such as creating a drop down menu.
After dabbling in web coding I found this camp in my city called App Camp 4 Girls which got me interested and started in the world of coding Apple apps. At the end of the camp I received this book called “Swift Programming | The Big Nerd Ranch Guide” this book is really great and includes all of the basics to how to code in Swift. My favorite part of it is the exercises it includes showing you examples of code for each lesson, that you can recreate in a Swift playground. I personally have been creating a giant playground including all of the lessons so far, and adding comments to describe my code for future reference. I’m doing this so that later I can reference it to refresh myself on Swift if needed, without having to dig through the book.
Now I have just decided to embark on a mission to learn Python. I decided to learn Python after watching the YouTube video bellow which stated how it is a very useful and pretty easy language to start off with in terms of syntax. This lead me to Codecademy. I have started following their Python tutorials which I find very easy to understand and user friendly. Especially for beginners with no prior coding experience I think it is a good tool because it explains lots of basic and common programming terms used in every language. Once I finish the Python course I plan to brush up my C++ skills, as well as dive into the world of JavaScript using Codecademy and possibly W3 Schools. If you are trying to see which first steps you should take to learn code I personally would recommend Clever Programmer‘s YouTube channel. I found his channel quite informative, helping me feel much less overwhelmed. I can’t say much about his Python courses because I was unfortunately never able to get the email to start his courses. There are so many programming languages and learning tools out there so hopefully after reading this you feel a little less confused on good first steps to take to enter this vast, information filled world.