a smarter way to learn how to code

Learning how to code can be a very hectic process especially when you are on the self-taught route. The truth of the matter is, there must be a pain especially if you are learning how to code for the first time. If you follow my techniques, you should be able to learn any programming language in a short period of time with less pain. In this tutorial, I will reveal the process I used to learn how to code faster than my peers.

Watch video tutorials

Watching video tutorials on the programming language you wish to learn makes it easier for you to get hold of the basic syntax of the programming language quickly. You can use up to 2 days to watch the tutorial, most of the tutorials on YouTube are at most 4 hours long. You don't have to practice as you move on, what you are trying to do here is to make the Language seem less foreign to your brain.

When I first started learning how to code, I decided to watch a full beginners java course on YouTube for 2 days. This enabled me to set up the java environment properly and Introduced me to java a bit. 

Read a book

Watching video tutorials do a very good job of introducing you to the  programming language but they don't always capture everything. Books are comprehensive and cover a whole lot. Reading a book introduces you to so many new concepts that can make you write more efficient code. You just have to read through the book and understand the concepts, no practice really needed at this point.

It took me a week to skim through a Java study guide, which was the first programming study guide I ever read. All I did was read and understand Java syntax and libraries.

Work on a project

This is where you'll do most of the learning. Embarking on a project helps you to couple all the pieces together. Most of the time you'll be Googling and checking StackOverflow for solutions about different concepts but this process seems easier because there is instant gratification every time you couple codes together and make it work. Working on a project gives you a sense of purpose and drive to keep moving forward.

My first project was a payment request app that I created using Java. It took me 2 months to build because I was asking for help online every time I got stuck but in the end, I learnt a lot and knew how to actually build a program

Get Certified

Now that you are done working on your project, It’s time to really master the language by getting certified. Many Institutions offer certifications for programming languages. In my case, I had to take the Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer (OCAJP8) test to acquire my first Certificate. Preparing for the certification gives you a better foundation to grow in that language.

Conclusion 

Getting the idea into your head matters more than trying to understand the concepts vividly. Most people make the mistake of going through the pain of practicing when they are reading study guides or watching video tutorials. This can make you give up easily because the syntax in programming languages takes a while to be comprehended by your brain. Hoping this helps you in your journey as a programmer, see you in the next post.