How To Learn Coding: A Guide For Beginners

Have you always wanted to learn how to code but never had the confidence to so? Perhaps you thought to venture into the world of coding requires a computer science degree. Or the misconceptions of “you have to be good at math” to be able to learn how to code seemed daunting. If you are not familiar with tech or the industry, just the thought of learning coding can be intimidating. But don’t let any of those thoughts discourage you ­– everyone can learn how to code!

Regardless of age, knowledge, and skills ­– like everything else in life if you put in the required effort to do something, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals. Well in this case, it’s to become a coder!

Here’s a guide for you to start learning coding:

1. Choose a project you want to do

When learning how to code, the best way to do so is by building programs. Ask yourself what is it that you want to do? Figure out what kind of projects you want to build so you can work towards that goal. However, choose simple and realistic projects that you can achieve as a beginner.

For example, you may want to build your own website or a simple calculator tool. If you prefer more interactive projects, consider classic games like Hangman or Rock, Paper, Scissors.

2. Choose a programming language

Once you have figured out what projects you want to do, it will be easier to choose a programming language to tackle! There is no order to which is the best programming language to learn. Although HTML and CSS are more user-friendly as it is considered the easiest point of entry into learning coding and mainly used to develop basic websites.

We recommend starting with easier programming languages before advancing to others as it will help you feel comfortable and not discouraged. You will also be able to pick up the next one much faster.

You can try out our free Coding Basics Experience to get started with HTML and CSS where you will be able to build your own website portfolio as well as an Airbnb clone in just 7 days!

Whichever programming language you choose, just get started and learn!

3. Find good resources

After deciding what language to learn, the next step is to get some resources that will help you get started! We won’t be listing out specific resource recommendations but there is a myriad to choose from.

You can start by reading a book to get a better grip at understanding programming theories, watch YouTube videos and learn from real life developers and software engineers on building projects or even listen to podcasts to learn while you are away from your computer! You can find all kinds of resources on nearly any coding-related topics these days. Choose a resource that you think is most suitable for your own learning style.

4. Join coding communities

Just like you, there are many people out there who are also just starting their coding learning journey. Joining a community will allow you to find great resources to learn from, ask questions, and help you feel less alone and discouraged. Every developer and software engineer out there was once a beginner like you are!

Here are some ways you can get involved:

• Reddit groups - A home to endless communities, Reddit has a wide range of subreddits for developers and software engineers that you can follow, ask questions and learn from.
• Stack Overflow - This is an open community for anyone that codes and is every developer’s holy grail to find answers to tough coding related questions. Stack Overflow is a community where you can share knowledge, ask questions, and seek answers.
• GitHub - The GitHub Community Forum is a place where people share their ideas and projects. You can follow discussions on topics and programming languages of your interest.
• HackerNews - This social news website focuses on computer science and entrepreneurship related topics. It is considered one of the top developer communities to gain insightful stories from developers around the world.

5. Enrol in an online coding course

Although you can always learn to code on your own, self-learning can be lonely and demotivating. Nothing beats having an actual mentor to guide you whenever you are stuck and need help. However, most coding courses or bootcamps can be costly and time-intensive to attend ­– especially if you are a full-time student or full-time working.

Beginner's Guide: Choosing the Right Coding Bootcamp for Beginners

Sigma School offers an extensive coding bootcamp that will help you land a job in the tech industry with the ability to work remotely, wherever you are. Our online course is not time-based so you can learn at your own pace. You will learn the fundamentals of coding, frontend web development, backend web development and mobile app development! The course covers all the skills you need to break into the tech industry and become a software developer without a university degree.

We have experienced developers and software engineers as mentors to support and guide you through whenever you need help. You will learn through pair programming and group projects that will prepare you for the real working world. And the best part? The course will be completely FREE if you don’t get a job!

Find out more about the course and enrol today!

Want to learn to find out more about what we do?

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