Programming is a lot of fun and extremely useful. It allows you to be creative, and opens up new professional horizons. If you want to learn programming, read this tutorial to know where to start and what to study.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing a Language
Step 1. Choose a programming language
In practice, computer programming consists of a series of written instructions performed by the machine. These instructions can be written in a variety of languages, which in simple terms are different ways of organizing instructions and text. Usually, however, the language must be chosen according to the types of programs that you want to create. So opt for what you think is relevant to your job. You can always learn more at a later time.
Step 2. Consider C, C ++, C # and other related languages
They are mainly used for the purpose of creating computer programs. C and C ++ are easy and ideal for beginners, but C # is gaining momentum.
Step 3. Consider Java or JavaScript.
They are useful languages to learn if you want to work in creating plugins for the web or mobile apps. People who can program in Java are in great demand today, so it's a language that will suit you.
Step 4. Try Python
Quite versatile language widely used on different platforms, Python is very interesting. Some people swear it's easy for beginners, so give it a chance!
Step 5. Consider PHP
Generally, it is used for web programming, and is very useful for hackers. It is relatively easy to master, and usually a professional who knows how to program in PHP is quite in demand.
Step 6. Consider other languages as well
There are many programming languages, and each of them has a very specific purpose. If you want to work as a programmer, you will absolutely need to know how to program in more than one, so get to work right away!
The best way to understand which one is right for you is to read offers of various types of jobs: you will realize which are the most requested languages
Part 2 of 3: Learning the language
Step 1. If you haven't studied, consider enrolling in college
While most companies that hire programmers place more emphasis on skills than education, it is generally better to have a degree to stand out. Among other things, it will allow you to learn more and more efficiently, while as a self-taught you will have limits. Plus, you will be guided by industry experts.
Scholarships and other subsidies are often offered for those who decide to take a degree in this field. Don't be discouraged by tuition fees and related costs: it is possible
Step 2. Enroll in a university, even online
Whether you take a paid online degree program, study at a full-fledged faculty or use a free program like Coursera, you can learn a lot about programming thanks to structured lessons.
Step 3. Try using online tools
Use free services like Google's University Consortium or the Mozilla Developer Network to learn more about programming. These companies are looking for more developers to help their platforms flourish, and their resources are among the best on the web.
Step 4. Learn using online tutorials
There are tons of programmers who have websites and teach the basics of programming, but also a few tricks. Look for tutorials on the language you want to learn to find some pages.
There are many free online courses that teach coding. The Khan Academy offers lessons on this topic through easy videos and tutorials. The Codecademy is another free site to learn from, with tutorials broken down into steps
Step 5. Start as soon as possible
There are several programs designed to teach programming to children, and very useful projects, such as MIT's Scratch. The smaller you are, the easier it will be to learn (after all, that's what happens with any language).
Avoid kits - they rarely teach anything useful
Part 3 of 3: Self-taught learning
Step 1. Start with a good book or tutorial series on programming
Get a recent, quality book on the language you want to acquire. Reviews on Amazon or similar sites usually allow you to distinguish useful volumes from those that are not.
Step 2. Get an interpreter for the language you want to learn
An interpreter is just another program, but it converts ideas you've written in a programming language into machine code, so you can see things at work. There are many programs available: choose the one that suits you best.
Step 3. Read the book of your choice
Take examples of the programming language from the book and insert them into the interpreter. Try changing the examples so that the program does different things.
Step 4. Try to collect your ideas to create a working program
Start with something simple, like a program that converts currencies. Gradually strive to learn more complex concepts in relation to what you read and assimilate about the programming language.
Step 5. Learn another language
Once you've started actively programming in the first language, you may want to assimilate another one. If you choose one that uses a radically different paradigm from the one you started with, learning will benefit you even more. For example, if you started with Scheme, you can later try learning C or Java. Did you start with Java? You could study Perl or Python.
Step 6. Keep planning and trying new things
To be a good programmer, the least you can do is keep up with technological changes. It's a constant learning process, and you should always acquire new languages, paradigms, and most importantly, program something new!
Advice
- Don't throw yourself headlong into a complex language like Java, start with Python instead. The latter encourages beginners and basically understands every little aspect of what are the basic principles of programming.
- Java has a powerful concept called multithreading. Study it carefully.
- Get a complete reference book. Make sure it's the latest version, because the languages are constantly updated.
- Start with something fun, motivate yourself to solve problems that challenge you, cultivate your logical reasoning skills.
- Use Eclipse when writing a program. It is an extremely useful program that can debug code, and you can run it instantly. You can also use the package explorer to browse multiple code files.
- Knowing the syntax by heart is essential. Practice as you see fit. Study some sample programs, then start writing your own code.
- If you are learning Java, then work with NetBeans 7.3.1: it is very useful and easy.
