Learn How To Code Stress-free

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Thami540

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Want to learn how to code and get an app out there but don't know where to start? Well, it's easy and quick if you take it step by step. Here's how:
1. Your first and most important lesson is to learn the BASIC VARIABLES and DATA TYPES. In this part, we'll use JavaScript. Even if you don't know what JavaScript is, you'll find that its easy syntax will help you transit to other programming languages much easier. Learning BASIC VARIABLES and DATA TYPES should easily take you 3 days to master just from reading basics on pdf files and a little practice on your browser.

2. Once done with the fundamentals, it's time to choose the route you want.
Some want to make Android apps, some want to make the ride on the Internet smoother for everybody to surf. In most cases, people like to create their own apps independently. The route to choose would be Java. Learning Java through pdf files can be tiresome, so it is best to learn via video lessons found on most mainstream sites such as Youtube. It is readily out there.
Along with the 20% of JavaScript you picked up during the fundamentals, increase your skills on it(although Java and JavaScript are not related at all).

3. Lastly focus all/most of that you learned and ally it to create your own Android app. There are many platforms to develop Android apps and useful guideline to help you create your dream app. Most are available for free from Google. [ http://developer.android.com/guide/index.html ] a great resourse for sharpening your skills.

Here are a few resourses to help you learn more:
- NOT W3Schools (a popular search but full of errors and missing information)
- Lynda.com (not free, but offers a large selection courses. Its lessons are excellent!)
- If all else fails, good ol' pdf files will help clearify a few things here and there.

In closing, learn at your own pace. Your style will surely reflect on the final product you've created. Who knows, you might pull off something that hasn't been thought of yet.
 
Well, I guess you could say this is just the base-plate of exposing the simplicities(or non-complexities) of programming; and taking that leap to get things started.
Part II would also be a touch/familiarization of installing the Android SDK and begin your designs.
 
Forgive me, but I'm about to be nit-picky.

As a developer myself, if I were learning to code, I'd be absolutely lost here. This is far from the most efficient or helpful guide on accomplishing what you mean to.

You're saying "Learn what data types and variables are" using JavaScript, then you go straight to Android app development with no links for anyone to get them to that stage.

I'd never recommend a scripting language as something to start off with, nor Java.

My coding background started at UNISA, with C++. I think it gave me a pretty solid foundation, but a lot of people tend to not be quite keen on it any more. And I'm with them in a sense. However, once you're familiar with a [decent] language, you can easily pick up syntax of others.

I'd rather start someone off with C#.

If they had a bit of spare cash, I highly recommend starting them off with PluralSight. Assuming they have no experience at all, to start off with I'd go with some of their Beginner Programming modules followed by the C# modules.

All in all, I don't think you can have a generic guide like this. It comes down to the person and what they'd want to do.

While I do think highly of PluralSight, there are other ways to learn, possibly better. If someone needed my help, I wouldn't mind investigating and recommending.
 
mr_norris said:
Forgive me, but I'm about to be nit-picky.

As a developer myself, if I were learning to code, I'd be absolutely lost here. This is far from the most efficient or helpful guide on accomplishing what you mean to.

You're saying "Learn what data types and variables are" using JavaScript, then you go straight to Android app development with no links for anyone to get them to that stage.

I'd never recommend a scripting language as something to start off with, nor Java.

My coding background started at UNISA, with C++. I think it gave me a pretty solid foundation, but a lot of people tend to not be quite keen on it any more. And I'm with them in a sense. However, once you're familiar with a [decent] language, you can easily pick up syntax of others.

I'd rather start someone off with C#.

If they had a bit of spare cash, I highly recommend starting them off with PluralSight. Assuming they have no experience at all, to start off with I'd go with some of their Beginner Programming modules followed by the C# modules.

All in all, I don't think you can have a generic guide like this. It comes down to the person and what they'd want to do.

While I do think highly of PluralSight, there are other ways to learn, possibly better. If someone needed my help, I wouldn't mind investigating and recommending.
Click to expand...

Yes, Mr Norris. You're absolutely right. In this instance I may have 'skipped' valuable points, but this was a bit of a quick beginner's guide. Although not placed as desired, I did leave out C++ on purpose. It is the most difficult amongst the languages, and highly intimidating to the average folk who wants to go in knee-deep.

You do raise important points. But I figure once someone is done with the basics(Step 1 of my not-so-clear guide) they'd know where their headed, and eventually decide whether to take C# or C++ before hitting PluralSight.
 
C++ is the first programming language I learned a few years ago at Unisa :D In my opinion, C++ is pretty easy to learn if it's your very first programming language :) Now I'm so happily writing polymorphic classes and stuff for fun. If I learn another language via the Internet for free then is it a cheat if I add this language to my CV?
 
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JavaScript is crap for a first language. For starters it is messy/all over the place, you have those annoying browsers to deal with and to get past it you need to use jQuery and the like. Now you have these anonymous functions, no real classes but a "hack" to mimic one, its for loop which brings back the index instead of the item for that index and blah blah :sick:

It's frustrating and we've had this discussion numerous times before. I'm sure there are ways around some of these problems but you expect a beginner to figure that out?

(and if you don't believe me, I'm sitting with a junior at work now trying to explain JS to him...no joy. Explain C# to him and things get a bit easier)

Get yourself a proper IDE like Visual studio, Eclipse or Netbeans and stat with C# or Java. Get yourself a very basic beginner's book (like Dummy's maybe that will teach you the very basics while treating you like you're an idiot. And don't expect to get much more from the book.) once you have the very basics going you can start experimenting - and that is how you really learn to program:

Sit in front of the computer for hours on end and experiment and mess around. Code as many things as you can that do the dumbest of things. Make MS Merlin walk across your screen if you want - code whatever pops into your head.
 
Hamster said:
JavaScript is crap for a first language. For starters it is messy/all over the place, you have those annoying browsers to deal with and to get past it you need to use jQuery and the like. Now you have these anonymous functions, no real classes but a "hack" to mimic one, its for loop which brings back the index instead of the item for that index and blah blah :sick:

It's frustrating and we've had this discussion numerous times before. I'm sure there are ways around some of these problems but you expect a beginner to figure that out?

(and if you don't believe me, I'm sitting with a junior at work now trying to explain JS to him...no joy. Explain C# to him and things get a bit easier)

Get yourself a proper IDE like Visual studio, Eclipse or Netbeans and stat with C# or Java. Get yourself a very basic beginner's book (like Dummy's maybe that will teach you the very basics while treating you like you're an idiot. And don't expect to get much more from the book.) once you have the very basics going you can start experimenting - and that is how you really learn to program:

Sit in front of the computer for hours on end and experiment and mess around. Code as many things as you can that do the dumbest of things. Make MS Merlin walk across your screen if you want - code whatever pops into your head.
Click to expand...

+1 on that. Those Sams Teach Yourself books are also pretty good. I find those "For Dummies" books quite a pain to sit through (they like discussing stuff. Not necessarily the topic at hand).

DarkSpectre said:
C++ is the first programming language I learned a few years ago at Unisa :D In my opinion, C++ is pretty easy to learn if it's your very first programming language :) Now I'm so happily writing polymorphic classes and stuff for fun. If I learn another language via the Internet for free then is it a cheat if I add this language to my CV?
Click to expand...

Agreed, it's not actually that difficult to learn. I think C++ is a great starting language. I don't think adding something you learned outside a formal institution is a bad thing. If I didn't do that, I wouldn't have much of a CV (While these aren't languages, UNISA didn't cover things like ASP.net, MVC. I did, in my spare time, and at work :P).
 
mr_norris said:
+1 on that. Those Sams Teach Yourself books are also pretty good. I find those "For Dummies" books quite a pain to sit through (they like discussing stuff. Not necessarily the topic at hand).
Click to expand...

I assumed the "Dummies" name would mean absolute beginner. Either way, some discussion is necessary but not all the time. The best books. I started with was in school called "Ready to Program". Not sure if those are available to the general public but it was the best intro I could have asked for. After that i bought myself books from Apress and Wrox (or Worx...those burgundy ones)
 
@OP: I agree with others. Data is an extremely hard concept to explain to someone just starting out.

Hamster said:
JavaScript is crap for a first language. For starters it is messy/all over the place, you have those annoying browsers to deal with and to get past it you need to use jQuery and the like. Now you have these anonymous functions, no real classes but a "hack" to mimic one, its for loop which brings back the index instead of the item for that index and blah blah :sick:

It's frustrating and we've had this discussion numerous times before. I'm sure there are ways around some of these problems but you expect a beginner to figure that out?

(and if you don't believe me, I'm sitting with a junior at work now trying to explain JS to him...no joy. Explain C# to him and things get a bit easier)

Get yourself a proper IDE like Visual studio, Eclipse or Netbeans and stat with C# or Java. Get yourself a very basic beginner's book (like Dummy's maybe that will teach you the very basics while treating you like you're an idiot. And don't expect to get much more from the book.) once you have the very basics going you can start experimenting - and that is how you really learn to program:

Sit in front of the computer for hours on end and experiment and mess around. Code as many things as you can that do the dumbest of things. Make MS Merlin walk across your screen if you want - code whatever pops into your head.
Click to expand...
+1/2. You could have stopped at "JavaScript is crap for a first language."; And continued at "Get yourself a proper..."
JS debates usually just end up in a few people wanting to kill each other.
 
nand said:
+1/2. You could have stopped at "JavaScript is crap for a first language."; And continued at "Get yourself a proper..."
JS debates usually just end up in a few people wanting to kill each other.
Click to expand...

The emotions of my recent run in with JS overcame me.
 
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