Hi, I'm 12 and I wanna learn how to code?

[Qurty]

Hi, I'm 12 and I wanna be part of a, at least so far, pretty awesome looking community.

I always wanna learn how to code, I'm now in 8th class and I was super motivated for my first Computer Science class.

But Computer Science in Switzerland means to learn how you use Word from Microsoft.

 

After being very unmotivated and sad about the building process in this country, I thought I maybe could teach it myself.

Beause I didn't know where to start, I ordered a coding for kids book on amazon. After reading into it, i recognized that it was boring and with the python lessons

it gives me, I will never make something cool, or even better, something useful.

 

Than I bought a magazin about python coding which was a failure as well. Now I'm at a point where I have some skills but don't where to practise and with what kind of project I should start. And please don't say just start somewhere. I tryed it and that doesn't work really.

 

So my real question is: Where can I get tips and advice to get better and where can I practice my skills?

 

 

Because I didn't know where to start I thought I could ask here first, even if I know that this is mostly a Pc-Hardwaresite.

Thanks to all kind replys, kindly regards your Qurty.

[MattLantis]

I heard code academy works well

[Kaita]

Hi, I'm 12 and I wanna be part of a, at least so far, pretty awesome looking community.

I always wanna learn how to code, I'm now in 8th class and I was super motivated for my first Computer Science class.

But Computer Science in Switzerland means to learn how you use Word from Microsoft.

 

After being very unmotivated and sad about the building process in this country, I thought I maybe could teach it myself.

Beause I didn't know where to start, I ordered a coding for kids book on amazon. After reading into it, i recognized that it was boring and with the python lessons

it gives me, I will never make something cool, or even better, something useful.

 

Than I bought a magazin about python coding which was a failure as well. Now I'm at a point where I have some skills 

Try codeacademy.com 

[Godlygamer23]

Learn how to code with Python and if you have a proper understanding, you can build whatever the language is capable of letting you build. Sometimes you have to get through the boring stuff in order to get to the interesting things.

[NeoZeon]

Like with anything, you are going to have to learn the basics before you can really build something cool. Learning the principles of data structures, classes, objects, sorting, algorithms is necessary.  I suggest projecteuler.net to learn both math and programming. code.org is a good resource. 

[Guest]

I started learning C# for Unity, Unity has some tutorials on it if your interested

Codecademy is the most popular place.

[Cazzer505]

Don't bother with things like scratch. My main problem with Python is I didn't feel I was doing anything useful. All my projects were simple. If you like making games try Unity 3D. It can be done with almost no code up to making your own physics. If not games try C sharp, its what unity uses anyway and is a very useful skill

[skyress3000]

Try codeacademy.com 

Good suggestion but note that it's codecademy.com; there's no a in the URL

[skyress3000]

Don't bother with things like scratch. My main problem with Python is I didn't feel I was doing anything useful. All my projects were simple. If you like making games try Unity 3D. It can be done with almost no code up to making your own physics. If not games try C sharp, its what unity uses anyway and is a very useful skill

You can make games in Python - try pygame or I think the built in GUI library can be used too.

[Kaita]

Good suggestion but note that it's codecademy.com; there's no a in the URL

It still redirects to codecademy.com

[skyress3000]

It still redirects to codecademy.com

Oh, I didn't know that! They must've acquired the domain since I last checked.

[Nineshadow]

You first need to learn how to use the programming language you'd like to use. Then, you'll need to learn programming techniques , algorithms , data structures ( lists, stacks, heaps , trees , etc) , graph theory , etc.

[//FTP]

Try CodeAvengers, it is a cool website and it offers all this. (FREE)

 

[Nuluvius]

If you haven't already you should have a read through our Ultimate Programming Resources Thread.

 

At your level you will likely only be able to hack around really so making progress with the theory would be excellent as it will increase the scope of what you will be capable of achieving:

 

You first need to learn how to use the programming language you'd like to use. Then, you'll need to learn programming techniques , algorithms , data structures ( lists, stacks, heaps , trees , etc) , graph theory , etc.

 

Building on from this we have the engineering principals such as: Design Patterns, Single responsibility, Open-closed, Liskov substitution, Interface segregation and Dependency inversion (SOLID) & Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability ACID for starters. Then perhaps an overview of some of the current industry relevant methodologies might be of interest, for instance: Agile Development Methodology, Test Driven Development & Behaviour Driven Development - my personal favourites as well.

 

You have only but touched the surface of an incredibly deep and vast ocean so far...

[Makerimages]

Comp. Science in elementary & basic school in most of Europe means they teach you how to use Word or other MS Office products. Sadly. 

 

 

I highly recommend the following resources: 

 

TheNewBoston

CodeAcademy

FreeCodeCamp

 

And for answers to most/all your errors and questions StackOverflow and Google

[Flanelman]

I heard code academy works well

[MattLantis]

 

I heard code academy works well

 

^ I agree

[mathijs727]

If you're into video tutorials I really like Bennys explanations:

[Tweakforce_LG]

Try CodeAvengers, it is a cool website and it offers all this. (FREE)

I went to one of there code camps, it was awesome and i know html/css and javascript really well because of it. Its a bit costly though but i unlocked all the level 1 and 2 of it

[thechez99]

Udacity is awesome (and sometimes free, watch out) I used the HTML, CSS & Bootstrap Fundamentals Videos and they were really good (and free ).

[wfisom]

Hi ,depends what kind of coding you want to get it into I suggest getting in to robotics and electronics programming even though it is quite hard to learn it's certainly worth it as you can put your skills by selling hardware that you have invented at pays back very well! Try this website to start learning. https://developer.mbed.org/ I don't recommend arduino as it has a different kind of processor called avr which is kind of a thing of the past! you want to learn arm programming(these are the processors in our smartphones!) in c/c++ which mbed will teach you to do and has a great and growing community! Don't try web development it's a very saturated market! Good luck!

[wfisom]

Hi ,depends what kind of coding you want to get it into I suggest getting in to robotics and electronics programming even though it is quite hard to learn it's certainly worth it as you can put your skills by selling hardware that you have invented at pays back very well! Try this website to start learning. https://developer.mbed.org/ I don't recommend arduino as it has a different kind of processor called avr which is kind of a thing of the past! you want to learn arm programming(these are the processors in our smartphones!) in c/c++ which mbed will teach you to do and has a great and growing community! Don't try web development it's a very saturated market! Good luck!

hope they aren't fussy about links!

[eHamm]

Codeacademy is really good for just getting into things, it definitely makes it easier to start out. When I first started coding, I downloaded a game dev software called gamemaker (I think) and looked at the example games and looked at the code. I would change things in the code to see what it did and learned from there, so really I just dissected it until I thought I knew how to do something. Then I would try to replicate it and end up looking through the manual and reading it over and over to figure out things. This is a pretty good way to do it, but it also takes a while.

Try codeacademy because it's free, try youtube videos, just look around until you figure out how you like to learn it. Trust me, it will get boring and monotonous like most things when starting out, but after a while and hours upon hours of work you will graduate your noob status and really get a feel for it. That's when it gets awesome!

 

Things to learn:

easy

Javascript --for website development and some game development

Html --website dev

Css --website dev

 

less easy

Python -- one of the most recommended starting languages, very versatile

 

not easy

Java -- important to learn because it's on everything, but I struggled with it as a first language

C# -- basically java, maybe a little easier and used more often in game dev (Unity)

C++ --also important to learn, very raw language and used in a lot of stuff

 

I would suggest sticking with python or moving to javascript right now and honestly I'm saying that because of how old you are and since you are just getting into it. It would be different if you were older and had an irl teacher. Jscript and python are both great languages with lots of applications and both on codeacademy! They are also much less boring to learn. If python was boring you, you might have better luck with the other. Outside of that, posting on forums like reddit for feedback and help is a great resource and there are loads of people on the internet willing to help when you run into trouble. Feel free to message me if you have any questions, I'll always try to help if I can

 

Edit: python resources, gives links to tons of open source books http://www.fullstackpython.com/best-python-resources.html

and don't forget to follow your topic to get notifications on replies!

[GSTARR]

Learn how to code on codeacademy.com

Learn how to use matrix's and If else's

 

Make programs

Make simple programs about checking if you were over the speed limit. If you're in the city then the speed limit is 45. Outside the city is 55

Make stuff about checking out books (matrix of books//list of books)

     If else statements about whether the book is available or not (also encompasses user input)

 

 

I'm in the 4th year of Texas's Computer Science and due to the fact that we basically read the same book for three years (with a teacher who got tired of helping us when we didn't understand, nice) I know jack sh**. I can do some if and else statements. Something about Abstract methods and Implementing them.

 

You didn't miss out on much here.

 

 

[SilicateWielder]

Try codeacademy.com 

 

 

I heard code academy works well

 

These two pretty much know where you can begin, and it's where I pretty much started out at. Once you get through the lessons, you're ready to start coding whatever you like. Although, I will admit the lessons can be frustrating at times.

 

Also, keep in mind that a good programmer isn't afraid to look up something that he/she doesn't know how to do. That's what Google is there for! I know that when I'm coding I often have to look up stuff that I don't know, whether it be an obscure function, or a reference for an API/engine I am using. And one last thing, make sure you leave plenty of clear and concise comments in your code.