Where to start when programming?

[Jerahmy]

Hello!

 

I am wondering where I should start when it comes to programming. I have tried to use free websites, but they don't seem very effective. I have also been told to "Just jump into it". The problem I have with "Jumping into it", is I don't know how to do much. So, I was wondering, what have others used for learning to program? Also, what are the best methods for learning it? Taking notes? Searching google for things?

Thanks, 

Jerahmy

[VTF5252]

If you play Minecraft try using the turtlecraft mod. It taught me lua and more importantly how to think about programming.

If you don't play MC try code combat.

[TidaLWaveZ]

You need to learn one concept at a time, then put a couple concepts together at a time,  then make something using a bunch of concepts.

 

For a basic understanding go to a tutorial site, follow the tutorials and do the examples.

[ShadowCaptain]

5 minutes ago, Jerahmy said:

Hello!

You can learn on places like codeacademy or pay for something like Lynda etc

But your will not learn as well as actually DOING programming and learning along the way
 

Best thing to do, is think up a small project, a piece of software you want to make - it could be really simple, and something that already exists, but you are going to make it from scratch

if you do not know what to program, and have no ideas of what things you can program - perhaps its not something you should learn 

[minibois]

Follow a course or two on CodeAcademy on a language you could make more stuff with (Python, Javascript with HTML, C# in Visual Studio for example) and once you have done a few, try making something yourself. Just think of something (for example rock, paper scissors) and just try making it. Google and ask on forums your way to a finished project.

 

The biggest part about programming is understanding what you are typing down. Why is the variable declared there? What is this command doing? etc.

Good luck

[Kingler]

6 minutes ago, Jerahmy said:

Hello!

 

I am wondering where I should start when it comes to programming. I have tried to use free websites, but they don't seem very effective. I have also been told to "Just jump into it". The problem I have with "Jumping into it", is I don't know how to do much. So, I was wondering, what have others used for learning to program? Also, what are the best methods for learning it? Taking notes? Searching google for things?

Thanks, 

Jerahmy

Python is a fairly simple language to start coding in. 

 

2 minutes ago, NTF5252 said:

If you play Minecraft try using the turtlecraft mod. It taught me lua and more importantly how to think about programming.

If you don't play MC try code combat.

Modding Minecraft on my pi was a lot of fun. 

[Enderman]

codecademy, or make a game with UE4 and that will teach you quite a bit

[LawrenceBarnes2013]

Learn step by step, check samples, solve exercises, but the most important thing is to go slow, don't rush it

[DXMember]

Code.org

MVA

w3schools.com

[Jerahmy]

11 minutes ago, DXMember said:

Code.org

MVA

w3schools.com

What is MVA? I can't find it on the internet.

[DXMember]

Just now, Jerahmy said:

What is MVA? I can't find it on the internet.

Microsoft Virtual Academy

 

what do you mena you can't find it on the internet? That's the first hit in google if you type MVA

[Jerahmy]

Just now, DXMember said:

Microsoft Virtual Academy

 

what do you mena you can't find it on the internet? That's the first hit in google if you type MVA

When I type it in I get Maryland DMV.

[DXMember]

1 minute ago, Jerahmy said:

When I type it in I get Maryland DMV.

yeah... no... that's horrible...

It should be Microsoft Virtual Academy

[Jerahmy]

Just now, DXMember said:

yeah... no... that's horrible...

It should be Microsoft Virtual Academy

LOL "That's horrible" RIP Maryland drivers.

 

I found it btw

 

[DXMember]

Just now, Jerahmy said:

LOL "That's horrible" RIP Maryland drivers.

 

I found it btw

 

good luck,

try creating a piece of code that can calculate the circumference of a circle and also it's are when you provide it with radius.

after that create your own calculator that can do additions, substractions, multiplications, divisions, squares, squareroots, sines and cosines

[alex_read]

As others have said, pick a course online, a YouTube series or get a book and follow that to get a basic understanding of how to run a program and some of the basic concepts most programming languages use.. what variables, loops and if statements are for example.

 

After this, just try to get outside your comfort zone & start writing any programs or scripts to get practice. You will be lost but just ask for help each step of the way on programming forums & use the language help files ... each tough new part which you pass & which you thought impossible will feel super rewarding once you've passed it.

 

As for the language to start to get the course/book on, see some other recent posts on this forum answering that and/or let us know here why you're getting into programming, what you want to accomplish & what you love doing. I.e. do you want to build a robot, website, game etc.

[Jerahmy]

Just now, DXMember said:

good luck,

try creating a piece of code that can calculate the circumference of a circle and also it's are when you provide it with radius.

after that create your own calculator that can do additions, substractions, multiplications, divisions, squares, squareroots, sines and cosines

Thank you.

 

Have a very good day.

[Jerahmy]

2 minutes ago, alex_read said:

As others have said, pick a course online, a YouTube series or get a book and follow that to get a basic understanding of how to run a program and some of the basic concepts most programming languages use.. what variables, loops and if statements are for example.

 

After this, just try to get outside your comfort zone & start writing any programs or scripts to get practice. You will be lost but just ask for help each step of the way on programming forums & use the language help files ... each tough new part which you pass & which you thought impossible will feel super rewarding once you've passed it.

 

As for the language to start to get the course/book on, see some other recent posts on this forum answering that and/or let us know here why you're getting into programming, what you want to accomplish & what you love doing. I.e. do you want to build a robot, website, game etc.

What got me into programming... Hmm where to start? I have always been into computers, I have had one my entire life. (Im only 15). I LOVE playing video games, I wouldn't mind helping make a game, but I don't think I can do that, due to the fact that i'm not creative. I also would mind developing software. Something that can stop viruses, malware, spyware. What I want to do is get a job somewhere that I can work with other programmers. During my Junior and Senior year in highschool, (Next year and the year after) Im going to take half-day highschool, half-day college for a programming* class. (**The class gives you the basics in programming and teaches me other things like, photoshop, adobe premiere, ect.**) If you have anything other questions, please ask! I will be happy to answer.

[alex_read]

Ok then personally I'd suggest c++ for the games & you could start to look at game engines for later down the line. Things like DirectX, Unity, OpenGL or Unreal all have libraries, basically code files which professional game developers have written to take away much of the advanced maths etc. & make it easier for you to write a game more speedily. I'd say give it a try - with any interested classmates too. Maybe there's tons of creativity if the right domain & interest for you presents itself.

 

For antivirus writing, you'll more than likely need assembly or c languages then a good computer science degree equivalent later down the road.

 

If you start out learning c or c++ from the course/book etc. they sound to me at least, the most beneficial to you.

[Jerahmy]

1 minute ago, alex_read said:

Ok then personally I'd suggest c++ for the games & you could start to look at game engines for later down the line. Things like DirectX, Unity, OpenGL or Unreal all have libraries, basically code files which professional game developers have written to take away much of the advanced maths etc. & make it easier for you to write a game more speedily. I'd say give it a try - with any interested classmates too. Maybe there's tons of creativity if the right domain & interest for you presents itself.

 

For antivirus writing, you'll more than likely need assembly or c languages then a good computer science degree equivalent later down the road.

 

If you start out learning c or c++ from the course/book etc. they sound to me at least, the most beneficial to you.

Alright, stupid question here, which one should I learn first? C or C++? I know that C++ is derived from C and thats pretty much it.

[Guest]

I'm just gonna clarify a few things here for you.

 

1 hour ago, NTF5252 said:

If you play Minecraft try using the turtlecraft mod. It taught me lua and more importantly how to think about programming.

If you don't play MC try code combat.

The mod is called "computercraft" and is pretty good for learning lua scripting. The mod has a feature that lets you easily download/upload programs hosted on pastebin that can be downloaded with a single command "pastebin get [ID]". This is especially good if you play minecraft because this mod enhances the experience quite a bit.

58 minutes ago, Enderman said:

codecademy, or make a game with UE4 and that will teach you quite a bit

Codecademy is great but it only teaches a few languages, being javascript, ruby on rails, python, php, I think they have a java tutorial that's still work in progress. They also teach some pretty good other skills to know such as command line usage, git, sql. They also teach you how to use some apis. Highly recommend it if one of those is the language you want to learn.

1 hour ago, Kingler said:

Python is a fairly simple language to start coding in. 

 

Modding Minecraft on my pi was a lot of fun. 

This would also be a good way to learn but if you want to do this definitely learn python from either learn python the hard way or codecademy first.

[Jerahmy]

22 minutes ago, alex_read said:

Ok then personally I'd suggest c++ for the games & you could start to look at game engines for later down the line. Things like DirectX, Unity, OpenGL or Unreal all have libraries, basically code files which professional game developers have written to take away much of the advanced maths etc. & make it easier for you to write a game more speedily. I'd say give it a try - with any interested classmates too. Maybe there's tons of creativity if the right domain & interest for you presents itself.

 

For antivirus writing, you'll more than likely need assembly or c languages then a good computer science degree equivalent later down the road.

 

If you start out learning c or c++ from the course/book etc. they sound to me at least, the most beneficial to you.

Also, where is the best place to get started in C or C++? 

[alex_read]

I've looked at c++ much later so can't comment too much on learning resources aimed at starting out. In the absence of other replies yet, the Wrox book library or Sams Teach Yourself <language here> in 24 Hours both helped me get started.

 

As for c or c++, the later will be more fun & (once you get used to the different thinking/way to approach a problem), will be less tedious to learn.

[AlTech]

13 hours ago, Jerahmy said:

What got me into programming... Hmm where to start? I have always been into computers, I have had one my entire life. (Im only 15). I LOVE playing video games, I wouldn't mind helping make a game, but I don't think I can do that, due to the fact that i'm not creative. I also would mind developing software. Something that can stop viruses, malware, spyware. What I want to do is get a job somewhere that I can work with other programmers. During my Junior and Senior year in highschool, (Next year and the year after) Im going to take half-day highschool, half-day college for a programming* class. (**The class gives you the basics in programming and teaches me other things like, photoshop, adobe premiere, ect.**) If you have anything other questions, please ask! I will be happy to answer.

Try out Visual C# first, then once you're very confident with that then try VIsual C++.

[JUJUJU655624667]

Python is a fairly simple language. Lynda.com is the best website for user friendliness, but the official website of the certain language you want to learn usually has the best documentation for quickstart AND detail.But before you learn to code BE PREPARED FOR FRUSTRATION and coffee.