Any tips for programming for the first time?

[Jonathan Fallon]

Hi, I want to start programming and making computer programmes, is there any tips or suggestions for a first time programmer like me who has never even programmed in their entire life.

[ArachneNet]

I personally started with python, it's quite simple but once you get a hang of it, it can do a lot of things. maybe start by reading a tutorial (maybe instructables has something) but don't just read, try the code they give as an example yourself. then start making small changes. for example:

//the tutorial says:
print("hello world")

//then you can add a bit of code you learn later on and try to combine the two.

variable=input()
if "y" in variable:
	print("your input contained the character y")
else:
	print("your input did not contain the character y")
//and so on. this way you can make the examples do things you like more. this way you will enjoy programming more and you will learn what //goes where in a piece of code

(to any real python programmers here, my python is not perfect I know ^^' )

 

at least, that's how I did it, or happen to do it. there are so many ways to learn programming. but the most important thing is that you enjoy it. I hope it was somewhat helpful

[NoRomanBatmansAllowed]

22 minutes ago, Jonathan Fallon said:

Hi, I want to start programming and making computer programmes, is there any tips or suggestions for a first time programmer like me who has never even programmed in their entire life.

Take a class. Honestly. 

I've tried so many self-taught online courses and I've never even finished one of them.

For the very basics you want an actual human guiding you through, someone that you can ask stupid questions to.

I can't tell you how important it is to take a class.

[LUUD18]

I would go with C# or Java. They are great ways to learn object orientated programming. Just search on youtube something like: C#/Java hello world program.

[Merkey]

53 minutes ago, Jonathan Fallon said:

Hi, I want to start programming and making computer programmes, is there any tips or suggestions for a first time programmer like me who has never even programmed in their entire life.

@Jonathan FallonWhich programmes would you like to make? If you like windows apps and easy games, go with C#. If you like games with stunning graphics and optimalization, learn C++( also quite hard language). If you like apps for iOS or Mac, learn Swift. If you like enterprise level databases, learn Java. If you want to make websites, learn JavaScript/ CSS. I am not a pro programmer but this could help you to choose your language.

[Mira Yurizaki]

I would first start with getting to know how a computer works and the general ideas of programming, rather than jump right into learning a language. If you can understand the basic concepts of programming, then learning a language is more about figuring out its syntax and quirks rather than well... everything at once!

 

I have a topic about that if you want me to to dig it up for a shameless plug.

[JohnyTheCarrot]

What I did to learn coding, is think of a project, and start with it.

Disclaimer: I can't say for sure it will work with you but I can say it worked with me.

 

Think for example, I want to make a chat client.

Look up how to do that, you will learn a lot while doing this.

Say you want to make a text editor, then think: what do I need to do?

Ah yes, opening, saving, reading etc..

Look up how to these things.

Do you want a toolbar? Look it up.

This way you will learn how to do that specifically, and little things like for example working with booleans.

Need it again in another project? Copy the code until you remember it.

 

Don't forget to add comments in C# and Java this is //text here

That is a part of text that will not be interpreted as code.

[aGl1tch]

Bumping out of self-interest. So I found this 230 page long PDF file by Richard Halterman on starting out with Python which seems to be well explained (though kinda hard to read at times, as a non native speaker ^^) but I just can't get myself to keep at it. I'm really interested in programming and it's pretty much one out of two things I could imagine myself doing for a living (the other one being something like graphical/industrial design) so it's not like 'I'd just be doing it on the side' or anything. I got a little off track but basically, how did you guys keep at it? Though I really want to do it, it's just not any fun so I stop after like 10min. (Though to be fair, it's pretty hard to find anything that sparks my interest or that I have fun with atm, so yeah :')

[vorticalbox]

On 31/03/2017 at 11:59 AM, ArachneNet said:

 

You might want to lower the input as if a person puts "Y" your code wouldn't pick it up and put some information in the input

 

#the tutorial says:
print("hello world")

#then you can add a bit of code you learn later on and try to combine the two.

variable=input('Enter some text').lower()
if "y" in variable:
	print("your input contained the character y")
else:
	print("your input did not contain the character y")
#and so on. this way you can make the examples do things you like more. this way you will enjoy programming more and you will learn what //goes where in a piece of code

 

 

[LegionOfOne]

Really it depends on what you would like to program. I REALLY love Buckys work https://www.youtube.com/user/thenewboston. Check him out and you will learn a TON. As a computer science student I have learned WAY more over the years from people like Bucky than I have in school. Also check out Udemy.com. They have oodles of cheap courses that are through really great instructors. Anthony Alicea is a favorite of mine and his courses on JavaScript really helped me take my skillset to the next level. Following that I recommend just coming up with something your interested in doing and researching how to create programs to do it. Small fun side projects are a great way to learn, the key is never give up and make sure your doing stuff that you love and have fun with!

[Dat Guy]

Also, don't start with Python.

[fizzlesticks]

3 minutes ago, Dat Guy said:

Also, don't start with Python.

 

[Dat Guy]

Oh, the Python avatar disagrees. So strange.

[Beskamir]

Don't get discouraged if the beginning is boring and start with an easy language like Python. Also try to learn if, elif, else, and maybe even while as soon as you can since I think that's where programming can start getting exciting. Once you've got those pick something fun and easy (a simple board game would be my goto option) and try making it. You'd probably also want to learn how to use functions at some point as well since they'd make your code much easier to write.

[Beskamir]

On 4/16/2017 at 4:00 AM, aGl1tch said:

Bumping out of self-interest. So I found this 230 page long PDF file by Richard Halterman on starting out with Python which seems to be well explained (though kinda hard to read at times, as a non native speaker ^^) but I just can't get myself to keep at it. I'm really interested in programming and it's pretty much one out of two things I could imagine myself doing for a living (the other one being something like graphical/industrial design) so it's not like 'I'd just be doing it on the side' or anything. I got a little off track but basically, how did you guys keep at it? Though I really want to do it, it's just not any fun so I stop after like 10min. (Though to be fair, it's pretty hard to find anything that sparks my interest or that I have fun with atm, so yeah :')

You seem to be suffering form getting discouraged when the beginning is boring/hard. My advice push through it. TLDR see my previous post here.

 

 

Sorry for double posting, didn't actually read the other posts here before commenting.

[KuJoe]

The way I learned to program was to figure out something you want to create and then go learn how to make it. In the classes I took in college 100% of the programs we wrote were from a book, which just taught me to copy the lines of code from the books to Notepad. Once I started coding something I wanted to make I started to actually learn and enjoy coding.

 

When I wanted to learn how to code in PHP, the first script I started writing was a forum like this one (not as advanced of course, but a forum none-the-less). In less than a week I had a forum hosted on my webserver that I created from scratch for myself and I loved it. I was literally addicted to coding, I got stopped gaming for maybe 4 or 5 years and just wrote scripts and programs during my free time instead. It was a very productive time in my life.

[Voze]

On 2017-03-31 at 0:47 PM, Jonathan Fallon said:

Hi, I want to start programming and making computer programmes, is there any tips or suggestions for a first time programmer like me who has never even programmed in their entire life.

Look at some simple tutorials online. Take the code that they write and do some small modifications to it. See what happens when you change X or remove Y.