As the world grows digitally and aspiring developers seek jobs in Java programming online, coding is gradually becoming an important digital skill needed to help you stand out in the online space. While many wonder how to learn Java programming, they remain confused about how to start, where to start, and how long it will take them to understand coding fundamentals. Today’s article will take you through a step-by-step guide to help make your journey easier and less time-consuming.
Averagely, it takes about 12weeks to become proficient in coding at the basic level. That is about 3months of intensive learning if you are looking at learning basic areas like web development and data science. It could take longer for complex areas like mobile app development. If you are looking at a career in coding, it could take anything from a year upwards. However, you could spend a long time learning the coding if you are not properly gilded on how and where to start your journey. Below, find some step-by-step guild to help you through the learning phase of coding.
Discover Your Purpose
Coding might be intriguing and satisfying, but learning to code can also be difficult and unpleasant. Yes, you’re enthusiastic, but that alone may not be enough to overcome coding difficulties. It would be beneficial if you discovered your purpose. The more compelling your purpose, the more likely you are to stick through the journey of developing coding skills. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help you figure out what your “Why” is.
- What is it that makes me want to learn to code?
- How does knowing how to code improve my life and others?
- What aspect of coding do I intend to specialize in?
- Which language best helps me achieve my purpose of learning to code?
Select a Language that Corresponds to your “Why”
The programming world is huge, and it’s alluring to want to be a jack of all crafts when selecting a programming language. Once you’ve decided the niche of coding you want to pursue as a career, the next step is to determine which programming language is most suited to your Vision Java, for example, is a favored language to learn if you want to pursue a career in mobile app development. If you’re interested in building a career around web development, your interest should be hovering around JavaScript, Java, or Python. Let’s go a bit deeper into some major programming languages that should be at the fore of your mind.
- Java: Java is one of the most popular and suitable languages for mobile app development. Since the dawn of the World Wide Web, it has enhanced internet websites and added interactive capabilities such as buttons and app widgets. It’s also often used to program mobile phones. Java applications are typically compiled into bytecode that can operate on any virtual machine, regardless of the computer’s original architecture. If you want to learn more about how to learn Java programming language, you should register on CodeGym online Java courses.
- JavaScript: JavaScript is one of the most popular dynamic programming languages for web development. It is a compact component of web pages whose implementations enable the client-side scripts to interact with users and create dynamic sites. It’s an object-oriented programming language that is interpreted.
- Python: Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that is interpreted. Its design concept emphasizes code clarity through the use of significant indentation. Its object-oriented methodologies and language capabilities help coders write comprehensive code for large-scale applications.
Other languages you may consider learning as you grow are Rust, Golang, Kotlin, C++, etc
Choose or Combine Learning Resources
Once you are sure of the programming language you would want to start with, the next thing is to find a learning method that works best for you, or better still, you could combine various learning approaches to help you learn fast. Let us look at some of the methods you could use to learn to code.
Register for an online course
The growth of the internet has made it possible for you to get a proper grasp of coding concepts without necessarily getting subjected to the boredom that may come with conventional classroom settings. But the availability of many online platforms that teach coding has made it difficult to identify which is worth your resource. But don’t worry, we have a few suggestions to help you go by.
- Codegym: if you are looking at building a career around mobile app development, naturally, you should start with Java programming language. And CodeGym is an online platform designed to give you an all-out practice-inclusive exposure to Java programming language. On CodeGym, you can select a learning method that you are comfortable with (Gamification or Reading technique) and get exposed to 1,200 tasks designed to help build your coding skills and confidence.
- Udacity: Udacity is another great learning platform that offers you great control over your learning schedule. Udacity offers you a nano degree for completing their course. The platform achieves this by compressing a full-scale coding degree into a short-term course and teaching you in smaller chunks. Other online platforms you could check out include:
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- Udemy
- Coursera
- Treehouse
- Odin Project, etc
- Textbooks: Yes, online sources are great for learning how to code, but trust me, you need a reference book to check a thing or two about some coding complexities quickly. And coding textbooks have proven to be excellent reference tools for beginners. Check out the following beginner textbooks you may want to buy.
- Online Videos: Another great tool to help you learn how to code are online videos and coding tutorial videos. These tools will give you a visual representation of coding and help you learn faster.
If you are the type that loves ebooks to hard copy materials, you could find textbooks in any language of your choice on Github.
Get a Good Foundation for Computational Thinking
While pushing yourself to learn a programming language, don’t forget to learn computational problem-solving skills. That entails understanding concepts like pattern recognition, loops, algorithms, data structures, and abstractions. Understanding these concepts and how they operate will help you solve coding complexities faster. And not just that, you will also be able to write clear and neat codes. And lastly, understanding the above-listed concepts will create an enabling foundation for learning a new language.
Practice Coding
Practice is what determines how far you go in your coding career. Your knowledge about coding will do you no good if you don’t put it to practice. Once you have gotten a good grasp of the syntax and fundamental principles of the language of your choice, you need to start writing and building your projects. You may not feel ready to start your project, but you will realize how far you have come once you commit to practicing.
The type of project you will build will be dependent on the language you choose to learn. If you choose Python or JavaScript, you will build a website. Start with a basic website that requires basic features. As you become proficient, you can step up to build a complex website with a variety of features. Either way, practice often.
Join an Online Community
As a newbie learning the basics of coding, joining an online coding community is essential. You will face certain complexities along the way and will need assistance from experts to help you scale through. Also, you could get exposed to mentorship programs and relevant updates to help you learn faster and grow in your career. Here are a few you may want to join:
- StackOverflow
- Toptal
- Developers Forum
- GitHub
- Expert Exchange
- Reddit, etc.
Conclusion
Having a step-by-step guide to keeping you through learning coding does not in any way removes the complexities that abound in the process. However, it keeps them at the minimum and ensures that valuable resources are not wasted. Speaking of complexities, don’t for any reason be shy of reaching out for help, as the coding communities are in place to help you make progress in your learning process.
