10 Tips to Learn Coding for Beginners in 2023

What’s up, guys? In this article, I’ll be sharing some tips and practices that will allow you to learn to code much faster. We’ll also go through some of the things that senior software engineers wish they have avoided when they were just starting out.

Watch our video on how to learn to code faster, smarter, and more efficiently.

10 Tips to Learn Coding for Beginners in 2022

Tip number 1: Picking the right programming language.

There are a lot of programming languages out there right now and it may be confusing for some who are just starting out which one to pick.

First, I recommend learning a programming language that is considered to be a high-level programming language.

High-level means that the syntax and keywords being used are much closer to the human language as opposed to the machine language.

This in turn makes it fairly easier to learn and understand. The code that we write is very similar to how we declare things when we are communicating with other people.

Second, it depends, mainly on what you’d like to do.

If you’d like to build native games or apps for mobile devices, Android and iOS phones are the big players in this space. So you can either pick Java if you plan to develop apps for Android phones or Swift for iOS phones. You can also go with a language that allows you to build for both, which is Flutter, an open-source framework built by Google, that uses the Dart programming language.

If you want a general purpose language that can be used for a wide range of domains, try Python. It's one of the most popular programming languages, nowadays. Python is also a high-level language, and you can do a lot with it: AI and machine learning, web development, data science, analytics, visualization, game development, and much more. You can even integrate Python in every day tasks in your personal life, and automate repetitive things.

For these reasons, Python is very popular and widely used. The syntax is natural and very easy to learn. With this language, people can quickly transform their ideas into code. If you're a beginner, definitely check this one out!

Tip number 2: Set your goal and prepare yourself to see it through.

Picking the programming language is the easy part. My next tip would be to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally as you begin your journey.

As you learn how to code, you will come across roadblocks or reach certain topics that may be too hard to get a grasp on.

A lot of people at this stage tend to give up and stop learning. But my advice is to push through. You can seek help on message boards or try to look up that specific problem you’re having a hard time with, and soon enough you’ll also overcome that challenge.

Keep learning and keep growing, consistency is key. It's better to allocate at least 30 minutes in a day than to not have any progress at all for that day.

Tip number 3: Assess yourself how you learn best.

Individuals learn differently from one another. Some learn better by reading written content like programming books and blog content on the web, and some learn through a combination of audio and visual presentations like video tutorials.

Figure out which medium better fits your learning style and stick to it.

Everyone is unique and identifying this factor is key to success in learning to code much faster.

Tip number 4: Stick to one programming language at a time.

Many new coders fall into this trap and this often results in being overwhelmed and stopping their progress entirely.

You may have heard the term full-stack software engineers, basically software engineers that are knowledgeable in multiple programming languages.

It is quite possible to learn multiple programming languages since they often share the same concepts, so once you have proficiency in one programming language, you’ll find it easier to learn another.

There is always something new or better out there and the mistake is trying to learn all of these at once. Try to focus on one programming language at a time and see it until completion until you’re ready to move on to the next.

Tip number 5: Focus on the foundation and basics first, then move to the more advanced topics.

This is one of the most common mistakes that people new to coding make. They skip through a lot of the basic concepts and jump ahead to advanced topics in an attempt to learn coding faster. This should be avoided as much as possible.

Gaining a better understanding of underlying basics will solidify your foundational skills and prepare you for more complex topics. This also reduces the chance of hitting a roadblock and halting your progress because you missed some of the key important information from the beginning.

Once you have the basics covered, proceed to learn about the object-oriented programming approach as well as data structures and algorithms. This will bring your problem-solving coding skills to the next level and allow you to handle more complex tasks. These advanced topics also make up the majority of technical interviews.

Tip number 6: Learn by doing and create your own projects.

Coding is both a mental and physical task. Follow along with every quiz and exercise as much as possible as this will give you hands-on experience. Learning by doing will also allow you to absorb the information faster and retain it for a much longer time.

Implement what you have learned and create projects that are actually useful to you personally.

If you use an expense tracker app often, why not create one yourself?

This will allow you to debug and solve real-world problems as you build your application. Add new features to it as you progress and learn new coding concepts.

Tip number 7: Get certified if you can.

Got comfortable with building new projects from scratch and debugging in your chosen programming language? Then this is the time to get your skills validated, with exams based on standards and best practices on a global scale.

Popular programming languages such as Python, have these certifications available that you can take.

These certifications, along with your self-created projects, provide a great boost to your credibility. They increase the chance of you getting hired, especially if you’re just starting out as a junior programmer.

Tip number 8: Communication is also a key part.

If you’re planning to have a career in software development, keep in mind that it’s not all about technical skills.

Communication skills should also be given equal attention to programming skills.

You may have created the best software known to the whole world. But without the proper ability to convey or communicate this in an easy-to-understand format or presentation, then it may become hard to convince people to see your software the same way you perceive it.

This also applies to interviews. Having the ability to explain complex solutions or ideas is how they measure how well-informed and knowledgeable you are in the subject.

Tip number 9: Getting a job as a new software engineer.

Don’t be afraid to start small.

What this means is that it is perfectly fine to start in a junior programming role or even an internship.

Remember that experience is rather valued and is very important for software engineers.

Each year you add to your experience goes a long way toward your career progression as a software engineer. 2-3 years is considered mid-level and 5 years or more are considered senior-level. More experience will usually also translate into higher salary and benefits.

Tip number 10: Start your journey with the right resources.

KodeKloud has courses readily available that can take your Python programming skills to the next step. Take the Certified Python Entry-Level Programmer (PCEP) preparation course and gain your PCEP certification and move up to the next level through the Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP)

Each course covers everything you need to know about Python; from basic to advanced concepts. You can also check out the programming learning path.

Follow along and gain hands-on experience with labs built right into the course. Need help with a certain topic? Join KodeKloud’s active Slack community and collaborate with instructors and fellow students who are on the same journey.

Conclusion

Alright, so there you have it. These would definitely be the things that I’d be doing if I were to start over and learn how to code again. I hope this article helped you out.