Advice I Wish I'd Heard When I Started in Technology
Things don't work the way you think they do.
1 — Practice makes perfect. I can’t elaborate more than that.
2 — Don’t be disappointed if you see code, websites, and apps that seem very complicated. Believe me, those who built applications like Instagram, WhatsApp, or Facebook practiced for decades—perhaps decades—to build those applications. You need time. The difference between a master and a beginner is time. After all, time brings practice, and experience.
3 — You need a good team. A good team will inspire you and push you beyond your limits. Of course, a good team isn’t limited to work—it includes friends, college classmates, and so on.
4 — Write clear and readable code. Writing readable code will help you read your own code after some time has passed and will allow other programmers to understand what you did.
5 — Syntax must be written with maximum concentration.
Because a small syntax error can generate many problems, like forgetting a semicolon or writing fuction() instead of function()—and sometimes that hurts.
6 — Write simple and meaningful names. This might seem vague, but have you ever thought what happens if a variable or function has a name that has nothing to do with anything?!
var veryCrazyText = 1 + 1Now, if I want to use this variable, but it has nothing to do with the stored value, you’re screwed.
Oh, remember there are some conventions you can use. I personally prefer camelCase.
7 — Programming isn’t that complex. There’s no such thing as a huge problem in programming. What always exists is a set of small problems that form that big problem, and the biggest problem is that people seem to be ashamed to research—or ask on forums.
8 — Read books and e-books. Read lots of books. Books have always been the best resources for learning anything, plus they’ll help you a lot with logic and patience.
9 — You’re not bored, just unmotivated. Don’t think you’re bored while programming. The bitter truth is that you’re not bored, just unmotivated.
I remember when I was building a website or structuring a database, and out of nowhere I’d stop and feel like “meh, how boring.” But I was just unmotivated. However, when I did something I never even imagined I could pull off, I’d be grinning like an idiot, ear to ear.
10 — Don’t always believe YouTubers. Seriously! Don’t always believe YouTubers saying the 10 best programming languages to learn in 2022 are the ones they say, because sometimes COBOL comes in first place on their list—not that it’s wrong, but if it’s for programming in the dinosaur era, I’d try to invent a time machine.
11 — Don’t worry about the time. Don’t worry about how long it takes to learn to program.
It usually takes time to master a language. Just make sure you’re not getting sidetracked.
Everything good takes time. Don’t rush to do things overnight.
12 — Choose a language or a set of them. Many people have the habit of starting to learn Python, dropping it when they get to variables, and already moving on to HTML mixed with Ruby on Rails, looking for PHP… Easy there, Einstein. First, try to figure out which area of programming you want to pursue—DBA, front-end, or UI/UX. And when you decide, you can find various roadmaps online, but even if you prefer not to follow a roadmap, see which main language is being used and focus on it. And you can rest easy, because one language will lead you to another that complements it (SQL 💚 Python, oops).
Conclusion: As Elon Musk said:
You don’t need college to learn stuff, the value is seeing whether somebody can work hard at something.
Therefore, you need to have a plan to improve your coding skills daily and never stop learning.
After years of experience, you’ll become a specialist.
Bonus:
I’ll recommend a great book for people who decided to start learning programming on their own.
The content is presented concisely in steps that gradually complement each other in a way that lets you follow along without problems.
Click the link below and get your copy: The Self-Taught Programmer: The Definitive Guide to Programming Professionally