5 Simple Tips for Coding Newbies
Techniques I Used for Enhancing Coding Prowess
I wanted to share a few tips that I have tried to make a practice of using to become a better programmer. These tips are not revolutionary and I’m sure most people are aware of them. But I don’t think we necessarily give them any real thought. So with that being said, here are 5 tips I use to improve my coding prowess.
Improve Your Typing
This may seem like a ‘well-duh’ type of suggestion, but how often do people really spend improving their typing skills? Personally speaking, I had never really gave it any thought whatsoever. But when you think about it, the majority of our time as coder is spent typing — well actually, its probably thinking and then typing — so why shouldn’t we consider improving something that we spend so much time doing.
Time is everything. Employers are obsessed with production and speed; and you becoming a better typer will not only streamline the amount of time you spend coding, it will also make you more marketable as well. A site I found useful in improving my typing skills is typing.com. If you’re not very proficient at typing like me, I’d highly recommend checking it out.
Take advantage of free resources
If you’re looking to level up your coding skill, you could take colleges courses, or attend a coding bootcamp — which I did — or pay for subscriptions to learning websites like Udemy or Skillshare. All of these are fantastic ways to improve as a programmer. But there are also free resources I found that can be just as beneficial for people just starting their code journey.
One super helpful resource that I definitely recommend and personally use is the FreeCodeCamp learning platform. As someone new to the tech industry myself, I can say that this is one of the best free resources for coding newbies looking to improve themselves. A lot of the material covered in the tracks are topics you would learn at paid bootcamps. And after finishing each course you’re rewarded with a certificate you can post to your linkedIn/resume and most importantly, you’ll have 5 presentable final projects to showcase to potential employers. Did I mention its free?
There’s many different free resources out there. They just require a little bit of time and a quick google search to find.
Implement Your Learnings
You may be thinking, “Another ‘well-duh’ tip huh?”. Yes…you would be correct. But let me explain.
I placed this as a tip because I think there’s just a little too much emphasis placed on acquiring degrees and certifications and not enough attention being shown to something equally important…actually knowing how to code!
What I mean is a person’s ability/value is often evaluated based on surface level displays of accomplishments like licenses, diplomas, certificates, etc. And these things are important. But what happens when it’s time to perform? Will you really have the skills necessary to accomplish the task given?
As someone learning to code, I believe having the actual hands on skills is much more important than just a certificate of completion. That way, when it comes time to show what you know, you’ll succeed…certificate or not.
The most direct way to implement what you learn is to build projects that interest you. They don’t have to be novel inventions. You could build something as simple as calculator app or a static website about kittens. As long as you are getting some much need practice with whatever it is you are trying to learn. So don’t just read, watch and learn about code. Practice coding and practice often.
Pair Programming
Pair Programming goes a step further beyond just implementing what you learn. When you collaborate with someone on a particular project, you experience an interchange of ideas. And in the process you are often times exposed to new ways of thinking and problem-solving that you may have never thought about previously.
Not only does pair programming help improve your ability to solve problems, it also helps you become better at articulating your thoughts and communicating your own ideas to others. Which is definitely an important skill to becoming a great programmer. Not to mention pair programming can be a lot of fun.
If you’re interested in finding a coding buddy, there are a number of good ways to go about searching. One way is to look for local meetups in your area — or online — where people who are interested in learning the same tech stacks as you will be attending. You can also search for hack-a-thons if you are the competitive type and like the thought of competing on a team. These are just a couple of ways of finding someone to pair program with.
Contribute to the Community
A great way to improve your coding skills is to answer questions on forums like Stack Exchange and Stack Overflow. You can also create content of own like blogs and youtube videos that talk about what you are currently learning or discuss other topics of interest. Doing so is a great way to cement your own knowledge about a particular topic or framework; not to mention you also add value to the tech community by helping others become better coders as well.
For some people this may seem a little nerve-wrecking to think about, but one thing I’ve noticed is that the tech community is usually kind and judgement free to whatever contributions you wish to make. The majority of people understand what’s is like to be a tech newbie and are likely more than willing to help you.
Conclusion
If there’s one thing I want you to gather from this post, it’s that learning to become a great coder doesn’t always require monetary investment. By utilizing some simple — and often times overlooked — techniques we can undoubtedly enhance our coding prowess. Thanks for reading.
