As a beginner, it’s easy to feel confused with everything you need to know about learning a computer program. You need to make the right decision at the right time to make the journey of learning process smooth and easy.

Here are 5 things you should know before you start programming. Knowing these points will give you a head start of what to expect, and how to approach programming.

1. Get the basics right

 When you start learning, the first thing you need to be sure of is the basics of the subject. It is the first step of becoming a coding ninja.

To get the basics right, you need to learn the core of computer science, just like any other trade, you will come across. There are currently hundreds of online courses aimed at beginners. The internet cares about beginners, and provide tons of information — a beginner’s heaven!

All you need to do is search through them, and start with the one that best fits your requirements. 

A proper understanding can give you an advantage early in the path of learning to code.

2. Build patience

The number one prerequisite for being successful as a programmer is building patience. Patience can let you take blows to your chin yet still be able to stand up – like a ninja! It makes you ready for disappointments.

Not to mention, patience can help you become a better problem-solver, and improve your understanding of computers.

Computer concepts are complex and require resilience, patience, and hard work to understand. Most of the time, beginners don’t have the right expectations when starting their programming journey. Yes, you don’t come with all the power at the beginning. Too much optimism is dangerous anyways.

Due to faulty expectations, too many beginners just give up and move to another trade. To counter this, you should build patience and always think of the end goal.

3. Set a goal & move towards it

Goal-setting can be a powerful, motivational booster on your path to learning to code. If you are planning, for example, to learn PHP, then set a goal to do a simple project by the end of the week. Once the goal is achieved, set another goal, and repeat the cycle. Yes, it is that easy!

There is no end to learning and improvement in programming, and that’s why it is a good idea to keep setting goals, and not to lose track of your primary goal.

So, as a learner, what goals can you aim for? Let’s quickly go through some sample goals:

Build a calculator using CSS and JavaScript.

Create a responsive website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Create a dynamic website using any back-end programming languages, such as PHP, Ruby, Python, etc.

Create a 2D breakout game using pure JavaScript

You can also choose to do any project of your liking. Who doesn’t have a unique taste after all? I bet you do!

The goal should be achievable, so don’t try to focus on building Facebook or creating a fully-featured game at this particular moment. Try to move slowly, and then aim for bigger and more complex projects as you progress further.

4. Do more projects

 By doing more projects, you can understand not only your limitations but also improve your analytical and problem-solving skills. After all, learning to code is not all about learning syntax, but about learning how to solve problems using the tools at your hand.

Programming also requires a creative outlook, and a plan to build something meaningful. 

5. Get into social coding

Learning to code is never a solo quest. If you are thinking of building the next big app without any help, then you are in the wrong trade.

Programming is a group activity, and if you want to survive, you need to get help from different social platforms catering to programmers just like you.

One of the biggest things you should focus on is to get into a hub, a circle, or a social platform where you can find like-minded people. Once your mind has been fixed to learn to program, “the question of what to learn” would ping your mind. Click on the link to learn to code and to know which program has got the highest pay in India. Explore your knowledge more by learning the program in crampete.

FAQs

1. What are 10 things you should know before coding?

• Set Up Goals.
• Practice Patience.
• Pay Close Attention to the Basics.
• Practice Coding By Hand.
• Learn By Doing, Not Memorizing.
• Become Your Own Problem-Solver.
• It's Okay to Ask for Help.
• Make Mistakes, Then Learn from Them.

2. What do you need to know about coding?

• Self-Reliance. 
• Language.
• Attention to Detail. 
• Recognition of Stupidity.
• Abstract Thinking
• Patience. 
• Strong Memory. 
• Scientific Method

3. Which coding program should I learn first?

If you don't know how to programme in any language, I recommend starting with C. Because C is the original programming language, it's a smart idea to start there. Understand the fundamental programming terminology in C, such as data type, loops, variables, arrays, pointers, and so on.

4. Should I learn C++ or Python?

Learn C++ if you want to be a game developer. Python may be used to create nearly any type of application. If you don't know any programming languages other than those two, I recommend starting with Java.

5. Should I learn Java or Python?

For the reasons for which they are used, Java and Python are the finest languages available. Python is more powerful than Java when it comes to readability and syntactic simplicity. Python is preferable than Java for a number of reasons.