Coding – It’s Easy If You Do It Smart!

Learning to code may quickly become overwhelming when you are first starting out. But with the right direction, coding can become easier than you may think.

Coding is both challenging and fascinating. If you’re new to the world of coding, it may seem daunting and difficult at first. Do not fret! Coding can be easy if you do it smart! As a novice, all you need is a little prodding in the right direction to help you learn how to code and make it easy along the way.

Here are 7 helpful tips to get you started on the path to becoming a programmer –

• Write Easy to Understand Codes
• Get Your Codes Peer Reviewed
• Learn Git and Use GitHub
• Focus on Techniques, Not Tools
• Read Codes, and Read Some More
• Work Alongside Other Developers
• Practice, Practice, Practice!

Write Easy to Understand Codes

Coding, aka computer programming, is how we communicate with computers. So, one would assume that codes are written for computers to understand, right? Not entirely! What sets apart good coders from great coders is how easily can their codes be comprehended by humans who look at them.

Codes must be written in a way that they are easy to read by other developers and even a layman can understand what’s going on. So, your codes must be well-structured and organized with proper comments to explain the idea behind your approach(es).

Related: Programming courses

Get Your Codes Peer Reviewed

How would you make sure your codes are easy to understand? Get them reviewed by a colleague or a fellow developer! Your code might look straightforward to you but could be complex for everyone else. Getting your codes reviewed is an important but often overlooked step. Ask your peers to skim through your codes and suggest edits wherever required.

Code review can help both the coder and the reviewer enhance their coding skills and write more efficient codes in the process.

Learn Git and Use GitHub

Good programmers can recall and re-write their codes as and when required. Great programmers use Git instead!

Git lets you version control your code. Suppose you’re working on a long-term project with other developers. You can keep track of different versions of your code and collaborate with your peers using Git. It lets you trace the changes made to the code, who made the changes, and when.

Git creates a checkpoint that allows you to roll back a mistake through trial- and error. Coders can experiment with their code, reassess their strategy, and roll back when they come up with a more elegant solution to their problem.

GitHub is the cloud-based hosting service that helps you better manage your Git projects.

Do check out the Git tutorial for beginners.

Focus on Techniques, Not Tools

Rather than solely focusing on mastering the programming language, it makes more sense to focus on the fundamentals of programming and understand the logic behind a code thoroughly. A great coder pays close attention to the architecture of the program.

You can make a solution as complex or as easy as you want based on how strong your understanding of the basics is.

Read Codes, and Read Some More

As important as it is to get your codes peer-reviewed, it is also valuable to read (and review) your peers’ codes. This will greatly help you improve your coding skills because you will have a fresh perspective on how your fellow developers approach a problem.

Apart from that, you can also go online and check out the open-source projects, that are easily available on GitHub. Who knows, you might even find more efficient solutions to your requirements!

We cannot stress enough how rewarding this practice is, how easy it can make things for you, and how quickly it can transform you into a great programmer.

Work Alongside Other Developers

This is a very useful tip, especially for beginner programmers. Participate in group activities such as coding competitions, and hackathons or just contribute to an open-source project. Working alongside other developers and being open to feedback and criticism can help you improve drastically.

Join online communities and discussion forums to find programmers who are passionate about coding. They love to share their knowledge and would readily guide you.

And once you’re on the other side, remember to give back to the community by helping others.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Your code might work in the first go! But it’s unlikely that the first iteration is the best one. To be a great coder, your codes shall work exceedingly well. And this can happen only through extensive practice.

The key to mastering the art of coding requires a consistent, regular effort. Practicing your codes would help you visualize the different approaches to a problem, and which is the most efficient one, thereby polishing your coding skills. 

Safe to say that practice makes a coder perfect!

Related: 7 Enticing Ways To Improve Your Coding Skills

Endnotes

Hope the above tips prove to be useful for you to make your transition into a full-fledged programmer easier. Remember that, to become great at anything, one requires consistent hard work and perseverance. So, it’s important to be patient and if you stick with the process for long enough, you will see how easy and fun coding can be!