For beginners to learn to program, they must be well aware of coding. First, the candidate has to solve the basics problems using computer programming. Then you are to proceed towards learning data structure and algorithms. The algorithm is a very systematic way to solve problem.

Programming is the skill that is in demand in the market these days. Skill programmers are in very much in demand. In industries, software engineers are the highest in demand.

The wrong approach to learning code will make learning programming difficult.Learning programming becomes fun if done the right way.

Learn Programming

In this section, the candidate will know how to learn programming in the right manner. This section would be beneficial for the job-seekers as well as students.Here is the procedure of how to learn to code.

1. Programming language

Taking programming language with ease is the first step towards learning programming. Aspirants may begin with C, C++, Java, or Python. C++ is preferable in the beginning. C++ is somewhat fast. The language has good library support. C++ is a nice option for competitive programming. It has the support of the Standard Template Library (STL). First language selection is highly subjective because it is based on your interests and goals.

Basics learning like syntax, data types, variables, loops, arrays, etc. can be started. Solve simple questions so as to get these basic concepts.

2. Data Structures and Algorithms

When you become comfortable with any of the languages mentioned in the above section, the next step is learning data structures and algorithms. Data structures and algorithms assist in programming. Data structures knowledge helps in the problem you are solving. All data structures can’t be used everywhere. Algorithms learning, will help to understand the working mechanism of many library functions.

It is important learning about the implementation of these data structures and algorithms. Learning the implementation will assist in assessing the time complexity.It will further help you in optimizing your code.  Visualgo is a website where you can actually visualize the working of the various data structures and algorithms.

3. Go competitive programming

After learning data structures and algorithms, start solving problems on websites like SPOJ, Codechef, Codeforces, Topcoder, Hackerrank, Geeksforgeeks etc. The more problems you solve, the better it is. Solve problems in increasing order of difficulty. Sort out the problems in descending order of the number of submitted solutions and start solving. After solving many mixed variety problems, you will be confident about your programming skills. Now you can start participating in various online programming contests. Implementing this will enhance your programming skills a lot.

4. Prepare project

After enhancing your problem-solving and programming skills, it is right time to prepare useful applications. You can have some popular web development framework  like Django, Flask, Ruby on Rails, etc. Prepare a project using it. Preparing an application will make you a feel actual software development. Most of the programmers adopt the same procedure. After you prepare some web development projects, you may now switch to Android or iOS development.

5. Explore

This is the time to explore the various domains of Computer Science, once you are good at your programming skills and have made some projects, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cryptography, Cloud Computing, Systems Programming, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Web Development, Mobile App Development, and many more are the popular domains of Computer Science. Try to explore many fields so that you can know where your interest lies. With plenty of available resources, it’s difficult for a beginner to find a great tutorial. You can find the best tutorials as per your liking and demands. Search the best books and exercises/projects/ practice-problems on Hackr. Try to do a project related to your study. Projects strengthen the concepts that have been learned. Also, projects are good from the point of preparing a resume.

6. Patience

The number one prerequisite for being successful as a programmer is developing patience. Fix a goal &  move towards it patiently. Learn how to solve a problem in an ascending or descending manner with clearly marked short goals. In programming one pattern is very popular and always effective i.e., to break down the bigger problems into smaller sub-problems. Break bigger goals into smaller goals. Again combine smaller goals to make a cohesive algorithm that solves your problem.

7. Think

About a real-life problem that you think can be automated, or any repetitive task that can be made by programming and start working towards it, after you have attained expertise in the above-mentioned section. Keep in mind that we use computers to solve problems at a scale that humans aren’t capable of. This quote will stuff you with the inspiration to explore computational power. Always try to make something beneficial that will help you and others. Then share it with the world.

8. One observation about programming languages is that it is very easy to lose touch of a language that you don’t use regularly. It is almost like speaking a language. If you don’t speak it often, you can lose flavor and the grip of the language. One important factor of becoming a good programmer is probably to continuously try to solve problems.

In nut-shell, some people are naturally gifted or talented programmers. Many have learned programming well into their work life, and have become good at it by continuous practice and thinking analytically. Therefore, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, explore and solve problems definitely help.