Learning to program yourself - The more you learn, the less you know
If you can program and know the principles behind it, you will understand the new world order better. I'm convinced of that. Without putting on an aluminum hat, we can conclude that it is no longer just the government that determines the rules, but also the tech companies. How we organize our day, move from A to B, what we eat. It's Silicon Valley, baby. A solution is already being devised for problems that we do not yet know exist.
Example? From the groceries I do at WholeFoods, the headlines I read in The Washington Post, the new leather couch in our living room I'm writing this blog on right now, and Prime's TV shows, to the weather forecast told by electronic assistant Alexa on us Countertop: Behind all these things is one man, Jeff Bezos. The richest guy in the world and boss of tech giant Amazon, umbrella of many companies . He knows more about me than my own mother.
Manipulated
How Bezos knows all this? Data structures, algorithms, functionalities: all a matter of code. I'm not against that progress by the way, I just like to know how I'm being manipulated. And as a journalist, I also owe that to society. Amazon and other tech companies are now more powerful than countries, and politicians understand very little of what is happening there .
Learn to program and you are ready for the job market. Jobs are there for the taking in the tech sector and you can easily earn a ton a year. In 100 days I learned the three basic languages ​​of programming: HTML, CSS and JavaScript. I sniffed through Python, struggled through almost 500 assignments… I was sometimes swearing or with closing eyelids behind the laptop, but it was also fun. I built my first app. Finally read the biography on Steve Jobs. And the more I learned, the more I realized how wide the offer is and how little I know about it. Fortunately, the coding clique turned out to be a warm community, with forums where experienced developers are happy to help the greens move forward. Get more about coding and robotics for kids
So whether you are looking for a new job or just want to keep participating in society. Go crazy this year and invest in a coding course. You really don't have to become a whiz kid.
This is how you learn to program
There are several roads that lead to Rome and so it is with programming. The offer is huge. Therefore, first determine why you want to learn it and what you want to learn.
STEP 1: Choose a language
There are different coding languages ​​and new ones are added all the time, but it's not that one is better than the other. It is mainly about which one best suits your needs. The five most popular coding languages ​​at the moment:
- HTML & CSS. Form the basis of the internet and are often offered together. With HTML you can build websites, with CSS you determine the styling. If you don't know where to start programming, this is a good place to start.
- JavaScript. Where HTML is the foundation, JavaScript goes further. This programming language gives extra functionality to websites.
- Python . Currently the most widely used programming language for data analysis in Silicon Valley, at Google, Uber and Tesla, among others. Praised for its simplicity.
Java. A popular programming language for computer games, among others. For example, Minecraft is written in Java.
STEP 2: choose your pace
Now determine how quickly you want to learn how to program. An intensive twelve-week course under supervision, for example, or rather at your own leisure? Often, entry-level online training courses are free. A selection from the offer:
- Code conquest . A good platform for the starter with a lot of information on where to start. (English, free)
- freeCodeCamp . An ideal platform to learn to write code through exercises. You do this on your own. Offers seven courses and at the end of each course you will receive a certificate.