As I visit websites, I get this feeling that I could do that. Beautiful words on the web that communicate what someone is thinking from miles away. And my curiosity peaked. How do I make those ideas I have in my head come to fruition? This starts my journey into learning to code. The why, curiosity. The reason I stayed with it. Now that’s a story.
Where do I start?
I guess I have to start with the question, “What is my goal?” At this point, I don’t know. Actually, that’s not true. I want to be able to do what these people are doing online. Make websites. Create cool infographics. Persuade. Talk. And just have a good time. Be able to take what is in my head and put it out into the world with no filter except the ones I impose.
Ok, that’s a good start. Now, how do I learn this stuff?
Easy, I didn’t want to spend money. So, I’m looking for free resources. Google to the rescue. “Learn to Code for Free”. First item up, Codecademy. Sounds good. So this is where I start. Nothing hard about this. Breeze through a few lessons. By “breeze” I mean bang my head on the keyboard until correct answers are on the screen.
Next up, Free Code Camp to learn some Front End Development. This is where I am at now. And boy does this get hard quick. As of now, I am on Day 8. Deep into Javascript and Algorithms. And I remember why I don’t like math. It makes me feel stupid. Yet, learning to code with math is a lot easier. I have to know the logic and the computer will do the rest. +1 for me.
What to “Focus On”?
Simple, just follow the maps and progressions of these two sites.
Codecademy:
- Goals – For the Basics
- Web Developer Skills
Free Code Camp:
- Front End Development Certification
What’s Next?
I’m deep into learning front-end development. Taking that information and making projects. Anytime I have an idea for a project I start coding it. Some will end up in the trash. But maybe one will be the idea that sparks something amazing.
Daily, I come back to learning how to code. One day, I will be a professional with all that entails. Until that time, I keep learning, trying new things, and making mistakes.
[Tweet “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”] Some guy named Albert Einstein said that. Lol.
My advice if you are starting out on this journey. It is not about the destination so much as the process to get there. Enjoy yourself. Take it serious, but have fun with it. And learning something new teaches you about yourself. Take that with you and you will be a better person for it.