Software is eating the world, as Marc Andreessen famously said. If you want to be a part of the software revolution, learning how to code is one of the best things you can do.

But where do you start if you've never written a line of code before? In this Blog, I'll break up learning to code into three big chunks:

• Mindset
• Coding
• Development environment

Everything I'm going to tell you is based on my own experience, I went to university and studied Mechatronics Engineering, which has code but is not entirely about code, a big chunk of the code I write nowadays is actually because I learned it on my own.

Learning to code is definitely harder than just going to school full-time, but if you're willing to put in the work, you can definitely learn how to code by yourself.

In fact, if I could go back in time, I don't know if I would have gone to college at all.

So let's dive into it:

Part one

your mindset. Programmers think differently – we approach our lives and problems in a certain way. And I can confidently say that my day-to-day life is different now than it was before I learned how to code.

Do you know that old famous joke about the programmer-husband?

Wife sends her programmer-husband grocery shopping
She tells him: “I need sugar and cooking oil. Also, get a loaf of bread and if they have eggs, get 6.”
The husband returns with the sugar and cooking oil, as well as 6 loaves of bread. The wife asks: “Why the hell did you get 6 loaves of bread?”
To which the husband replies: “They had eggs.”

And although it is a joke, it really is based on how a programmer organizes their thoughts.
So if you want to be a programmer, you need to start thinking like one 😁

Part two

Coding. This is the meat of actually learning how to code. You'll need to dedicate a significant amount of time to master the basics of coding.

And my main hint about this part is to choose any programming language and dive really deep into it. Focusing only on one programming language and mastering it will save you a lot of confusion and time and will create a nice bridge for you to learn the next programming languages you might need.

Once you've got the hang of it, coding is actually a lot of fun 🚀

Part three

Development environment. This is the software that programmers use to write code. It's important to have a good development environment set up before you start coding because it will make your life a lot easier.

This is everything else that goes into being a programmer – things like using the command line, version control, and working with other developers. Once you have the basics down, you'll need to learn how to use these tools in order to be an effective programmer ⚡

Overall

That's it – my three-part guide to learning how to code from zero.

Learning how to code is a great way to make a difference in the world, and if you're willing to put in the work, you can definitely do it by yourself.

I hope this blog has been helpful.