The development of technology and personal computing over the last 3 decades has taken place at a rapid pace and as more and more of our world becomes dependant on technology programming is a job that I believe will continue to be in more demand in the future. As the job itself becomes more and more mainstream it is important to think carefully about how you can make it a career that is both enjoyable and sustainable. There are a huge variety of programming jobs, from Web Design to Robotics, from Control Systems to Computer games and everything in-between but getting stuck on a path you don’t enjoy can lead to frustration and disappointment.
I think that no matter which area you choose, it is worth trying them for yourself early on to decide if it is really something you will be able to stick at and enjoy from day to day. I also believe that it is very helpful to learn the basics of computer science. I do know some people who started learning programming by learning a complex web framework and thus learned the programming language in which the framework is written! The danger of this approach is that you become a specialist in only one thing and have no broader knowledge to build upon. In this regard, it really helps to get a specialised degree in Computer Science, if possible.
“If you liked mathematics at school – you have every chance to become a good programmer! Good Maths and Logic is important so don’t avoid studying these as this can limit your opportunities further along in your career. “
Ideally, take advice from other, more experienced programmers in your area who can help by giving you advice, pointing you towards a solution or sharing their experience with you. Outside of this, you will have to spend a lot of time searching for information on the internet, watching tutorials, asking questions on profile websites and reading software documentation and guides. If you do not speak English, it is better to learn it, because there is a lot of information in English. Being able to create a properly generated search query in English will lead you to a solution much faster.
When it comes to books and manuals the ‘classic style’ programming books do not contain information about using version control systems (git, svn), and in projects where more than one person works, it is a standard! So make sure you study these tools and have your account at github.com – it will be your portfolio, your virtual face. Learning how to work with others and write good, clean code, using industry standard version control systems will make you much more employable. Don’t become chained to the desk on the ‘daily grind’ but rather take pride in your work and the code you write knowing others who come after will respect you more for it.
While we are talking about resources on the Internet, it is impossible not to mention stackoverflow.com: it is a treasure trove of useful information and a place where you can ask a question and get a comprehensive and precise answer. The key to stackoverflow however, is not to ask simple questions, the answers to which can be found in the search engine! Instead, ask really specific questions because you will get much more relevant and precise answers. Over time, you will be able to answer other users’ questions yourself, improving your knowledge and increasing your rating.
Consider learning Linux as it is the operating system, most of the servers on the Internet run on this. In my opinion, studying it will complement your other learning and give you greater understanding of underlying principles. To what extent do you is up to you, but there are a huge number of free ‘distros’ available and there is no cost to learning this. Indeed, you can run it on a virtual machine in Windows if you choose.
Take your time to decide which path to study. Listen to advice from those you trust and use the many resources available for learning: online courses, video lessons, books, podcasts, blogs, etc. Don’t leave it too late. Ideally, start when you are young and you have the time and energy to learn and never expect high school to provide you with all the knowledge you need, because it won’t.
Finally, ‘Stay on the bus and ride it to the end. Don’t keep switching lines.’
This awesome article by James Clear explains very clearly the concept of sticking to a learning path, practising and developing and keeping on going until you see yourself ‘a master’ in your field. It’s not always easy, is often a challenge but it can be incredibly rewarding if you take a long-sighted approach, rather than looking for the short-term appeal.
Divi Meetup 2019, San Francisco
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