Buzz
Khi công nghệ ngày càng trở nên phổ biến, nhu cầu về lập trình viên cũng không ngừng tăng lên. Lập trình là một kỹ năng được rèn luyện và phát triển theo thời gian. Tuy nhiên, ai cũng phải bắt đầu từ những bước cơ bản. Có rất nhiều ngôn ngữ lập trình phù hợp cho người mới, bất kể lĩnh vực họ chọn (ví dụ: JavaScript, v.v... JavaScript khá phức tạp, vì vậy bạn nên bắt đầu với HTML hoặc CSS). Hãy tiếp tục đọc để khởi động hành trình học lập trình của bạn.
Các bước
Học ngôn ngữ lập trình
Đừng quá lo lắng về ngôn ngữ bạn chọn. Khi mới bắt đầu, nhiều người gặp khó khăn trong việc chọn ngôn ngữ lập trình. Tuy nhiên, logic và cấu trúc dữ liệu gần như không thay đổi, bất kể ngôn ngữ nào bạn sử dụng. Đây mới là những kỹ năng quan trọng nhất, và bạn có thể rèn luyện chúng với bất kỳ ngôn ngữ nào.
- Khi chọn ngôn ngữ, hãy xác định loại lập trình bạn muốn theo đuổi và chọn ngôn ngữ phù hợp. Ví dụ, nếu bạn muốn học phát triển web, bạn có thể bắt đầu với HTML5, sau đó học thêm CSS, JavaScript và PHP. Nếu bạn muốn viết ứng dụng máy tính, hãy bắt đầu với C++ hoặc một ngôn ngữ lập trình cơ bản khác.
- Nếu bạn theo đuổi sự nghiệp lập trình, bạn sẽ nhận ra rằng có thể bạn sẽ không sử dụng ngôn ngữ đầu tiên mình học. Thay vào đó, bạn sẽ học ngôn ngữ mới thông qua nghiên cứu và thực hành.
Discover free online resources for your chosen programming language. The internet is a treasure trove of free tutorials, classes, and videos tailored to the language you want to learn. You can grasp the basics of almost any introductory language in just one day.
- Popular sites include Bento, CodeAcademy, Code.org, html.net, Khan Academy, Udacity, W3Schools, Code School, and more.
- Mytour also offers numerous beginner-friendly guides designed for specific languages.
- You can find tutorials for almost any programming scenario on YouTube.
- Stack Exchange is a renowned platform for answering all your programming questions.
Archana Ramamoorthy, MS
Product Management Director
Product Management Director
Expert Insight: "When I started programming, I knew nothing about computer design or coding. To learn how to program, I began by reading Java books and using online resources. In today's world, we have an abundance of information, making it easy to acquire new skills!"
Download a reliable text editor. Many programming languages allow the use of external text editors for writing code. Look for an editor that supports indentation and syntax highlighting.
- Some popular options include Notepad++ (Windows), TextWrangler (OS X), and Edit (compatible with all systems).
Install the necessary compiler. Some programming languages require a compiler to execute code. A compiler translates written code into a lower-level language that computers can process. Many compilers are open-source and available for free. Languages that need a compiler include:
- C
- C++
- C#
- Java
- BASIC
- Fortran
Start with your first project. Choosing the right initial project will help you get comfortable with the programming language. Among the many online suggestions and tutorials, basic HTML websites, template features, and simple PHP databases or straightforward programs with any compiled language are excellent starting points.
Comment your code. Every programming language supports comments, allowing you to add notes that the compiler ignores. These notes are crucial as they help others understand how your code works and remind you of its purpose.
- You can also use comments to temporarily remove code for testing purposes. Wrap the code you want to exclude with comment tags and remove them when you need to reuse it.
Explore other web projects and programs. While learning, don’t hesitate to research how others solve problems. Take time to understand why their code works.
- Check out this guide for details on reading website source code.
Expand your knowledge
Enroll in a class. Community colleges, technical schools, and online programs offer certificates and courses that can help you land a job and teach you programming. While not always necessary, advanced certifications like Computer Technology can help secure full-time programming roles.
- Learning directly from a teacher or programming expert has unique advantages that online resources often lack.
- Classes can be expensive, so weigh the benefits. If programming is just a hobby, enrolling might not be worth the time and money. However, if you’re pursuing a career, classes can be highly beneficial (though not mandatory if you’re skilled).
Expand your knowledge. Don’t limit yourself to just learning programming languages; you’ll benefit greatly from math and logic classes, as they are often essential for advanced programming. While you don’t necessarily need to study math and logic in a formal setting, a classroom environment can be highly beneficial.
- Programming often involves physical calculations and simulations that require a deep understanding of algorithms and models.
- Logic is the foundation of programming. Understanding logic and processes will help you solve problems when writing code.
- While most programming projects don’t require advanced math, this knowledge can offer significant advantages and optimization opportunities in coding.
Learn additional languages. Once you’ve mastered your first language, consider learning another. Choose a language that complements your first or one tailored to a specific role you’re targeting. Complementary languages like HTML and CSS are often the easiest to pick up.
- Java is one of the most popular languages, and Java developers are in high demand. Java runs on many systems and has countless applications, including Android development, one of the fastest-growing markets.
- C++ is recommended for aspiring game developers. While it’s not widely used outside gaming, learning to program with Unity (a widely used game engine) and UDK (the code for the Unreal Engine) can open up opportunities.
- If you want to develop iPhone apps, Xcode and Objective-C are essential tools. You’ll also need a Mac, as Xcode only compiles on macOS.
- As a server-side language, Python is one of the easiest to learn. It’s used for web services like Pinterest and Instagram and is simple enough to grasp the basics in just a few days.
Be patient. Programming often presents challenges, especially when debugging or implementing new ideas. Learn to appreciate small victories rather than solving the entire puzzle at once. Patience leads to more efficient code, better-functioning programs, and happier colleagues.
Learn to collaborate with others. When multiple people are involved, projects benefit from diverse perspectives. Teamwork is almost unavoidable in the business world, so unless you plan to develop everything independently, be ready to work with others.
Find opportunities to practice your programming skills. Volunteer to design websites or create computer applications. Part-time work at a small company can provide opportunities to code for websites and simple apps.
Connect with other programmers. There are countless communities and meetups for developers that can offer support and inspiration. Look for local programming workshops, participate in seminars or game development competitions, and join programming forums to expand your network and presence.
Practice, practice, and practice some more. It takes approximately 15,000 hours to be considered an expert in computer programming. That’s years of dedication. Without consistent practice and mastery, you won’t achieve programming proficiency.
- Try to dedicate time to coding every day, even outside of work. Programming in your free time can lead to breakthroughs and spark new ideas.
