Learn to Code

By Balachander Ramachandran on September 28, 2014

Steve Jobs once said ““Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer… because it teaches you how to think”.

I cannot agree more. “Programming” or “Coding” as it is often called, refers to the process of writing source code. It is the process of converting a design into implementation with the aim of accomplishing some task. You can choose from a myriad of “programming languages” to start learning the fundamentals before jumping into more exciting stuff. It can be both fun and challenging to learn to code. In fact it is a subtle art.

Source: http://en.paperblog.com/

Now the only real way to learn to code is by coding, I mean turn on that computer of yours, open up a terminal or an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) if you would prefer and get your hands dirty. Like most things. the more you practice the better you get. Here are few websites to help you get started -

  • Codeacademy – you can learn to code JavaScript, HTML and CSS, PHP, jQuery, Python and Ruby interactively for free.
  • Udacity – learn to code by working on real projects. You can find courses that span from Intro to CS to CUDA Parallel Programming and AI.
  • Coursera – offers variety of programming and other courses from the top universities and organization worldwide.
  • Scratch 2.0 – uses a visual programming method helps young people to learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
  • Code.org is a great place to introduce coding to kids. It provides a drag and drop program that uses Angry Birds, Plants vs Zombies to teach some of the basic steps in coding.

There are also dozens of other such websites like Code School, Udemy, w3schools, KhanAcademy, Bento, Code Avengers that can help you get started. Feel free to experiment before finding your ideal choice. Once you have got some of the fundamentals down, you can also join Topcoder, Codechef, Google Code Jam, HackerRank, Kaggle and other such websites that will not only help you polish your skills but also pit you against others in the world.

As computers become more ubiquitous, you will find more platforms to experiment with your coding and build novel applications. You never know how your code can change the world! So get coding!

Source: techcrunch.com

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