How to Learn Programming Languages

If you are interested in making computer programs, mobile apps, websites, games or any software, you need to learn to program. Programs are created from programming languages. This language allows programs to function on computers, mobile phones, or hardware.

Table of Contents

Select Language

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Decide on your area of interest. You can proceed to learn any programming language (although some are said to be “easier” than others), you should ask yourself what the purpose of learning a programming language is. This helps you make decisions about what programming language to learn and provides a good starting point.

If you’re interested in web development, you’ll have to learn a completely different language than the one used to create computer programs. Mobile application development requires many different skills than machine programming. The whole decision will affect your direction.

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Consider starting with a “simple” language. Based on your own decision, you can start learning a high level language, but simpler. These languages are especially helpful to newbies because they provide basic concepts and thought processes that you can apply to any language. ^{[1] X Research Source}

The two most popular languages in this category are Python and Ruby. Both are web application oriented languages, using very readable syntax.
“Object-oriented” means a language built from the concepts of that “object”, or from the data collected and manipulated by the object. This is a concept used in many advanced programming languages such as C++, Java, Objective-C, and PHP.

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Read basic tutorials in many different languages. If you still don’t know which one to start with, read through the tutorials in a few different languages. If you find a type easier to understand, try learning that one first. There are countless programming language tutorials from online sources, including wikiHow:

Python – A great language to start with, very powerful once you get used to it. Used for many web applications and games.
Java – Used on countless programs from games to web applications, and even ATM software.
HTML – An important starting point for any web developer. Mastering HTML is essential before moving into web development.
C – One of the oldest languages, C is a powerful tool that is the foundation of modern languages like C++, C#, and Objective-C.

Small Start

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Learn the core concepts of the language. While the parts of this step will vary depending on the language you choose, all programming languages have basic concepts that are essential to making a useful program. Learning and mastering these concepts helps you solve problems easily and produce powerful and efficient code. Here are some core concepts of each type of language:

Variable – A variable is a place to store and reference changed data. Variables commonly used to represent “integer”, “letter”, v, v , determine the type of data to be stored. When coding, variables often have recognizable names. This makes it easier to understand how the variable interacts with the rest of the code.
Conditional Statement – A conditional statement is an action taken based on the correctness of the command. The most common structure of a conditional statement is “If-Then”. If the statement is true (eg x=5) then something happens. If the statement is false (eg x!=5), something else happens.
Functions and Procedures – The exact name of this concept in each type of language will be slightly different. It may be called “Procedure”, “Method”, or “Callable Unit”. This is essentially a small program within a large program. A function can be “called” by the program multiple times, allowing the programmer to create a more complex program.
Input data – This is a broad concept, used in most languages. It is concerned with handling user input when storing data. How to centralize data depends on the type of program and data (keyboard, file, etc.). It is closely associated with Output, the part of which is returned to the user, usually displayed on the screen or converted to a file.

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Install the necessary software. Many programming languages require a compiler, a program designed to translate code into a machine-understandable language. Some other languages like Python use interpreters that can execute the program immediately without compiling.

Some languages have an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that includes a code editor, compiler/or interpreter, and debugger. They allow the programmer to run any required functionality at one location. The IDE may contain visual representations of the object and directory hierarchy.
There are many code editors from online sources. These programs provide various ways of syntax highlighting and many other friendly development tools.

Create Your First Program

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Focus on only one concept at a time. One of the first programs taught for any kind of programming language was “Hello World”. This is a simple program that displays the text “Hello, World” (or some variable) on the screen. This program will teach new programmers to write the syntax to create the program’s foundation, functionality, as well as how to handle displaying output. By changing the text, you can learn how the program handles basic data. You can find a number of tutorials online for creating “Hello World” programs in several programming languages:

Hello World on Python
Hello World on Ruby
Hello World on CORE
Hello World on PHP
Hello World on C#
Hello World on Javas

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Learn through deconstruction of online examples. There are thousands of code examples online for each programming language. Use that example to test how each aspect of the language works and how they interact with each other. Based on many examples and create your own program.

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Check syntax. Syntax is the way a language is used so that it can be understood by a compiler or interpreter. Each language has its own special syntax, although there may be some similarities. Learning to write syntax is essential when learning programming languages, and is often what people think of when talking about computer programming. In fact, it is simply the foundation from which to develop advanced concepts.

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Experiment with changes. Change the sample program, then check the results. By testing it live, you can learn how it works much faster than reading a book or a tutorial. Don’t be afraid to crash the program, learning how to fix bugs is also a major part of the development process, and new things never work the first time. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Start practicing debugging. When programming, you will always get errors. These are errors in the program and manifest everywhere. Errors can be harmless to the program, but can also be the main error that prevents the program from working. Finding and fixing bugs is an important process in the software development cycle, so get used to it early on.

As you experiment with basic program changes, you’ll encounter a lot of things that don’t work. Showing a different approach is one of the expensive skills of being a programmer.

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Comment all code snippets. Most programming languages have a “comment” function that allows you to add text without the need of an interpreter or compiler. This allows you to write a concise, clear explanation of the code’s functionality. Not only does it help you remember the functionality of your code in a large program, it’s also an important habit in a collaborative environment because it helps others understand how your code works.

Regular practice

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Code every day. Mastering a programming language takes a lot of time. Even with a simple language like Python, it takes a few days to understand the basic syntax, and a lot of time to master it. Like any other skill, practice is the key to mastery. Try to spend some time each day coding, just an hour between work and dinner.

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Set goals for the program. By setting challenging goals, you can begin to problem solve and come up with solutions. Try to think of basic application as computing, and grow to do it. Use the syntax and concepts you’ve learned to put into practice.

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Talk to other people and read their shows. There are many programming communities that specialize in only one particular language or field. Find and join that community that will help you make a lot of progress. You will have access to a wealth of templates and tools that are extremely useful for the learning process. Reading other programmers’ programs can inspire you and help you grasp concepts you haven’t mastered yet. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

See programming forums and online communities for the language of your choice. You need to be involved, but not just as a questioner. This community is supposed to be a place for collaboration and discussion, not just a place of question and answer. Feel free to ask if you need help, but be prepared to show off your work and accept different opinions.
Once you have some experience, consider entering a coding competition. This event is where individuals or teams compete against each other to program multiple functions, often based on a specific theme. This type of event is usually very fun and a good opportunity to meet other developers.

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Challenge yourself to stay motivated. Try doing things you don’t know. Research is a way to complete a task (or something like that) then try to do that in the program. Don’t be content with a program that works “basically”; do everything possible to make sure everything is working perfectly.

Expand knowledge

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Take some training courses. Many universities, colleges, and community centers offer coding classes and workshops, which you can join without formal admission. This is a great opportunity for newbies as you will get help from experienced programmers and meet local programmers.

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Buy or borrow books. There are thousands of manuals for every programming language. Knowledge is not accumulated from just one book, you need to read many books to refer to examples and accumulate knowledge for yourself.

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Study mathematics and logic. Programming involves basic arithmetic, but you may want to study advanced concepts. This is especially important when you develop complex simulations or other algorithm-heavy programs. For everyday programming, you don’t need advanced math. Studying logic, especially computer logic, can help you understand how to approach problems most effectively with more advanced programs.

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Don’t stop programming. A well-known theory says that to become an expert you need to practice for at least 10,000 hours. While this is still controversial, the general rule of thumb remains: mastering takes time and dedication. Don’t expect to master everything overnight, if you focus on studying, you will gradually improve and may become an expert in this field one day. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Learn another programming language. While you can be successful with just one language, many programmers want to advance their career by learning multiple languages. Second or third languages often complement the first, allowing them to develop more complex and interesting programming. After mastering the first language, you can continue learning new languages.

You will find that learning the second language is much faster than the first. Many of the core concepts of programming are quite similar, especially with closely related languages.

Applying Skills

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Enroll in a 4-year program. While not strictly necessary, four-year programs in colleges and universities can help you learn a variety of languages, and have the opportunity to meet other professors and students. This method is not for everyone as there are many successful programmers without a 4-year program.

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Create portfpio (profile). As you program and expand your knowledge, remember to save the best results to portfpio. You can send portfpio to recruiters or interviewers to let them know your work. Remember to include work you do independently as well as with other companies.

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Get some freelance work. The freelance job market for programmers is huge, especially mobile app developers. Take a few small jobs to get a feel for commercial programming. Usually you can use freelance work to build portfpio and progress to full-fledged work.

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Develop your own freeware or commercial program. You don’t have to work for any company to make money. If you have the skills, you can develop the software yourself and sell it on your personal website or on the market. Be prepared to be able to support any software for sale because the customer needs the service.

Freeware is a popular way to contribute small programs or utilities. Developers do not need to receive money but can still make a name in the programming community.

Advice

If you’re interested in game programming, learn Python, C++, and Java. Of the three languages above, C++ has the best performance, Python is the easiest to learn, Java runs best on Windows, Mac OS and Linux without any changes.
Learn about Free Software. Study the program source code at the Free Software Directory. Why reprogram when you can do better? Just make sure you understand what you’re programming.
For most people, programming is something more interesting than the example in the book. Use the search engine to find projects that interest you.
As you learn something new, you should apply it yourself and then tweak the design, predicting the outcome to make sure you’ve grasped the concept.
Take advantage of updated applications programming interfaces and official references from software publishers.
References are always available when you need them. Don’t be shy if you can’t memorize everything. It is important to know where to look for references.
Conveying knowledge to others is also a practice. It not only strengthens your competence but also helps you think more deeply from different perspectives.

Steps