Programming is a great skill for anyone to develop, as job candidates with coding backgrounds are becoming increasingly more attractive to companies. However, there are many reasons for people to become interested in learning how to code. Whether you are curious about exploring tools for how to learn programming for fun or skill exploration, or wanting to make a career change, or perhaps hoping to develop software or operating systems in a specific area, there are many resources available that can help you accomplish your coding goals.

Coding to Explore

If you’re just starting to take an interest in coding, there are many free, brief tools for how to learn programming skills. Online examples through YouTube such as Treehouse or freeCodeCamp can give an overview of a variety of topics in web development. Another resource to practice basic coding skills are the game activities through Hour of Code, where you can try out a one-hour tutorial in a relaxed, interactive setting. 

If you are wondering what code to learn first, HTML and CSS are the languages you will need to know to create a very basic website. Or, if you want to explore a variety of languages in a collaborative setting, check out GitHub to look through other coders’ open source code repositories.

Coding to Change Careers

Many people are becoming interested in how to learn programming because they want to develop skills that can help them transfer to higher positions within their company or even to change careers completely. For the most flexible range of use in your career, the best coding language to learn is Python and Java. Businesses may also commonly use C# or SQL. Luckily, the job market for developers is large, and many tools are available to help you gain new capabilities in coding.

If you seek a traditional class concept but want to avoid the high monetary and time costs associated with going back to school to obtain a four-year computer science degree, consider code schools. Code schools like Momentum can help you build a large full stack skill set and gain the proper experience to be able to apply to new jobs after only a few months. Momentum’s new Software Engineering Immersive course allows you to learn coding at your own pace and receive certification upon completion. Plus, the course provides Career Services Specialists so you have the one-one-one support and network you need to start your career in tech. Schedule an info session to learn more.

Coding for Mobile Apps or Video Games

Maybe you have a very specific goal in mind for how you plan to learn and apply programming skills. If you want to create mobile applications, video games, or even build new operating systems, it’s likely that you will need highly advanced skills. To strengthen your skills in advanced areas, the best coding language to learn for mobile app development is Swift, Java, or Kotlin, and the best coding language to learn for video game development is C#. 

There are special online tools available for game development. Unity assists with 3D-game development, and Stencyl or GameMaker Studio are other helpful options for game design. For mobile apps, your specific use-case goals for the app should be kept in mind when picking from any of the many app development tools available. 

In general, if you are planning on learning how to code, there are a few things that you should keep in mind even before considering what code to learn first. First, you should be aware of the importance of learning and understanding computational thinking. Being able to understand algorithms and patterns can help you consider the way that a program will run, helping you avoid or fix bugs and code efficiently. Secondly, the coding community is a great resource to help you with your learning process. Stack Overflow is a forum for anyone to get feedback from peers and participate in Q&A. Finally, think about building your portfolio. Developing your work is important – you never know when it might be time to take a new leap and start a career as a software developer. 

At Momentum, we believe anybody can learn to code. We hold crash courses and info sessions to help beginners learn about the best ways to get started pursuing a career in software development. It is never too late to get started. Reach out to us if you have any questions or would like to chat about how learning to code can help you in your career.