By Manuel Garrido —

The Path to Code. Part 1

Less than 18 months ago, the only Coding knowledge I had was using VBA (excel macros).

Over the past year, I have succesfully built projects using a myriad of languages like Python, Go, Ruby, R, javascript, learned what are databases and used different ones like postgresql, sqlite or mongodb for example.

In this two-part article I would like to share the steps & resources that helped me learn how to code (or The Path).

Here we go!

1.Read this article

Go to Sephs' page and read the article titled What I tell all new programmers.

This article provides in my opinion the most accurate and useful advice for people who want to be a programmer.

Link here.

2.Choose a programming language


This step, even though is normally taken on the early stages of the Path, it's one of the most crucial steps.

I will save you time chosing your first programming language.

Choose Python

Why? for a variety of reasons:

Is one of the most popular programming languages. This means that:

  • a) you will find answer's to your programming questions more easily (in sites like Stack Overflow), and
  • b) chances of finding someone who has already written the code that you need to build are higher.
  • Python is also one of the easiest languages to learn. Programming languages are like regular languages, and the same way a language is harder to learn than another (italian vs chinese for example), Python is easier to learn than other languages such as C or Go.

Python is not only one of the most popular languages, is also one of the languages with a wider set of areas using it. Python is used in image processing, video games, web programming, data science, sound editing, and so many more areas.

This means that, regardless of what you are trying to build, there is probably someone who can help you.

3.Learn that language's syntax


Because to start writing in English, you need to learn English.

There are multiple online resources to learn a programming language, such as CodeAcademy or CodeSchool. Go there and finish the program they offer for your language of choice.

Be aware, those platforms can only bring you to a certain point in the Path.
The fact that you now know how to write in English, doesn't mean that you can write McBeth isnt it?


Continue on part 2