The Biggest Mistake People Make When Learning To Code

I remember the days when I started to learn how to code. I sure made a lot of mistakes as a beginner. That is, now when I take a look back at it, I could have done something different to make my process easier when learning how to code. On the other hand, I have been teaching people how to code for a few years now. I have taught, coached and mentored them in their coding journey. I have seen people make the same mistake I made when starting to learn how to program.

So, today I am going to share the biggest mistake I have seen people make when learning how to code. Also, I am going to give you actionable tips so you can apply them in your learning process. This way can learn how to code faster and make this gratifying process even more straightforward. Now, let’s get started.

Not applying the concepts you have learned

Programming is a very practical discipline. Sure, there is a lot of theory. However, to get the most out of the fascinating theory this field brings, you have to apply it to a real-world scenario. That is, try to solve problems with the concepts you have learned. During my years as an educator, I have seen people watch countless tutorials on YouTube, read a ton of books but never actually build something on their own with the knowledge they have acquired. This is A BIG MISTAKE. What I have seen happen to my students is that when time passes, they forget the concepts. Furthermore, more they forget how they work and why they are essential in the first place.

Nevertheless, the students that apply what they have learned retain the information for even more extended periods of time. Students that build applications with the knowledge they gained have seen significant benefits in the long term. I have had students that I taught years ago, I ask still ask them about specific concepts, and they give a good answer.

The solution: Practicality

I believe that by forcing yourself to build tangible products of your knowledge, you are engaging more of your physical senses, time and energy into a project. Thus, making it hard for your brain to forget about all that hard work and effort you put into something. I am no neuroscientist, but I sure remember the long hours I dedicated in the past to learning things like if-statements, for loops and variables when I was starting out. I did so many exercises and applied them to many projects, that I feel confident in my understanding of these concepts. Sure, there might be some details I may have forgotten because of the syntax of the programming language I am working with, but, the understanding of the underlying idea is still intact, which is the most critical part, in my opinion.

Actionable tips you can use to succeed

So, one tip is to build things. It can be something simple like a static personal website, a calculator, a rock, paper, and scissors game in the console; there are tons of beginner ideas out there. Just do a simple Google search, you will be amazed. Try to build something on your own, if you get stuck, search the Internet for tutorials or solutions on Stack Overflow, or other resources on the Internet that can help you in this process. However, I am not saying to stop watching videos on YouTube and follow tutorials on the Internet. My recommendation is to do the tutorials but as you watch them, follow along by typing it yourself.

What this technique is going to do is engage you more in the lesson taught, instead of just watching them. However, this is just my advice, I understand that everyone learns differently, so you do what works the best for you. Also, when following tutorials and you finish the project that the tutorials focus on, add features to it. Look at the application and see how you can make it better. Maybe there is something you the app to allow the user to do. Such as making an account, logging in, etc. By adding things to the finished product, you are forcing yourself to think outside the box and making the most out of the tutorial you just watched.

There you have it, the most prominent and common mistake people make when learning how to code (myself included) and how you can avoid making it, hence, making your coding journey much easier. If you have any recommendations, tips, and tricks of your own, drop them in the comments below. The purpose of this article is to help people succeed in learning how to code and make excellent applications.

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Hope this helps!

Photo by Tim Gouw from Pexels

Disclaimer: The suggestions given in this article are based on my personal and professional experience. Everyone is different, so you can try these tips out and see if it works for you. I am just trying to help by sharing what’s helped me along my journey.

Originally published at yadielcabrera.com on July 11, 2018.