Get off to a great start by learning HTML/CSS

There is a lack of skilled software and web design professionals all around the world. So thumbs up to everyone out there who would like to venture into this field of work. Choosing software/web development as a career was somewhat instinctual. After tackling it out solo for a while, I thankfully managed to get enrolled in Microverse this year. Microverse is a remote school for software programmers where you do not have to pay any fees until you get a job. The points highlighted in this article are most likely not new to you. But I am amplifying them to shed some light for those who would like to take the same path to learn to program. The first programming languages on the main curriculum at Microverse are HTML5/CSS3. There’s a very good reason why.

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. CSS is an acronym for Cascading Style Sheets. HTML and CSS provide the framework used to create and design content on web pages. They are the backbone of web development. JavaScript only helps to create dynamic content on web pages. Anyone can learn HTML and CSS: the core web languages, if they apply themselves and use the right means. There are very many resources out there on the internet if you would like to get started with HTML/CSS. I started by completing the basic HTML and CSS courses on freeCodeCamp.org as well as on Codecademy. You can also find tonnes of resources on the Mozilla Developer Network (MDN) as well as w3schools.com.

Once you have grasped the fundamentals of HTML/CSS, you can move to HTML/CSS frameworks and libraries. CSS Grid and CSS Flexbox are examples of popular frameworks in CSS. Positioning is the hardest aspect of frontend programming in my experience so far. CSS Grid and CSS Flexbox are great tools designed for that purpose. The freeCodeCamp.org website offers free courses for both CSS Grid and CSS Flexbox. These courses are a great starting point. They will also prepare you to join a program like the one offered at Microverse. Once you have mastered the basics about HTML/CSS you should look for ways to grow your skills in web design. For instance by trying to clone every web page of your choice out there on the internet. Try to find a coding partner, as well as a learning community like the one at Microverse. This will boost your morale and offer the accountability you need to keep you on track. But you are still able to learn on your own. There many games and apps out there that can help you to practice your knowledge in HTML and CSS. These are fun as well as educative, for example, Flexbox Froggy and Grid Garden.

Don’t start writing code straight away. Writing no code is better than writing faulty and potentially hazardous code. The recommended way to start any project in software and web development is by planning. Use drawing tools like Inkscape if possible to create mockups. Mockups help you to visualize what you would like the outcome to look like. Planning helps you to outline the required tasks according to priority. Planning is also a great way to cut productivity guilt. If you know you tried to follow the plan in place you can decide to be happy regardless of the result at the end of the day. Afterward, you can start building each element one by one while testing in a code editor such as CodePen. There is also a myriad of popular web development tools inbuilt in modern browsers which you can use. We used the Mozilla Firefox and Chrome “inspect elements” tool to examine our HTML/CSS. Learn how to use version control tools like Git and Github to keep track of your code changes.

Last but not least, get your hands dirty. That is what any kind of learning is about. Practice makes perfect and nowhere is this truer than in the area of programming and web design. But not any kind of practice. The kind of practice you are aiming at is the one that will allow for continuous improvement. Adhering to coding best practices will ensure minimal frustration and boredom. These include careful planning, following the correct procedure, and timeboxing. You should aim to sustain a healthy stamina throughout. The only way to become a great writer is to write, in the same way, the only way to become an expert programmer is to code. Perfectionism is your greatest enemy. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, as that is part and parcel of learning. But, make sure you keep learning from previous mistakes and improving the way you do things. Switching projects and coding partners to escape problems will only transfer your baggage. Make sure you deal with the real issues. Keep coding. Keep thinking. Keep learning. Keep happy:-)