Programming Sites for Technical Writers
Today, I’ll share some programming sites/courses with you which help you to learn basic coding if it’s required by your work. Here are other articles on this topic which you may find helpful:
So, meet my list of programming resources for technical writers.
Coding for Writers: Basic Programming
Course Description
There aren’t many people who can both code and write well, so if you can do both, you will find there many exciting, highly-paid opportunities in the technology industry. This course teaches basic programming to writers so that you can begin to document code.
The course uses JavaScript, but talks about other programming languages as well, including providing a survey of common programming languages. It covers common Computer Science concepts, such as variables, functions, conditionals, loops, etc.
You’ll have hands-on exercises in both writing JavaScript code and documenting constants, functions, and enumerations. You’ll end with a final project where you build a therapist bot. (It’s not as hard as it sounds, although it’s really not a very good therapist.)
What you’ll learn
- Write simple JavaScript programs
- Understand basic programming concepts
- Write documentation for functions, constants, and enumerations
Requirements
- Love of writing and interest in coding
- A modern browser, a text editor (you can use a free one), and a word processor (Word, Google docs, etc.)
OpenCourser
OpenCourser’s mission is to provide learners with the most authoritative content about online courses and MOOCs. To date, we’ve helped millions of learners find courses that help them reach their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Here, you’ll be able to search and get at-a-glance information on over 15,000 courses. You’ll also be able to read reviews, get course recommendations, enroll in courses, and more.
Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)
This course aims to teach everyone the basics of programming computers using Python. We cover the basics of how one constructs a program from a series of simple instructions in Python. The course has no pre-requisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics. Anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master the materials in this course. This course will cover Chapters 1–5 of the textbook “Python for Everybody”. Once a student completes this course, they will be ready to take more advanced programming courses. This course covers Python 3.
What you’ll learn
- Describe the basics of the Python programming language.
- Install Python and write your first program.
- Use variables to store, retrieve and calculate information.
- Utilize core programming tools such as functions and loops.
Programming Basics
About this course
Basic concepts of computer programming are introduced, starting with the notion of an algorithm. Emphasis is on developing the ability to write programs to solve practical computational problems.
What you’ll learn
- Basic programming skills
- To write C/C++ programs to solve real world computational problems.
- Good programming practices
- How to handle large and complex programs.
Topics include:
- Algorithms
- Elements of C/C++ programming languages
- Basic data types
- Sequential and conditional execution
- Iterative solutions
- Arrays, matrices and their applications
- Functions
- Sorting and searching
- Elements of string processing
- Introduction to pointers
- Basics of Software Engineering
- Structures
- File Processing
Learners will read and understand many sample programs and will have to write several on their own. This course deals with basic programming and sets the foundation for solid programming practices for beginners.
Codecademy
Codecademy is a series of interactive online courses that aim to teach you the basics of a handful of programming languages and frameworks. Here is what they offer:
Choose what to learn
From building websites to analyzing data, the choice is yours. Not sure where to start? We’ll point you in the right direction.
Learn by doing
No matter your experience level, you’ll be writing real, working code in minutes.
Get instant feedback
Your code is tested as soon as you submit it, so you always know if you’re on the right track.
Put your learning into practice
Apply your learning with real-world projects and test your knowledge with tailor-made quizzes.
Land your dream job
Coding skills have never been more in-demand. Learn everything you need to take your career to the next level.
Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS
Learn foundational programming concepts (e.g., functions, for loops, conditional statements) and how to solve problems like a programmer. In addition, learn basic web development as you build web pages using HTML, CSS, JavaScript. By the end of the course, you will create a web page where others can upload their images and apply image filters that you create.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
1. Think critically about how to solve a problem using programming;
2. Write JavaScript programs using functions, for loops, and conditional statements;
3. Use HTML to construct a web page with paragraphs, divs, images, links, and lists;
4. Add styles to a web page with CSS IDs and classes; and
5. Make a web page interactive with JavaScript commands like alert, onClick, onChange, adding input features like an image canvas, button, and slider.
Codewars
Codewars is a collective effort by its users. They are creators — authoring kata to teach various techniques, solving kata with solutions that enlighten others, and commenting with constructive feedback. The leaders among them moderate the content and community. There are over 30 programming languages to choose from; users are then challenged to master one through kata, a progressive and customized measurement tool:
- Sharpen your skills. Challenge yourself on kata, created by the community to strengthen different skills. Master your current language of choice, or expand your understanding of a new one.
- Train on kata. Solve the kata with your coding style right in the browser and use test cases (TDD) to check it as you progress. Retrain with new, creative, and optimized approaches.
- Earn ranks and honor. Kata is ranked to approximate difficulty. As you complete higher ranked kata, you progress through the ranks so we can match you with relevant challenges.
- Gain collaborative wisdom. Compare your solution with others after each kata for greater understanding. Discuss the kata, best practices, and innovative techniques with the community.
What course or resources helped you to learn a coding language?
