This is a truth that a lot of people might find hard to believe, but what if I told you that computers are much more stupid than the general citizen believe?
All the functions, programs, and websites that we find convenient and useful for our lines of work, studies, and needs, have been (as some might have expected) created by people behind the scenes. These people are known by many names, but some like to call them programmers.
But what do programmers have to do with the fact that computers are stupid? Well, computers are kind of brainless powerhouses. They are capable of a lot of things, but they are incapable of doing them on their own. Even A.I, or Artificial Intelligence, requires humans to lay down the framework of their learning processes, so they can somewhat become independent and learn by themselves from external (and internal) stimulation.
And for things that work as designed, such as programs, websites, video-games, apps on your phone, among other things, there are programmers behind, using something known as a programming language, to give orders to a computer, to work in a certain fashion, and fulfill a certain goal. These orders are mostly known as algorithms or language scripts, and they are filled with several lines of code, to give a succession of commands that don’t interfere with one another.
Among these programming languages, there’s a programming language that has become one of the most popular and required around the world, and its name is Python.
In this article, I’m going to talk about how programming works, what you can expect from learning how to program, its benefits, and how Python differs from other programming languages.
How to Approach Programming
Believe it or not, the primary thing you should be focusing on is picking which programming language you want to go for. If you don’t you might lose yourself on many languages to actually become capable of creating something in one.
So, if you want to truly learn, you have to make a decision. Right now, there are multiple options in the market, with C, C++, Java, Javascript, and Python being the most commonly mentioned.
Each programming language has its own advantages, disadvantages, and syntax to work with. Of course, you might find that one alternative is easier to deal with than others, but it all depends on what is your ultimate goal, and whether you want to explore different options, or solely focus on one.
A lot of people recommend starting by the basics and learning from a programming language that is not as used now but is great for beginners to understand the logic behind coding. A good example of this is HTML (Which stands for HyperText Markup Language), a standard language that focuses on web pages.
Although it’s very basic, and there are better alternatives on the market right now, it’s recommended for people who know nothing about programming, and what to learn the very basics without getting discouraged by more complicated options.
Of course, you can focus on more complicated ones if you believe that you can deal with the process. I, myself, recommend choosing the one that interests you the most and focuses entirely on it. If you study enough, you will eventually learn its logic, and how it differs from other options.
Overall, the most important thing is not to get discouraged. Some people are capable of learning in a couple of months whereas there are people who require double or triple the time, and it’s okay to take your time to learn and become competent. If you don’t get something, keep on trying, and researching. Just don’t give up.
Why Consider Programming as a Career
Currently, there’s a shortage of programmers around the world, considering how technology is advancing at a light-speed pace, and there’s a lot of demand in comparison to how many programmers there are. It’s something that has been gaining fame lately, but a lot of people don’t seem to be interested in it.
And let me tell you, it’s true that learning to program can be advantageous, since nowadays, is one of the best-paid jobs out there, but what companies are looking for is not only programmers. They are looking for good programmers.
Some of the best online python courses can certainly prepare you to be a programmer and have the knowledge to deal with problems, but that’s it. It’s all up to you how you find solutions to problems, and how cleanly you put up a script, or how effective and fast you can write.
Coding is something that requires creativity, discipline, and a lot of focus. To me, it’s similar to writing a book. You need to know how the story goes, and if you don’t know something, you need to know where to find the pieces of information that you require to finish the story. You also need to write it well, as cleanly as you possibly can, to be not only functional but also beautiful.
This, and enjoying it, will make you stand out from other programmers. But as I mentioned before, do not get discouraged. It requires time to be as proficient, and enjoying the benefits of programming is like other areas of work: you need to gain experience and climb the ladder little by little.
You might be talented, yes. There are indeed people with talent in the world of programming that managed to create something that stole the attention of a lot of people. There are also people talented learning stuff in a short time, and others naturally write algorithms as if they were playing a video-game.
But in the end, effort and time are what you need to exchange. And believe me, if you do things right, you won’t regret a single thing. Some companies pay programming engineers 6 marks per year, and the numbers rise when you are competent in the field.
Other advantages, as mentioned over here, include being able to work from anywhere in the world, if you manage to find a work overseas. And some companies have started to apply this methodology of work, considering how you can work as long as you have a decent computer and decent internet connection.
And, believe it or not, although a degree comes a long way, a lot of programmers out there are self-taught and learned from internet courses, training websites, and insightful YouTube channels. Most of the time, companies only care about what you are capable of doing, and whether you can learn while working, not about your history or studies.
So, if you become competent, you’ll also have an opportunity to enter the market, as long as you pick the right company to apply, and showcase your skills.
Python’s Legacy
Here’s where Python enters the play. Python is well known for being described as a high-level general-purpose programming language.
High-level means that it’s rather automative in comparison to other programming languages that are considered low-level, and is much easier to handle when developing a program because of its automatic nature.
General-purpose means that it was designed to cover a wide range of domains, in comparison to its counterpart, domain-specific, which is a type of programming language that focuses on very specific areas/domains of coding.
The main reason Python appeals so many people is that its main goal is to strive for a simpler, and much easier to understand syntax. Python’s motto is like this: “there should be one—and preferably only one—obvious way to do it”, making it a rather safe choice for newcomers to learn, in comparison to other language programs that are often more complicated in terms of requiring more manual work to achieve a goal, with multiple ways to deal with situations.
Python is also claimed as a rather fun and interactive programming language, and its names are even taken from a comedy group known as Monty Python. For people who might find coding not that interesting, this language might be the best alternative, since it might be able to pick their interest and stimulate the playful side of people who is into trying new things and learning.
If you are interested in this specific programming language but don’t know its differences from other alternatives, I recommend you to visit this article over here provided by python.org itself: https://www.python.org/doc/essays/comparisons/.
Last Words
Remember, learning to program is ultimately decided by you, and how much time and effort you put into it. You can also invest in courses and training programs if you have the money, and some are probably the best way to begin. The best advice I can give you is to not get overwhelmed by all the information out there and taking little bites of it, so you can slowly digest what is to come, thus, slowly become more knowledgeable on the matter. At some point, all that knowledge and practice will lead to experience, which will turn into your weapon to deal with the world of programming.