New to Coding

[Steax]

Yeah, the cool part of PHP's online docs are the examples. The core docs are also pretty much fine for defining behavior. The examples then extend that into real-life use, which gives it a good balance between being a strict "specification"-like document and just a bunch of examples. They also tend to explain pitfalls, security issues and tricks on how to mold the built-in functions to something more reasonable.

[Lleu]

What can I do with coding? I want to make games, a graphing program, and bots that play games. That's about all I can think to do. However, I get the feeling that there's a lot I'm missing out on if I just do that. Are there any areas that would be beneficial to explore, especially if I'm considering a career in about three years? I'm learning Python.

[headprogrammingczar]

Everything a computer can do needs to be programmed by someone. Take your average boring accounting program. Someone programmed all the different kinds of taxes, what they apply to, exemptions and other kind of things that an accountant can do without even thinking. Now tax rates change, so someone programmed a way to get updated rates from a government website. Someone had to program the library you are using for network interaction. Someone wrote the specification for HTTP, JSON (it's somehow a very modern program), TCP. The network card sends the information, but someone programmed the network card.

Yes, there's software on individual pieces of hardware too. For instance, the wifi card of a printer. On the other end of the network connection is a different networking library, for any number of reasons. Someone wrote the webserver, which accepts the network connection. They aren't that modern, so it runs another program someone wrote that actually provides the data.

For actual ideas of what to do, pick something that you do often that annoys you. Write a program to do it for you. As you write more programs, you will find parts of programming that annoy you. Write libraries that make those parts less annoying. Don't like some feature of Python? Download the interpreter source and change it (of course, you won't be writing Python anymore...).

[Jplus]

Another thing you can do with coding is participate in the red spider project. See my signature.

[Tomlidich the second]

i am that guy who has the odd question of: how do you stay coding?

i have delved into python and java quite a bit but i end up getting distracted and focusing my attention on something besides learning how to properly code. im still a newbie, even though i started learning fresh outta high school almost three years ago.

[WyldStallyns]

What can I do with coding? I want to make games, a graphing program, and bots that play games. That's about all I can think to do. However, I get the feeling that there's a lot I'm missing out on if I just do that. Are there any areas that would be beneficial to explore, especially if I'm considering a career in about three years? I'm learning Python.

Well, C# is a pretty good place to start for making games, assuming you're at least familiar with computer logic. And from what I know, it's what a lot of developers use to make Xbox games, and using Microsoft's XNA framework you can upload what you make to the Xbox Live Arcade (If you have the license for it, costs around $100 a year) There are also plenty of good tutorials around for it. Searching "C# XNA" on Google or Youtube can probably get you to some good tutorials. (I'm not 100% sure how many Xbox games are actually made in C#, if you're interested you could probably look it up) XNA is also used in Windows Phones and Zunes (And unlike Xbox, you can upload games and apps to those stores for free, maybe make a bit of money if they sell)

As far as game bots go, if the game is popular enough there may be entire websites to botting in them. (Just know that most game companies consider botting a cheat and you might get yourself banned for it) I know there are a few sites for Runescape botting with tutorials. It's in Java, which is very similar to C#. (C# was actually created by Microsoft as a response to Java) WoW probably has some bot sites you could find as well, as with most popular MMOs. I'd suggest looking there for specific help.

If you're into The Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda releases the Construction Kit, which is pretty much the same tool they used to make the games. (It's missing a few of the functions that they can't release for legal reasons, but that's not a problem) All it requires is the PC version of Morrowind, Oblivion, or Skyrim, and I believe Fallout and New Vegas have Creation Kits as well. Here's a link to the Oblivion CS wiki and here's the one for Skyrim. Modding for those games is more game design and less programming, but it's still a fun tool and does involve programming if you intend to make more complex mods. I could be wrong, but I believe the code for Bethesda games is a modified version of C or C++.

Also, if you are still in school, take all the computer science courses you can. Having an instructor and other kids your age learning the same thing as you helps a ton. Also, it is often said that one of the best ways of making sure you know something is to teach someone else. Once you start to get something, helping someone else out can both increase your knowledge on the issue, and prove to yourself that you know what you're talking about. This also holds true for just about any subject.

i am that guy who has the odd question of: how do you stay coding?

i have delved into python and java quite a bit but i end up getting distracted and focusing my attention on something besides learning how to properly code. im still a newbie, even though i started learning fresh outta high school almost three years ago.

If you can think of a big project to work on, like a game or an app that you could upload to the ipod/android appstore that you want to work on, it can help you stay focused. If you have a goal, you'll have more motivation to pursue it than if you just follow tutorials and make a few simple programs. If its good enough, there could even be some money in it. Who knows, you might create the next Angry Birds.

If you can find something that you have fun working on, chances are you will keep at it. And if you ever get stuck, the internet has tons of tutorials on just about any language you can think of.

[snowyowl]

I have a question that falls into the scope of this topic.

I'm not new to coding - I've used Javascript and some occasional C++ too - but I'd like to know what language I should use for web scripting. This is really a practice project; I don't want to write the next Facebook, just make a fun single-purpose app that people can mess around with for five minutes. Interfacing with a database o some sort may or may not be required - I haven't gotten that far yet.

I've written a few lines of Python and Ruby, and have glanced vaguely in the direction of PHP, but obviously there's no simple answer to the question "which one is best?". I'd prefer something free and probably open source, which I think rules out ASP. An environment that's good for learning in would be best; something that I can put on my CV and get hired for is a bonus.

Does anyone have enough knowledge of the alternatives that they can point me at one of these languages and say "Yes, that one."?

[Steax]

PHP has the best community support out there, but it, like many other popular languages, has extreme clutter between the messy and the good. It's also not very consistent, and it's not the safest thing out there, but it can learned and made safe and fast if you desire. I still point people towards it. Others pick Node JS or Ruby on Rails, and there are other options out there, which you might consider if you like those languages. But they're not widely used technologies yet, at least not as wide as PHP/ASP.

In short, PHP has C-like syntax that, with a bit of practice, gets the job done, and it has a lot of supporting libraries and communities out there. It's also dead easy to install anywhere, get a development environment up in, and find hosting for. Feel free to look up Node JS, RoR and others and see what they have to offer.

[Xanthir]

As a PHP user, SAVE YOURSELF. GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME, JUST RUN.

I recommend NodeJS, or one of the Python server things. JS and Python are both very interesting languages.

[sparkyb]

Most of the person web scripting projects I've done back when I did those sort of things were in PHP. What I liked about it was that it was pretty easy to do things fast. It was basically as easy as creating the html pages for the site and then embedding logic to write some of that HTML dynamically. It could be a good place to start because of how easy it is to prototype something fast.

That said, now that I have more experience, at work we mostly use Django, a Python web framework. Not only is Python a much better language than PHP, but using a web framework has some advantages of doing a bunch of the tough things for you, abstracting database access and logic from presentation, and encourages/enforces a lot of other good design practices. I find that it requires a little more scaffolding to get something started, but that's probably a worthwhile investment later on. Starting with PHP may be easy but it might also teach you some bad habits, and if you have to basically learn a new language/framework anyway, maybe it is worth starting with something good.

[Steax]

As a PHP user, SAVE YOURSELF. GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME, JUST RUN.

I recommend NodeJS, or one of the Python server things. JS and Python are both very interesting languages.

I... I think it's just too late for me now. I'm trying to convert to NodeJS but for some reason... I just can't get into it. Even ASP makes more sense to me right now. But yes I wish I started with something other than PHP.

Maybe the thing is that I like having full control down to the lowest detail, and prefer building from the ground up instead of relying on frameworks. Those are nice when you just need to get a site done - you get nice things like admin backends and all - but the majority of my work demands a lot of low-level work. PHP has usually given me the easiest access to this stuff. I don't typically like things that do things like generate forms or error messages.

That said, NodeJS + MongoDB/CouchDB are what I use for simple projects right now.

But yeah, we've thrown out the big names, go ahead and look at them and see which you like more, snowyowl.

[Aaeriele]

Does anyone have enough knowledge of the alternatives that they can point me at one of these languages and say "Yes, that one."?

You're correct in that there's no real "right" answer, but I would say that in the current industry environment, Python is a pretty good choice for "fairly straightforward, can be put on a resume, works well." Nearly everywhere that does web application development, even if they don't themselves work in Python, will recognize Python and know how such skills translate.

There's also a fair amount of support out there for easy infrastructure bases on which to deploy Python apps if you're just messing around - Heroku is probably the most notable for its simplicity and free tier, but there's also interesting variants like PythonAnywhere.

Python web microframeworks let you create a web application with only a minimal amount of boilerplate, so it's not as if you're having to choose between the simplicity of PHP and the giant leviathans that are Django (Python) and Rails (Ruby). If you do decide to go the Python route, I'd suggest taking a look at Flask as a microframework that is good at staying out of your way, but also offers a bunch of functionality if you want to use it.

Maybe the thing is that I like having full control down to the lowest detail, and prefer building from the ground up instead of relying on frameworks. Those are nice when you just need to get a site done - you get nice things like admin backends and all - but the majority of my work demands a lot of low-level work. PHP has usually given me the easiest access to this stuff. I don't typically like things that do things like generate forms or error messages.

I think you'd like Flask too.

[benkapparate]

Do you guys think JS will take over Java in college / high school education?

[Thesh]

The only place JavaScript is really used is for the front end of websites (okay, ActionScript is based on JS and used for flash, but even that is dying). Even if the direction we are heading is towards web based applications, a lot of the work is on the backend, and JavaScript isn't used much there. You might see C# or Python being taught instead of Java, but not JavaScript, which will be taught only if you are learning about front end web development.

[lgw]

JS seems to be taking over from Scheme, not Java. You can use it to teach functional programming, and while I find its object model terrible, Scheme has no object model at all, so no loss there.

Java schools? Don't get me started on what I have to teach people we hire from Java schools.

[Xanthir]

The only place JavaScript is really used is for the front end of websites (okay, ActionScript is based on JS and used for flash, but even that is dying). Even if the direction we are heading is towards web based applications, a lot of the work is on the backend, and JavaScript isn't used much there. You might see C# or Python being taught instead of Java, but not JavaScript, which will be taught only if you are learning about front end web development.

Node is used quite a lot, actually.

[jpk]

Java schools? Don't get me started on what I have to teach people we hire from Java schools.

Oh, please!. Don't jump on the Spolsky bandwagon - it was a stupid meme when he started it, and it's still as stupid as ever.
You'll complain just as much about the products of js schools or haskell schools or whatever comes along next as the "it language" for teaching. New kids fresh out of school are often idiots. That's not going to change just from changing the language they're taught in.

[DaveInsurgent]

Sure, but those "idiots" go on to become "senior developers" with 25 layers of abstraction and all sorts of awful ideas about system design and while you're totally being reasonable to say that a programming language isn't going to save them, there are many facets of Java and the object-oriented programming bandwagon that actively contribute to the problem.

Node is used quite a lot, actually.

This. Game logic layers written in it. Node v4 is now ARM-tested as opposed to just best effort. ES6 and ES7 are adding a lot to the language. Unless you're doing intensive computation, Node is where it's at right now. The module system is excellent, the community is alive and well, and I'm one of the crazy people who legitimately enjoy most aspects of the language.

Yes, web dev is increasingly being dominated by Node and JS in general (I'd "argue" that web dev is increasingly dominating the profession, not that it's better or anything, just that there's a larger demand and a greater # of employers that crop up out of thin air daily). But plenty of people are using Node to drive small things like Rasperry Pi and Arduino and so on.

JavaScript is probably more portable than Java right now where it *counts* and if you want to develop a desktop application (for whatever reason? ugh) you can take your own slice of V8/WebKit and just use an already well established and highly performant rendering/layout system.

Web dev has basically become about a platform that is blurring the lines between what has to be "server side" and "client side" and JS is at the heart of all of it.

[EmelinaVollmering]

I would say, try to implement as many algorithms you can (during your 20's). Further, try to build algorithms that have multiple output constraints and try to implement the full solution ( don't give away, if you have little issues or remove those constraints).

What I am trying to say is, always implement full solutions and solve problems that came in the way. First stick with any language (it will not a issue) and build your logic. Keep on doing this exercise for more than 6 months and you will know the code easily.

[wst]

So I'm starting the third year of a degree soon, and I've got to go from microcontroller programming in assembly (from the previous year's study, for some reason it's on the syllabus), to programming them in C. I'm excited by how abstract this will feel. Does anyone have any good "For dummies" level material they can recommend me reading up on? Everything I can find about C for beginners seems to be outputting information either to a file or onto the PC monitor. That makes sense, no extra hardware is required, but it means I'm a bit baffled how it will work to output to whatever the microcontroller is connected to.

[Peaceful Whale]

I learned C from books, and this one is easily my favorite, it goes from complete noob, to advanced stuff I don't get yet.
It is $40 but most libraries have one.
(Or one like it)

[tms]

i am that guy who has the odd question of: how do you stay coding?

The actual beginning was decades ago, but quite a bit has changed since then. I suppose I didn't even start again before I had a good reason. But now I do not see it going away, it's a kind of invested resources bias. And, a solo project. I have not been coding for years. I jumped right in at least wrt. scale, "small moves" did not have appeal.

[ryanbryandyin]

Can I get some feedback on whether I should learn how to code or not?

Here's my situation:

1. I'm a marketing consultant and fairly successful at it - will crack six figures this year. I can turn this into an agency and grow revenues further

2. I tried to learn coding, worked my way through Zed Shaw's Python book and enjoyed it.

3. Although I have strong marketing skills, the thing that gives me the greatest joy is creating things. I make music, and I write. But I want to make interactive things.

4. BUT, with my savings and marketing knowledge, I can hire or at least partner with a technical founder to bring my ideas to life. It's the smart business decision, but it would mean losing that joy of creating things on my own. However, learning to code would itself take at least a year's worth of my time.

So what should I do? Learn to code and use it to supplement my marketing skills? Or should I just partner with a tech founder and focus on what I do best - marketing, business development, etc.? The former would give me more joy. The latter is a more practical decision.

[doogly]

I'd say learn enough to have meaningful and useful discussions with the tech folks you work with, but don't worry about getting your coding chops up to a fully professional "the codebase is on my shoulders" level, especially not before starting.

[commodorejohn]

Learn to code for its own sake if you enjoy coding; whether or not you can make professional use of it, at least you'll be able to indulge in a hobby you like.

[ucim]

1. I'm a marketing consultant and fairly successful at it - will crack six figures this year. I can turn this into an agency and grow revenues further
[...]
3. Although I have strong marketing skills, the thing that gives me the greatest joy is creating things. I make music, and I write. But I want to make interactive things.

Ask yourself what you love more: money, or creating. In the case of the latter, you've answered your question. In the case of the former, ask yourself what you want all that money for in the first place.

Jose

[Xanthir]

Plus you can do a *ton* of fun and useful things with hobbyist-level coding skills, without having to train yourself into a professional software dev and switch your entire career track.

I'm with doogly - if coding is fun, learn enough to understand what the professional devs are doing, and to do fun weekend/evening personal projects. You'll be a better manager for it.

[ryanbryandyin]

1. I'm a marketing consultant and fairly successful at it - will crack six figures this year. I can turn this into an agency and grow revenues further
[...]
3. Although I have strong marketing skills, the thing that gives me the greatest joy is creating things. I make music, and I write. But I want to make interactive things.

Ask yourself what you love more: money, or creating. In the case of the latter, you've answered your question. In the case of the former, ask yourself what you want all that money for in the first place.

Jose

That's what I always end up leaning towards. I'm 29; I reckon I have some time before I make "retirement money". I guess I can spend a few years creating.

I can't see losing much by focusing on learning how to code. I'm not in a traditional job anyway where not progressing up the ladder is going to curtail my career.

Thank you all for the advice!