How to become a programmer from scratch: instructions, courses, when to start and is it worth it

The article will discuss how to become a programmer from scratch at different ages. It tells what qualities a specialist in this field should have, what needs to be done to become one.
It is about education and the ability to work without it. The materials that will need to be mastered are described. It tells about the age at which it is better to start learning a profession, how and where to find a job as a programmer, and much more. Programming is a very interesting and demanded activity in our time. A person who decides to dive into it should be on the “you” with technologies and not be afraid of difficulties. Learning this profession is not easy and long, but with the desire, you can achieve a lot in a relatively short time.

Negative aspects of the profession:

1. sedentary work . A programmer can work all day in one position at the computer. This causes problems with the musculoskeletal system and vision.
2. Continuous learning process . Innovation does not stand still. New developments appear every day, programmers should be aware of everything related to their profession.

Why become a programmer

Every person who thinks about this work should see himself in it. Suppose he was good at exact sciences at school, he can choose an adjacent profession where he can better show his abilities. For example, being a mathematician, or studying computer science, etc. If a person is in the selection stage, he should concentrate on a single question: “Do I want to become a programmer, or do I like another similar industry where I can become a good specialist?” When this area attracts, there is no room for doubt.

Who is suitable for this profession

Programming is more to the liking of people who are interested in modern technologies. They also need to be technically savvy (but there are exceptions). It is required to develop logic, perseverance, abstract thinking, to study new information about technologies.

What qualities should a programmer have?

Developers regularly interact with a wide range of people. A company of programmers will always be glad to have an honest, sociable and open employee. Such a colleague is more willing to agree to help and meet halfway. A good programmer should have these qualities:

• Be able to correctly prioritize, choosing more promising work and calculating the time for its implementation;
• Be ready to work in a team (it is more difficult for introverts);
• Correctly work with tasks, make them more efficient and break them into several parts;
• Concentrate on a specific goal, not be distracted by trifles (otherwise you can get lost in the code);
• Do not be shy to ask and clarify subtle points – from colleagues, a customer, a familiar specialist;
• Always develop in your field and practice as often as possible;
• Admit mistakes, try to act in different directions, achieve results.

How to become a programmer from scratch – start now!

The first thing every second person who decides to try himself in this industry does is ask himself: “How to become a programmer from scratch?” It is important to decide which specialization of the developer suits him best. It depends on what he wants to do: create websites, write codes for games, and so on. Then you need to choose a programming language, learn and try to master the profession in practice.

Popular directions in the field of development

The most popular areas of programming today are:

1. Creation of business programs . Every business needs automation. In this industry, 1C company programs are more often used.
2. Web Development . The type of task depends on the requirements of the customer. It can be a company server, an online store website, a blog of a famous person. Mainly PHP, JavaScript and Python are used.
3. Creation of mobile applications . If a specialist knows how to develop programs for smartphones, he can easily find a well-paid job. He can also write code for authored applications and publish them on GooglePlay or AppStor.

By the way, one of the best
JavaScript tutorials , in Russian.

Where to get a programmer education and what it takes to become a developer – personal qualities, finances and opportunities

In the Russian Federation there are many universities and technical schools that train qualified programmers. Institutes and universities of Moscow:

• Moscow State University . Cost: 220 thousand rubles / year. Term: 4-6 years https://sev.msu.ru/kafedra-programmirovaniya/.

  

• Moscow Polytechnic University . Cost: 89 thousand rubles / year. Term 4-6 years.
• Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology . Cost: 250 thousand rubles / year. Term: 4-6 years.

Technical schools and colleges of the capital:

• Capital Business College . Cost: 93 thousand rubles / year. Term: 2 years and 9 months.
• College MGUPI . The cost is 90 thousand rubles / year. Term: 2 years and 6 months.
• Moscow instrument-making technical school . It costs 99 thousand rubles / year Term: 2 years and 10 months.

What subjects do you need to take upon admission to become a programmer

To study as a programmer, an applicant must pass exams in Russian, mathematics, physics and computer science. Between the last two disciplines, you need to make a choice, depending on the future specialization. Additional subject – English. But in some educational institutions, such an exam is not required.

Is it possible to become a programmer without education

To become a developer, it is not necessary to have a diploma of education. However, without it, it will be difficult for a novice specialist to get a good job. In addition, you will have to study hard anyway. You will have to prepare for difficulties, become a more resilient and disciplined person. The main thing is to have the desire and readiness for fruitful work on yourself.

Programming courses – learning from scratch at home

Today there are plenty of them, both in real conditions and on the network. Courses are most often not free, but the organizers will be able to offer the student an effective training program. This will allow you to prepare for programming in a short time. Often such activities are carried out collectively. Courses are great for helping you get organized and focus on a specific goal. There will be a study of theoretical material, which potential developers will immediately put into practice, under the guidance of a teacher. A certain task is assigned to the house, after completing which, a person will be able to ask a question to the curator. We recommend the following courses for beginners who want to master the profession:
HTML Academy .
codecademy .
“PHP Basics on Code Basics”
Yandex Workshop .
freecodecamp .

Mentor-led study

This type of training is good because you can sign up for a set of individual lessons with a tutor. This also requires financial investments, but the result will be much more effective. After all, the mentor will deal with one student, devoting more time to him. This means that the learning process will go even faster. This activity is common both on the Internet and in real life. The tutor creates an individual program for each ward, based on his strengths and weaknesses. A mentor can sign up for a beginner, or a programmer with experience who wants to improve their knowledge.

Independent study of the material

There is a third option for training – on your own. It is also the most economical and longest. But a person must create a program himself, prepare educational material and tune in and prepare for a systematic in-depth knowledge of the programming world. First you need to select a language. All of them can be learned without the support of a teacher. There are many different videos and articles on the Internet that will help the future developer.

Teaching aids for mastering the profession of a programmer from 10-20 years old and for older developers

You need to learn only from good books. It is necessary to use encyclopedias in physics and mathematics. For the little ones, you can take child allowances such as Avanta+.

Both subjects form the foundation upon which all study will be built. It is also worth buying simple programming literature. “Python for kids” by Jason Briggs will do.
To continue, you can use the book “Python: Great Programming in Minecraft” by Andrey Koryagin. The manual has a connection with mathematics, has important information about 3D coordinates, functions and more. Useful in the study of robotics.
To develop skills in programming or mechanics, it is recommended to pay attention to “Physical experiments and experiments with Lego” – Koryagin A.
For the youngest developers who are just learning the basics, it is suggested that you familiarize yourself with the Lego WeDo Educational Robotics. A notebook is included with the book.
Having mastered easy material, you can proceed to more complex, in C ++. For example, a manual for students by Herbert Schildt is suitable.
It is also recommended to pay attention not to the book on Delphi by Nikita Kultin:
To be able to develop codes for games, it is worth working out with C # based on Unity, by J. Manning.
Does a programmer need to know math: https://youtu.be/_2beqwXS9Os

2 ways to specialize as a web developer – front end VS back end

The programmers who create the site are divided into 2 main “fronts”: “frontend” and “backend”. Specialists who decide to connect their future with web development must decide which type of this activity they prefer. This does not mean that one person cannot work in the backend and frontend at the same time. After all, you still need to start somewhere, and with experience you can combine these paths. To choose a specialization, you should familiarize yourself with the features and specifics of both.

Key differences

The front-end specialist is responsible for the side of the site that is accessible and visible to the visitor. He develops a design layout, creates functionality that will be comfortable to use. The programmer of this profile tries to make the site run well and not distort the visual on devices and browsers. In order to work in the frontend, a novice programmer must learn the basics, namely: HTML, CSS, SASS, JavaScript. The activity of a back-end developer is the other side of the same coin. He is responsible for creating technologies that are not visible to the user. Simply put, the specialist makes all those tabs, buttons and other functional elements work. A beginner in the field of backend should also have certain knowledge: learn 1 or several programming languages, be able to use a version control system, understand the database and be familiar with JSON:API.
frontend-i-backend[/caption]

Typical Duties

Frontend are engaged in:

1. By creating interfaces and layouts, the front can develop a resource for an online store. The list of his tasks includes the production of newsletters.
2. SPA development. If the bank asks to make an application, then it will contain charts and diagrams, savings tracking functions, a calculator, currency data, and more.

Backend are working on:

1. Creation of CRUD. When a user registers on the server and his account is created, the back must write a personal code. With it, you can save any changes, delete the profile or restore it.
2. Processing the information that the front worked through. This data must be stored and structured. The specialist deals with the distribution of information in the database, manages caches, etc.
3. Research of various documentation. He must design the application correctly. For example, if suddenly something goes wrong at a certain stage, this should not affect the entire algorithm.

I want to become a developer – what should I choose?

Frontend is suitable for those who:

• wants to start working and earn money in the IT field in a short time;
• likes to work with the visual of the site, using a creative approach;
• cannot endure long before he sees the fruit of his efforts.

The backend is the best option for people:

• with a technical mindset;
• who do not like to do layout;
• who want to climb the career ladder and grow to the position of chief.

What programming language should a novice developer choose in 2022?

First you need to choose one of the simplest programming languages. Even for those who are going to become gurus in their field, it is not recommended to start by learning complex languages ​​like C ++. For most beginners, this will be an overwhelming task and they will break down, losing all interest in programming. Which programming language to choose in 2022:

It is worth starting with these:

Scratch

Scratch is one of the easiest to learn. With its help, children are introduced to programming. It is not necessary to memorize and write codes at an early stage. All language constructs can be dragged with the mouse. Here you can program animation cards, games, films, presentations. As an example, here is a video on how to create a simple mindfulness game: https://youtu.be/yUWl37QKLzw

1C

1C – programming in Russian, which greatly simplifies the work. The project is designed to automate the economic and organizational work of any enterprise. Beginners who plan to master the 1C program are advised to watch the video, which details interesting points and facts in working with it: https://youtu.be/MN9cam6yWKw

JavaScript

It will take a beginner about a few hours to learn the basics and write the code for an animation, a light mobile application, or a simple game. By the way, the user will be able to try it in any browser. Let’s try to create an elementary game: https://youtu.be/Av53VJI-UiE

Python

Python – you can read the code without much effort, especially if you know the basics of HTML. The project was created to facilitate the activities of the developer. Using this language, you can make the Snake game, create a personal voice assistant or a Telegram bot, and much more. There are a lot of ideas for beginners that this video should inspire: https://youtu.be/VRYxdyWJ3_U PHP – thanks to this language, you will be able to successfully prepare for web programming. It is well suited for creating console scripts, websites and applications, from easy to super-complex. It is suggested to watch a short video on how to create a domain and structure for an online store: https://youtu.be/FxrWRHCMOT8 Popular programming languages ​​for 2022:

What a future developer needs to learn

In addition to the programming language, it is important to know well:

• mathematics;
• statistics;
• English language;
• logic
• physics;
• informatics.

Regular practice

It is necessary to program something every day, starting with easy developments and continuing with more complex ones. At the very beginning, a novice developer writes frankly bad codes. When he begins to understand this, he tries to improve the program. This means that he goes up a notch. This happens every time, and all the time the programmer tries to improve his creations. If you do not practice, the whole theory will eventually be forgotten.

Where do programmers work

Developers are needed wherever there are applications, programs, work with online platforms. They work in ordinary offices or at home, if the authorities do not mind. In the Russian Federation, a trend of migration of programmers to work abroad has become noticeable. In some countries, the salary of a high-level specialist exceeds the local one by about 2-3 times.

How to look for a job

Despite the popularity, fairly high pay and a large shortage of staff, not all companies are in a hurry to get in touch with novice programmers. After all, most employers need professionals who do not need to be taught anything. But you can’t give up. You should call on ads, go to the reception of enterprises, offering their services. But first you need to prepare:

1. Compose a resume . Any self-respecting organization will require this document from a potential employee. It should contain: information about education and work experience (if any), a description of skills and qualities, personal contacts, knowledge of languages ​​and everything that may come in handy.
2. Attach diploma . With an education, employers are more willing to take programmers for a position.
3. Work experience document . It also holds great chances. You can take it from a previous job.
4. Prepare a portfolio . It will be easier to determine the level of professionalism of a candidate for a vacancy. Eichar will be able to view the work and understand whether a person can cope with such tasks.

Interview Features

No job is worth the fear and worries. Therefore, when going to an interview, you do not need to worry. It is better to try to pull yourself together and set yourself up so that it is not the future employer who hires a specialist, but he himself decides whether he needs such a position. You should talk about your strengths.
An interview is not an exam, but an opportunity to present yourself correctly. It is necessary to ask a potential boss about working conditions, company growth prospects, career opportunities, etc. Then he will see a self-confident person in front of him. And all enterprises need such employees.

Internship for a programmer

When the developer was taken on a trial period, this is not a reason to worry that at the end of it, the boss will refuse to cooperate. On the contrary, you need to show your skills from the best side and continue to learn new things. In most cases, an internship is a formality, a time that you need to wait before officially applying for a job.

What are the challenges faced by novice developers?

The activity of the developer is interesting and unusual. But, as in any profession, there are “pitfalls” here too. It is proposed to familiarize yourself with the common difficulties that await beginners:

1. Working with someone else’s code . Specialists do not always write their programs from scratch. Sometimes they have to deal with the finalization of the system of another programmer. Each employee has their own level of knowledge and skills. The difficulty lies in the fact that sometimes the code can be compiled by a more advanced developer, or less literate. In any case, understanding the creation of another person is not easy, especially for beginners.
2. Working in Large and Complex Systems . Ideally, all systems contained in software systems should exist separately and be able to exchange messages with each other. In reality, this does not happen. Complexes consist of several thousand lines of code. To understand them, many programmers decipher what has been written for many months.

How to avoid difficulties in the work of a programmer

Someone else’s development is called Legacy-code. To successfully untangle it, it is recommended to completely isolate yourself from it. It is better to create your own subsystem and write the code yourself, periodically checking your work with others. Then there will be less confusion and you will be able to quickly deal with the mistakes of a colleague.

At what age is it better to learn programming – is it possible to become a developer 20-30-40-50 years old?

There are no clear age restrictions. But it is recommended to start studying at the age of 12-13. This is the time when the child is not very overloaded with lessons and is already more diligent. It is worth learning something easy first – designing a turtle, or starting to make flowcharts in Scratch. Complex and in-depth study can begin later, by about 15-20 years old (with regular training). As adults, it’s never too late to learn. If there is motivation and zeal, then you can do programming in retirement. The main thing is to find good learning material and practice constantly. Those codes that will be obtained are best entered in the portfolio. This will be a big plus in the future. Is age so important in IT, is it necessary to read books, what to do for students – Interview with A. Byndyu: https://youtu.be/jI-cZRFpbkk

How long does it take to become a programmer

The question is purely individual. In any case, the process will take several years. In the best case, it will be possible to master the required program in 3-4 years. But you have to put in a lot of effort. The vast majority of already advanced programmers take about 8-10 years to master this complex profession well.

How to become a sought-after professional in this field

A programmer is a prestigious job. Now it is easier to master all the necessary skills than, for example, 5-7 years ago. All materials and courses are in the public domain. To become a good developer, you need:

• study new information about developments;
• regularly develop their skills;
• exchange experience with other programmers;
• strive to work with the best developers so that there is an opportunity to grow professionally.

There are people who prefer to lose themselves for years in an unloved job, instead of giving up such a life once and doing what they love. Do not be afraid to experiment and try yourself in different areas. If you like programming, then it is better to develop this hobby until it starts to generate income. How to become a programmer from scratch in 187 days, real story – educational video: https://youtu.be/PyVT8G1QEg0

Tips for beginners from famous programmers

From whom to learn, if not from the masters of their craft? Only professionals with many years of experience can tell amateurs and novice programmers what is important to consider while studying and working as a developer. What to pay attention to and what not to do. It is proposed to consider 5 tips from well-known programmers who have made a great contribution to the development of this area.
Brendan Eich is the creator of JavaScript. In one of his interviews, he urges colleagues not to dwell on mistakes, but be sure to pay attention to them and try to understand what is the reason. He even gives advice on using one of the programming languages:
And so
James Goslingexplains the importance of being able to make the right choice. The programmer says that he regrets the lost time when he wasted it on empty or unproductive work. You need to prioritize correctly.
Writing code for a particular program is an incredibly serious step. Many developers direct their efforts towards a long-term result, so that their creation will work for at least about 10 years. Some codes even become an auxiliary support for a large number of developers. John Carmack shared this in his interview
.
Joel Goldberg
believes that no matter how brilliant the idea is, it should be as simple as possible. If possible, the programmer recommends simplifying the development scheme. After all, it is likely that some other specialist will want to use it (or he will have to do it), but will not be able to figure out the code.
And finally, the main advice from
Linus Torvalds :
It does not matter what a person does, or what his salary is. He is unlikely to be able to succeed in an unloved job. And if this happens, he will not be able to enjoy his victories in full. Most famous developers have achieved such heights in their industry because they have always considered programming a part of their lives.