I constantly see young developers who, after taking programming courses, lose faith in themselves and think that this job is not for them.
When I first started my journey, I thought about changing my profession several times, but, fortunately, I never did. You shouldn't give up either. When you are a beginner, any task seems difficult, and programming in this regard is no exception. Here's what you can do to get through the most stressful period:
Join a team of newbies. Learning to program alone is hard. But when there are many people around who, like you, overcome obstacles, it becomes easier. And even more fun together! For example, start learning at the same time as a friend who also wants to code. This will add an element of competition and motivate to go forward. Another option is to join a group of like-minded people. For example, freeCodeCamp has where you can interact with other students.
freeCodeCamp is a Western non-profit organization for collaborative programming training. In Russia, there are also many collective meetings and online communities offering an introduction to the profession. You can start searching . - approx. transl.
Find the learning method that works best for you. There is no right way to learn programming. When I was in college, lectures didn't do much for me. Until I learned to look for an individual approach, I felt frustrated by the lack of progress. You are unique, and the best way for you to learn is also unique. There are a huge number of online courses, schools and books on programming. Some work for one person, some work for another. Choose the method that works best for you. If your current way of learning isn't paying off, just change it.
Start creating something. A pianist learns by playing the piano. Programming can only be mastered by programming. If you are learning to develop without writing a line of code, stop it and start writing code. Nothing motivates better than seeing the fruits of your own labor. If training does not bring visible results, motivation will disappear sooner or later. Learning to develop websites? Create a small website. Learning to develop for mobile? Create an Android app. It doesn't matter if it's something very simple - to speed up learning, see your own progress and motivate yourself, start creating something right now.
Ask for help. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. It is absolutely normal to admit that you do not understand something and want to learn. A large number of experienced developers are willing to help, especially if you took the time to formulate the question and google before asking. FreeCodeCamp has where newbies can ask questions. is also a great place. You can tag friends directly to or to ask if you are on the right track.
Suitable for questions in Russian or . - approx. transl.
Make coding a habit. It is fundamentally important to make hands-on programming part of your daily routine. It's better to code for an hour every day than seven hours on a weekend. Regularity will make programming a habit. Without habit, the mind will find a thousand excuses to put off a task because writing code is energy-intensive. In addition, since development requires remembering many related details, a few days without programming will reduce the number of concepts learned.
Learn to rest properly. Sometimes running wild can feel like smart, productive workβuntil burnout happens. Programming requires a lot of mentality. It is important to restore this resource in time. If you lose motivation and feel tired, turn off your computer and take a break. Take a walk. Fly on vacation. If you're tired, take a break from programming instead of quitting.
Source: www.habr.com