Coding can be a fulfilling hobby or a full-blown career, and people of all ages have the opportunity to learn the skills it requires, and to get to grips with the tools needed to master it.
If you are a complete novice, it helps to learn a little about the ins and outs of coding so you can decide how to take the next steps down the road to software programming perfection.
What is coding all about?
Simply put, coding is the act of writing out lines of computer code in one of a number of different programming languages, with a view to creating a functional piece of software as the end result.
Coding can be used to do everything from building websites to developing video games. And if you learn coding skills, you can even tweak and troubleshoot software made by others.
There are tons of different programming languages out there, some of which are best suited to specialized uses, while others are more broad-ranging in their abilities. Common examples include Python, Javascript, and HTML.
Where can you learn to code?
Today there are lots of coding apps which are made to help budding coders familiarize themselves with whichever language they want to make the focus of their studies.
There are also full-blown coding courses run both online and at bricks and mortar training facilities. If you are still in full-time education, you might consider seeking degree-level coding training, going through college or university to come out with a qualification that will make you eminently employable.
You can also leverage free online resources to learn to code, and there are entire communities of coders on sites like GitHub that are well versed in giving fellow software engineers a helping hand with their projects.
What are some of the benefits of having coding skills?
Coding skills are both industry-specific as well as widely transferrable, giving those that acquire them the edge over their contemporaries. The benefits include:
Enhanced problem-solving abilities
Good coding is all about overcoming challenges in unique and efficient ways. You need to be able to tackle problems to achieve the goals of a coding project, as well as to patch bugs in the wake of a product launch.
Impressive career prospects
The employability of trained, qualified coders is excellent, and the demand for skilled professionals to fill these roles is only rising. This is why average salaries are also exceptional, with the median currently sitting at a little over $110,000.
With this comes plenty of job flexibility. Whether you want to work in an office for a major software developer, or work from home as a freelance contractor and control your own destiny, all these and many more opportunities are available.
Actively encouraged creative thinking
Coding is an innately creative pursuit, and so you will be pushed to let your imagination take flight and follow whatever instincts you have, which can be very rewarding on an emotional level. If you want your job to have meaning, coding delivers this in spades.
Wide-ranging tech literacy
Coding requires you to use all sorts of computer tech, and so you’ll naturally acquire ample associated IT skills that will be valued in plenty of other roles outside of this profession.
Thus learning to code is satisfying, lucrative, and versatile as a skill, meaning that it is also one that everyone should aim to acquire.
Whether you want to become a games designer, a data analyst, an app developer or simply tinker with software in your spare time, coding will give you the ability to do all this and more.
