Learning code online

What is learning code online?

• Learning code is a practice of increasing our coding skills and enhances our knowledge.
• Learning code does not mean that you should know every programming language and code of each language.
• Learning code means that you must have knowledge of atleast one of the programming languages and have a command over it.
• Coding is a different type of skill; the person who finds their interest in coding can become a good coder.
• The person interested in learning code online needs to choose any programming language and start learning code via various online platforms.
• Coding skills will automatically increase the problem-solving skills of an individual.
• Coding is the conversation medium between human beings and the computer operating system.
• It is a process of creating instructions for computers using any programming language; so that the computer will behave as you want it to work.
• Coding skills teach us to solve any problem at a particular time without giving up; it raises our persistence level.
• Learning code online is a good decision to enhance creative skills; it also saves the learner's time.
• Everyone can learn code and any programming language, whether it is any Computer Science student or any student in school; it all depends on an individual level of interest and dedication.

Why do we need to learn code online?

• Learning code online will enhance our problem-solving skills and logic building skills.
• In today's world, coding plays a very important role in developing various software, websites, operating system, etc.
• We need to learn code because coding skills makes a positive impact on our career.
• Coding not only enhances our problem-solving skills but also enrages our creativity, and also it improves our interest in other subjects.
• Learning code via an online platform is one of the greatest paths that one should take.
• As we all know, coding is done on a computer system rather than using any hardware appliance, so learning and practising code online make us easier to understand coding techniques and enhance our problem-solving skills.
• Online coding platforms set the various challenges for you based on your performance to solve those challenges; it ultimately helps you solve any problem and increase your problem-solving skills.
• Sometimes online platforms also announce various coding contests; these competitions are held live, and many learners enrol in them and complete the tasks within the allotted time. The winner awarded them with exciting prizes and participation certificates.
• The main aim of the online coding contests is to boost an individual's knowledge level and problem-solving skills.
• The major benefit of learning code online is getting to know the various variations of a single problem. You will get to the type of coding questions the interviewer asked and crack those interview questions.
• Learning code online is the best option for beginners to the advancers, or everyone because when we continue practising various problems, that platform will automatically increase the level of problem, based on our performance. It will ultimately help us to become good programmers.
• Coding also plays an important role in building math logic; also it is helpful in data visualization and data interpretation.
• We need to learn code via online mode because it saves our time.
• We can learn code from anywhere in the world, and using any computer or laptop system, using various online platforms, it does not require downloading any interpreter.
• The major benefit of learning code using online platforms is that it shows your activities daily; also, it gives you a rating that increases your self-confidence.
• Learning code using various online platforms will also show your record book and compare it with others, and you can find your position where you are standing.
• Learning code using various online platforms helps us prepare the various interview questions and crack the interviews in big companies; coding and problem-solving skills are required to crack any coding interview.
• It sets the deadlines for completing a task, increasing our logic-building skills quickly.
• Whenever you learn to code online, you can easily resolve any error in your code; after some research, you will learn why this error is coming and how to handle that particular bug.
• To earn more money using coding skills and become a more successful coder in the future, one should learn code and enhance creativity, logic building, and problem-solving skills.

How do we learn to code online?

As we all know, there is a certain procedure that we require to follow step by step for each start.

Here we look upon the procedure of how one can learn code online and by using online platforms -

1. Select any of the programming languages.
2. Go through with the Fundamental concepts of the chosen language
3. Enrol yourself on the various online coding platforms
4. Gradually move towards an advanced level and go through with the concept of Data Structures and algorithms.
5. Work on projects
6. Stay updated and explore more.

If anyone wants to become a good coder and enhance their problem-solving, logic-building, and presentation skills, one should follow the procedural steps written below.

Let us see in detail about these steps one by one -

1. Select any of the programming languages:

This step is a primary and very difficult step that one should choose for them. The two cases arise after choosing any programming language, i.e., If you have chosen a programming language in which your interest increases day by day during your learning. You are very comfortable in it, then you will easily grab that programming language, and simultaneously your problem-solving and logic building skills also increase. But if you have chosen a programming language that you cannot understand quickly and are not much comfortable in, it will ultimately waste your time. If you put more effort into it, still you will not be able to get the desired output.

Also, do not choose more than one programming language at the same time, it will ultimately increase your difficulty, and you will not be able to become experts in one of the languages. So pick one at a time and start learning to code form that programming language itself.

List of programming languages one should choose to learn to code -

Python

Python is one of the famous and easiest programming languages. Its syntax is quite simple and easy to learn, but it also has greater applications, and it is used in various fields and has a great scope in today's programming world. Python is the most popular programming language for learning machine learning and data science due to it has lots of popular machine learning libraries such as Scikit-learn and Pandas. Anyone in future wants to pursue a career in data science and machine learning, and one should choose python.

Also, it has other applications, like it is widely used for web development due to its famous high-level web frameworks, i.e., Django.

Java

Java has been another most popular programming language for a long time. It stills remain at the top and one of the most widely used programming language and in demand. It has greater application in web development, app development, Android development and big data. Java offers strong memory allocation and high performance.

Java is also used on the back-end and for sites like Twitter, Google, Amazon, etc.

C

C is one of the oldest, widely used, and fastest programming languages; it is most popular for enhancing our basics, and it helps to strengthen our fundamental concepts of coding. C forms the foundation for other most popular programming languages like C#, java, and JavaScript.

C programming language plays a huge role in game development, virtual reality and computer graphics. As we talk about today's scenario, all the big companies take the interview especially based on the C and C++ skills. According to them, the actual programmer is the programmer who knows C and C++ concepts.

C++

C++ is an extended version of C. C++ is also widely used, and it focuses on the OOPs concept (Object-Oriented programming ). It has a quite simple syntax as compared to C.

C++ programming language also plays a huge role in game development, virtual reality and computer graphics.

JavaScript

JavaScript is especially used for Web development and most widely used programming language. It is considered as a standard programming language of the Internet.

JavaScript is used in both back-end and front-end web development to add dynamic functionalities to websites.

C#

C# is pronounced as C sharp, not as C hashtag. It is a multi-paradigm programming language that has very strong features. Some of the features are declarative, imperative, functional, generic, object-oriented and component-oriented disciplines. It is widely used to develop a wide range of software applications. It is used by senior .net web developers, automation test engineers and software engineers.

C# is the most popular and helps developers create XML web services, and Microsoft .net connected Internet and Windows Operating systems applications.

The programming languages, as mentioned above, are the languages that are widely used and help develop our problem-solving skills, coding skills and logic building skills. These programming languages helps a person to become a good coder, programmer and also helps to grab an ' A ' grade job in future.

If someone wants to become a web developer and pursue their career in web development, they must know the below-mentioned languages, i.e., HTML and CSS. However, HTML and CSS is not a programming language, but it is a basic language that forms the skeleton part for websites. Without basic knowledge about the syntax and use of HTML and CSS language, one cannot construct web pages because it forms the foundation for making web pages. It forms the foundation for web pages and is necessary for development.

HTML

HTML stands for Hyper-Text Markup Language is widely used to develop and describe the structure of web pages. It is used for structural purposes on a web page; it is not used for functional purposes on the web pages, and it does not disturb the dynamic behaviour of a web page.

CSS

CSS stands for Cascaded Style Sheet, used to define the styles of our webpages; it all depends on the web developer what style or look they want to give to their webpages. It is used for describing the presentation of a document written in a Markup language such as HTML.

2. Go through with the Fundamental concept of the chosen language.

After selecting a particular programming language, you all need to understand the fundamentals and start learning the basics of the chosen language. Never skip this fundamental step because most of the beginners focus on the higher technology and advanced concepts, without understanding basic functionalities properly. If further creates the problem for them in future.

Remember that if we are strong in basics, we can easily enjoy learning any programming language and properly understand it. However, nobody can secure mastery in any programming language and cannot learn about all the libraries and frameworks of that language. But yes, when you need a particular library and framework, you need to understand that particular library properly. If you have your strong basics, you can easily grab all the concepts of that particular library.

To learn about the fundamental concepts of a programming language, follow the steps given below -

1. First of all, mark all the fundamental concepts on a paper that you require to learn further.
2. For learning all the marked fundamental concepts of that language, either refer to any famous book that the experienced programmer writes. Remember that the book you have chosen must cover all the basic concepts of that language; also, see the pattern used by that book, whether it has included all the examples and explanations in it.
3. If you find difficulty learning from a book, you can refer to famous tutorials such as JavaTpoint, W3school, GeeksforGeeks, Stackoverflow, etc. In these tutorials, you will easily find all the necessary details, along with examples and explanations of each concept.
4. Also, you can join the online forums that provide training courses like Coursera, Udemy, Edx, IBM Skills Build, Udacity,
5. After choosing a proper platform for learning, adopt a proper strategy of learning. Make a weekly or monthly timetable; it depends on you, and set a proper time for learning a programming language from your busy daily schedule. Follow the timetable properly with honesty.
6. Always maintain consistency, make at least two or three programs in a day, try to not leave a break in between. Start with the small programs always and then move towards the complex ones. If you are stuck somewhere, you can learn from the above tutorials or visit the various YouTube channels at your convenience.
7. As we all know, we cannot learn these languages in one day, do not be in a hurry, take time and try to learn gradually; definitely, you will succeed in your learning.

Note that always focus on a single programming language at a time, never confuse with other programming languages during your learning period of a particular programming language. Sometimes this confusion arises difficulties in your learning of a particular programming language, and you will never be able to make a command over a particular chosen programming language.

3. Enrol yourself on the various online coding platforms

After learning about the fundamental concepts of the chosen programming language, try to enrol yourself on the various online coding challenging platforms and websites.

As we all are familiar with the quote " practice makes a person perfect "; hence, we require more practice to become an expert in problem-solving and build the logic to solve a problem in the chosen programming language very quickly. It will only happen when we enrol ourselves on the various coding challenging platforms and websites.

These challenging coding platforms will enhance our problem-solving skills and logic building skills. It teaches us to solve a particular problem along with the logic building in a particular duration. I would recommend the best way of practising that, whenever you have completed a particular topic of the fundamentals of the chosen programming language, then simultaneously solve all the practice problems of that topic from various coding challenging platforms. Remember, do not be in too much hurry; gradually learn all the programming language concepts.

List of various free online coding challenging platforms -

There are many free online coding challenging platforms and websites available on which you can enrol yourself at any time and from anywhere.

• HackerRank - HackerRank is an online coding challenging platform where many programmers from all over the world come together to solve a problem. These problems belong to a wide range of computer science domains such as machine learning, AI (Artificial Intelligence), SQL (Structured Query Language), Data Structures and algorithms, OOPs (Object-oriented Programming) and so on.
  
• Codechef - Codechef is a challenging coding website that offers many challenges spanning 52 different programming languages. Always focus on a particular programming language, tackle the maximum number of coding challenges, and solve various programming problems, enhancing your problem-solving skills.
  
• LeetCode - LeetCode is a very popular coding challenging platform that offers various coding challenges, which will help you to crack the interviews. It is a very helpful platform for you to prepare for technical job interviews.
  This platform also offers various mock Interview sections that are especially focused on job interview preparation. They also host their coding contests, and they also have a separate section for articles that helps you to understand certain problems better.
  
• TopCoder - TopCoder is one of the greatest online platforms for competitive coding challenges, and it also provides a list of various algorithm challenges from the past that you can complete on your own direct online using the code editor. This platform is very helpful for beginners because it conducts the coding challenges from the basics and gradually increases the level.
  
• HackerEarth - HackerEarth is also an online coding platform that conducts the contest and offers various coding challenges; it also has a special feature in which candidates cannot copy the code from the web and paste it into the test. This feature will help you become a real programmer, through which you cannot cheat and definitely will work on your problem-solving and logic building skills.
  

4. Gradually move towards an advanced level and go through with the concept of Data Structures and algorithms.

After enrolling yourself on various coding challenging platforms, improve your fundamental concepts of the chosen programming language; once you are satisfied, you can move further and want to enhance your knowledge more in the field of programming, and more you will learn to do coding efficiently and effectively.

Start with the Data Structure and Algorithm because it is the heart of programming. Every programmer must know all the concepts of data structure and algorithm on tips. Without the knowledge of data structure and algorithm, nobody can be called a programmer. Your problem-solving skills will only be enhanced using data structure and algorithm concepts at a higher level.

There are some important points mentioned below, which play a very important role in learning codding, and it helps us get more advanced in the field of programming by using the concepts of data structure and algorithm.

• First of all, you need to understand it step by step, by satisfactorily understanding a particular topic of data structure and algorithm and then trying to solve various problems. The strategy you require to solve a problem, i.e., initially read a given problem carefully and properly, try to understand it, and then decide which algorithm is best suited for the given problem or which approach you must follow to solve the given problem.
• Problem-solving is nothing without Data Structure and Algorithms, and one should gradually learn all the concepts of the data structure and algorithm. Data Structure and Algorithm in the heart of programming. If you want to raise your level and wants to become a good programmer, learn data structure and algorithm daily, do not leave it in between, because once you leave it in between, you need to revise it again from the starting until you reach to the part where you left. Better you will cover it in a particular duration without any break. Also, after completing once, try to solve a maximum number of competitive problems and enhance your problem-solving skills.
• For learning the data structure and algorithm, you can refer JavaTpoint tutorials, which provides you with all the concepts of data structure and algorithm by covering all the topics gradually.
• Data structure and algorithms are a very wide concept, do not try to consume in one stroke or say in one go. Do not think that anyhow you need to complete it in 10 days or more. Give itself a proper time to understand it properly without any confusion and ambiguity.
• Pick a topic, complete it gradually by understanding all concepts, and then solve various questions from the above-mentioned online websites and platforms, i.e., HackerRank, CodeChef, Leetcode, HackerEarth TopCoder,
• After then pick the next topic, follow the same procedure which is described above. While learning a new topic, kindly practice the competitive programming questions of the previous topics so that you won't find any difficulty in the new topic and can easily link the new topic with the previous one.
• Whenever you are stuck on a complex problem and unable to find the way of coming out from it, then you all need to apply a simple and very effective and efficient strategy, i.e., Divide the complex problem into smaller problems or can say small chunks, divide it until you reach to the endpoint or can say that the problem is further divisible. After dividing, try to find the solution of a small part; once you find it, apply it to the other subproblems and combine it to get the final result and desired output.
• Again continuously, the only thing that determines your success is practice, practice and practice; the more you practice, the more you will be reduced. Try to participate in competitive programming and solve the daily challenges of the various programming problems to enhance your problem-solving skills.
• After learning the basics of the data structure and algorithm concepts, research various applications and implementation of data structure and algorithms. For example, In the round-robin algorithm, in web applications, you will find a lot of use of arrays and strings; in the operating system, you will find the use of stack and queue; also, the greatest application of stack is the tower of Hanoi and in recursion.
• After then, try to implement your learning on a practical basis by building few applications using data structure and algorithm concepts. Also, if you want to get a job in your dream company, you need to know the concepts of data structure and algorithm very well and their implementation. Try to solve various interview questions as well.
• Try to rate yourself and focus on your weaknesses.

5. Work on projects

After learning about data structure and algorithm concepts and having a command over any particular programming language, start working on some application-related projects.

Projects can be a testing end for us, once we have learned all the concepts thoroughly and want to check whether we have learned correct or whatever we have learned is worthy for us, or can say our learning produces desired outcomes and results or not.

A project is a unique and transient endeavour to achieve planned aims and objectives, defining outcomes, results, or desired output. It is usually deemed a success if it achieves the objectives according to their input and acceptance criteria in particular time duration.

• When we come to this project making state, it is a great way towards success. Projects are enhanced not only our problem-solving skills and logic building skills but also developed our self-confidence towards our learning.
• Participation in these various Technical hackathons is not only meant to submit our names to the coordinators. It means that we are challenging other competitors with that spirit and can assure the winning chances against them.
• At the initial level, try to build a small project using the coding language, which you have made great command over it.
• Never be demotivated if somehow you cannot complete a project on time or decide which method and techniques you need to implement in that project. Always open your notes, revise it from starting, then try to build that project again; once a day, you will succeed in building a project.
• After building your first project, you will observe that you are more comfortable with your chosen programming language and much familiar with it. Now chose another small project but tried to choose different from the previous one, and it is not much simpler than the previous one. Gradually move towards a higher level and start working on your next small project.
• Once you have to take command of building small projects, gradually start moving towards big projects having more complexities in them and along with completion, try to complete it in less time.

6. Stay updated and explore more.

Explore more and more as much you can do in computer science and technology; the more you will explore, the more you can connect yourself with the world of programming. Research various fascinating ideas and projects related to your skills and learning.

The steps mentioned above are necessary for someone who wants to become a good programmer and learn coding online by using various online platforms that connect you with the real programming world.