How I Would Learn to Code From Scratch (If I Started Today)

All you need to learn to code these days is a laptop and an internet connection. Give it a few months, and you can start working as a software engineer. Sounds simple, right? Despite how easy some might make it seem, coding is still one of the most challenging skills to learn. Many aspiring developers waste so much time on tutorials that lead nowhere and on memorizing syntax that ends up being useless.

In this article, we'll go over what to do if you're learning to code all over again, the resources to use, and the pitfalls to watch out for.

Developing the Right Mindset

The hardest part about learning to code isn't the syntax, algorithms, or even debugging—it's showing up day after day, dealing with one frustration after another, and not knowing if all the work will pay off. There will be moments when you'll question whether you have what it takes, but you need to understand that literally everybody goes through the same thing. Once you accept that it will be difficult and that it's only temporary, it gets easier.

In his book The Dip, Seth Godin describes these moments as the slog between starting and mastery, when the initial excitement has worn off and the difficulty has set in. The fact that most people can't push through this dip is what makes the skill so valuable and keeps out those who aren't as serious.

When you're just starting, the biggest risk is losing motivation because it turns out to be much harder and takes more time than you initially thought. You might see someone on YouTube learn to code in four months and assume it will take you the same amount of time. However, everyone starts from a different spot. Someone with a technical background in math or engineering will pick up the concepts and logic a lot faster, so there's no point in comparing yourself. Five years from now, it won't matter whether it took you a year or four months to learn.

A good idea is to be realistic about your other commitments and how much time and energy you can dedicate to learning. It's not uncommon for people to take six months to more than a year of full-time study to become employable as a developer.

How to Learn Efficiently

To make the most of your time, focus on how to learn efficiently. The methods we were taught in school, like passively watching a lecture and rote memorization, are often a huge waste of time. Here are two key methods that are far more effective.

1. Constantly Test Yourself As soon as you learn a new concept, try applying it to an application. If you need additional practice, you can ask an AI tool like ChatGPT for more questions to test your knowledge. AI is an absolute game-changer for learning to code. For example, if you've just learned about JavaScript Promises, you can prompt ChatGPT for challenges of increasing difficulty.

Example Prompt:

"I've just learned about JavaScript Promises. Give me five practice questions, from easy to hard, that test my understanding."

2. Use Spaced Repetition Learning new things without consistently practicing what you've already learned is probably the single biggest waste of time. Studies have repeatedly shown that spaced repetition and active recall are some of the most effective strategies for encoding new information into long-term memory.

Essentially, you want to review what you've just learned a day or so after, and then gradually increase the time between reviews. It's much more enjoyable to learn new information, but you'll waste time pouring knowledge into a leaky bucket otherwise. Make coding a daily habit and actively apply past concepts to new projects to ensure you don't forget them.

Secure Early Wins and Find a Curriculum

To maintain motivation, it's critical to get a few quick wins early on. Nothing drains your excitement more than spending hours trying to set up a local environment before you can even do anything.

For complete beginners, check out a platform like Codecademy. There is no setup required; you just sign up and can be coding and running it within five minutes. A course or two can help you gain confidence and see if this is something you want to commit to.

Next, find a tried-and-true curriculum online so you don't get overwhelmed. For web development, a favorite is The Odin Project. It's free and heavily focused on the exact skills needed to get employed. Many coding bootcamp curriculums are very similar to what is laid out by The Odin Project.

Don't Forget Data Structures & Algorithms

One downside with some online curriculums is that they may only briefly cover data structures and algorithms (DSA). While you'll probably never need to implement your own sorting algorithm on the job, you will likely be tested on your DSA knowledge during interviews. It's absolutely worth spending extra time in this area.

A highly recommended resource is the book Data Structures and Algorithms in Java by Robert Lafore. While it's a comprehensive book of over 700 pages, it's extremely thorough and will cover pretty much everything you need to know for interviews. It uses simple, plain language that's easy to understand.

Master the Principles, Not Just the Language

One of the biggest mistakes learners make is overthinking which language to learn. Should it be Java or Python? Which will be more popular in five years? Which has higher earning potential?

Here's the thing: it doesn't really matter. Just pick any modern, popular language. They will have lots of documentation and high-quality learning resources online, and it might make you more hirable. Understanding the principles behind one language deeply is far more useful than being just okay at a bunch of different languages.

If you understand programming concepts like for loops, while loops, and conditional logic like the back of your hand, picking up a new language is fairly trivial. It's the underlying principles that you really need to understand.

If starting all over again, a great choice would be Python. It resembles natural language without being overly verbose, and most importantly, it's beginner-friendly and popular. Its popularity means there are high-quality learning resources, extensive documentation, and lots of available jobs.

It's Project Time: Build Something Real

By now, you should have already created a few applications by following tutorials. Now it's time to build a couple of bigger projects on your own.

When it comes to picking a tech stack, don't stress too much. The focus here is on getting practice solving real problems and applying the knowledge you've accumulated. A popular and flexible stack includes: - Frontend: React - Backend: Node.js and Express - Database: PostgreSQL

This stack has good documentation and support online and is flexible enough to add more to it as needed.

When deciding what to build, pick something you can realistically finish in a couple of weeks to stay motivated. Maybe it solves a personal problem, and ideally, it utilizes a public API so you get experience working with the messiness of real-world data.

Here are several project ideas: - A Pomodoro app that also tracks your hours of deep work over the week. - A workout tracker. - A simple Trello-style board. - A news feed that pulls data from an external API.

The most important part is that you finish what you start. Too often, we start an ambitious project, write all the boilerplate code, and then abandon it when it gets hard. By doing this, you waste the time you've already invested and develop the habit of quitting.

Projects are always easy to start and difficult to finish, but the end is where the real learning begins. Learning is like compound interest: the greatest gains are often made near the end if you are patient and persistent enough. It's when you finish a project that you reap the rewards of deep understanding and finally begin to develop mastery.