Why should you delve into learning a programming language? There are various reasons.
Learning programming not only enhances your problem-solving and logical thinking skills but can also be a lucrative career option where you get to devise solutions to real-world challenges. Every year, thousands of students enroll in programming courses because they know that, ultimately, learning to program equips them with a valuable skill set that drives personal growth and professional success in today’s technology-driven world.
But what, exactly, is programming? Programming is a process that lets humans communicate with the different components of a computer. Now that you know the most basic concept, let’s dive in.
What Is a Programming Language?
Programming is highly dependent on using programming languages. Programming languages make the instructions given by humans understandable to computers. To simplify, here’s an example.
Suppose you are an Englishman who wants to convey a message to a Frenchman who only understands French. So, you have to use some signs and symbols to convey your message. The same thing happens in programming.
Humans need to write information in a format that computers can understand. That writing can include any special symbol. The complete written piece is called a “program” or “code.” The good news is that in today’s tech-driven world, you can learn programming for free and enhance your knowledge base over time to excel.
Many programming language courses are available today. To enhance your learning experience, you may want to explore the most popular programming languages ranked by Forbes.
Like in any other language, you also need to pay attention to grammar when programming. If you don’t use correct grammar, your code, like any piece of written work, will not be good. And just like all spoken languages, every programming language uses a different set of grammar rules.
How Does a Programming Language Work?
All programming languages need to go through the below for a computer to execute them correctly.
- First, the programmer writes a set of instructions for the software. The correct grammar rules to follow and required special characters depends on the programming language chosen.
- Next, the programmer subjects the code to an evaluation process. That means sending the data to the compiler, which understands the writing and simplifies it.
- The computer finally follows the given instructions and shows the outcome on-screen. The output can be text or an image the programmer wants to see.
Steps to Learn Your First Programming Language
If you want to learn your first programming language, follow the guidelines below.
Step #1: Select a Programming Language
As mentioned earlier, a lot of programming languages exist today but they all differ from one another. You’ll need to use JavaScript for web development, for instance, but you must use Java for software development.
That said, you have to choose the first programming language you want to learn. You can ask seniors or your teachers to help you make the right choice.
Step #2: Start with the Basics
Start your programming journey by learning the basic concepts. Every programming language has basic components. Try your best to understand them one by one. Don’t move on to the next concept without fully getting its predecessor.
You will find topics like syntax, variables, operators, and the like at the start of your journey. Take as much time as possible on each concept because you won’t learn the language if you don’t clear the basics first.
Step #3: Practice, Don’t Just Memorize
If you just focus on the theory part of lessons, reading and memorizing it, it won’t help much. Memorizing anything is not useful. Using your knowledge to solve practical problems is.
Ask numerous questions related to your current learning focus. For instance, if you’re exploring variables, tackle both programming and theoretical queries from diverse online sources like LeetCode, coding camps, and references.
Step #3: Join a Community
If you keep your knowledge to yourself, it won’t increase over time. Share it with friends or members of a community instead.
Joining a community of like-minded people will also allow you to discuss related topics. You can also get relevant information from other members. You can start by scouring social media for such communities that can help you relieve doubts and increase your knowledge.
Step #4: Work on Small Projects
Answering simple questions will also not help you enough to boost your knowledge. You have to let your imagination work with the knowledge you gained. To do that, work on a small project related to whatever topic you are studying.
If you are learning about operators, for instance, you can work on a project that uses different kinds of operators. That will help you think from an innovative perspective that will help you in the future.
Why Are Programming Languages Important?
We can’t state the importance of programming languages in simple words. Instead, we can take some sample applications that run on one or more programming languages. Let’s check out these examples:
- The mobile device you’re using runs on a proper programming language. That means its operating system (OS) was created with the help of a programming language.
- All the mobile apps, including the games you play, on your device are also results of using programming languages. In most cases, they use Java.
- You can learn about various fields like data science using Python.
- All software use programming languages to get the job done. Whether it’s for writing or listening to audio, it uses programming languages.
Conclusion
The sections above taught you about the basics of programming and programming languages. You also learned how any programming language works and why it is important.
So, follow the simple steps we mentioned to get a good grip on your first programming language subject. Remain steady and determined, and you will eventually find that your chosen subject has become a cakewalk.
