Coding is a learnable skill just like hammering a nail with a hammer. Think of learning to code, learning coding languages, and learning coded frameworks like learning woodworking, learning to use wood working tools, and learning reusable woodworking techniques. Beginners often wonder if learning one language is better than another. Instead, they should think of themselves learning how to learn coding and the mindset of how to code. Coding languages may differ, like a hand saw differs from a table saw, but the task is to learn how to saw, so which type of saw you learn on shouldn’t be the main focus. Furthermore, there are job opportunities in many languages, and often positions will require employees to pick up new or different languages as time goes on. That said, some languages have proven easier for beginners to pick up, such as Ruby, which was designed with ease of use in mind.

Web development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site.

This site contains introductions to the skills necessary for web development. It covers:

  • How to design the inteface and layout of a webpage
  • Learning to code with a language
  • Creating a website with that language using a framework
  • Learning how to interact with the computer and filesystems
  • How to track code changes and collaborate with other developers
  • Database querying and other database topics

Like anything else that is new, some topics may be challenging. The first thing you learn when learning these skills is that Google is your best friend. If you are confused by something, likely someone else has had the same question. Google it! You will probably find an answer on stackoverflow (Google that if you are not sure what it is). Also, there may be terminology that confuses you or topics you haven’t learned yet that mentioned… Google it! There is lots of useful information out there and part of what you will learning when becoming a developer is how to get good at finding it. To let you in a a little secret… developers don’t know everything off the top of their head. There is so much to know, utilize search engines (Google etc.) and do not feel silly about it. Everyone does it.

The second thing you will learn is patience. Anyone can learn this material, but it does take effort to do so. Not everything will be easy at first. Don’t expect to be a coding ninja immediately. Stick with it. It will be worth it.

And finally, the last lesson worth mentioning early on is most problems or “bugs” (issues in your code, things causing errors) are the result of a tiny mistake. Read instructions carefully and study the exact syntax of what you are trying to do. After all, when it comes down to it, mostly what you are doing is learning how to get the computer to do what you want it to, and to do that you have to learn how to communicate what you want. If somebody told you “go me get this fie” you would be confused… and you wouldn’t know what they meant was “go get me this file”. Think of the intial topics as learning how to get the computer to do what you ask, and show something how you’d like it shown.

The best way to learn any new skill is to try it out. The resources on this website show you how to try out each of these new skills. To give you a heads up… while they are all free, some still may require you to create a login… just FYI 😺 Also, topics may feature multiple resources with some overlapping information. Think of it as an opportunity to practice if you find you know something already.

The best way to enjoy learning a new skill is to start with a basic version of the concepts you need to learn and see small sucesses immediately. With that in mind, we begin with an introduction to HTML & CSS…