to varied sources, the common wage for Coding jobs is ~£47.5k within the UK, which is ~35% greater than the median wage of about £35k.
So, coding is a really priceless talent that can earn you extra money, to not point out it’s actually enjoyable.
I’ve been coding professionally now for 4 years, working as an information scientist and machine studying engineer and on this put up, I’ll clarify how I’d be taught to code if I needed to do it over again.
My journey
I nonetheless keep in mind the time I wrote my first little bit of code.
It was 9am on the primary day of my physics undergrad, and we have been within the pc lab.
The professor defined that computation is an integral a part of fashionable physics because it permits us to run large-scale simulations of the whole lot from subatomic particle collisions to the motion of galaxies.
It sounded wonderful.
And the way in which we began this course of was by going by a textbook to be taught Fortran.
Sure, you heard that proper.
My first programming language was Fortran, particularly Fortran 90.
I realized DO loops earlier than FOR loops. I’m positively a rarity on this case.
In that first lab session, I keep in mind writing “Hey World” as is the same old ceremony of passage and pondering, “Large woop.”
That is the way you write “Hey World” in Fortran in case you have an interest.
program good day
print *, 'Hey World!'
finish program good dayI truly actually struggled to code in Fortran and didn’t try this properly on checks we had, which put me off coding.
I nonetheless have some old coding projects in Fortran on my GitHub that you may try.
Wanting again, the educational curve to coding is sort of steep, nevertheless it actually does compound, and ultimately, it should simply click on.
I didn’t realise this on the time and actively prevented programming modules in my physics diploma, which I remorse in hindsight as my progress would have been a lot faster.
Throughout my third yr, I needed to do a analysis placement as a part of my grasp’s. The corporate I selected to work for/with used a graphical programming language referred to as LabVIEW to run and handle their experiments.
LabVIEW relies on one thing referred to as “G” and taught me to consider programming in another way than script-based.
Nonetheless, I haven’t used it since and doubtless by no means will, nevertheless it was cool to be taught then.
I did benefit from the analysis yr considerably, however the tempo at which analysis strikes, at the least in physics, is painfully sluggish. Nothing just like the “heyday” from the early twentieth century I envisioned.
At some point after work a video was really useful to me on my YouTube residence web page.
For these of you unaware, this was a documentary about DeepMind’s AI AlphaGo that beat the perfect GO participant on the earth. Most individuals thought that an AI may by no means be good at GO.
From the video, I began to grasp how AI labored and study neural networks, reinforcement studying, and deep studying.
I discovered all of it so attention-grabbing, just like physics analysis within the early twentieth century.
In the end, that is once I began learning for a profession in Data Science and machine studying, the place I wanted to show myself Python and SQL.
That is the place I so-called “fell in love” with coding.
I noticed its actual potential in truly fixing issues, however the principle factor was that I had a motivated motive to be taught. I used to be learning to interrupt right into a profession I needed to be in, which actually drove me.
I then turned an information scientist for 3 years and am now a Machine Learning engineer. Throughout this time, I labored extensively with Python and SQL.
Till a number of months in the past, these have been the one programming languages I knew. I did be taught different instruments, resembling bash/z-shell, AWS, docker, knowledge bricks, snowflake, and many others. however not some other “correct” programming languages.
In my spare time, I dabbled a bit with C a few years in the past, however I’ve forgotten just about all of it now. I’ve some basic scripts on my GitHub in case you are .
Nonetheless, in my new function that I began a few months in the past, I might be utilizing Rust and GO, which I’m very a lot trying ahead to studying.
In case you are keen on my complete journey to changing into an information scientist and machine studying engineer, you possibly can examine it beneath:
Select a language
I all the time suggest beginning with a single language.
Based on TestGorilla, there are over 8,000 programming languages, so how do you decide one?
Nicely, I’d argue that many of those are ineffective for many jobs and have most likely been developed as pet tasks or for actually area of interest instances.
You can select your first language primarily based on reputation. The Stack Overflow 2024 survey has nice info on this. The preferred languages are JavaScript, Python, SQL, and Java.
Nonetheless, the way in which I like to recommend you select your first language needs to be primarily based on what you wish to do or work as.
- Entrance-end net — JavaScript, HTML, CSS
- Again-end net — Java, C#, Python, PHP or GO
- iOS/macOS apps — Swift
- Andriod apps — Kotlin or Java
- Video games — C++ or C
- Embedded Programs — C or C++
- Knowledge science/machine studying / AI — Python and SQL
As I needed to work within the AI/ML house, I centered my vitality primarily on Python and a few on SQL. It was most likely a 90% / 10% cut up as SQL is smaller and simpler to be taught.
To this present day, I nonetheless solely know Python and SQL to a “skilled” commonplace, however that’s high-quality, as just about the entire machine-learning neighborhood requires these languages.
This reveals that you simply don’t have to know many languages; I’ve progressed fairly far in my profession, solely figuring out two to a big depth. After all, it will differ by sector, however the principle level nonetheless stands.
So, decide a area you wish to enter and select probably the most in-demand and related language in that area.
Study the naked minimal
The largest mistake I see rookies make is getting caught in “tutorial hell.”
That is the place you are taking course after course however by no means department out by yourself.
I like to recommend taking a most of two programs on a language — actually any intro course would do — after which beginning to construct instantly.
And I actually imply, construct your personal tasks and expertise the wrestle as a result of that’s the place studying is finished.
You gained’t know the right way to write features till you do it your self, you gained’t know the right way to create courses till you do it your self, and also you actually gained’t perceive loops till you implement them your self.
So, be taught the naked minimal and instantly begin experimenting; I promise it should at the least 2x your studying curve.
You most likely have heard this recommendation loads, however in actuality it’s that easy.
I all the time say that almost all issues in life are easy however arduous to do, particularly in programming.
Keep away from developments
After I say keep away from developments, I don’t imply to not concentrate on areas which might be doing properly or in demand available in the market.
What I’m saying is that once you decide a sure language or specialism, keep it up.
Programming languages all share related ideas and patterns, so once you be taught one, you not directly enhance your capability to select up one other later.
However you continue to ought to concentrate on one language for at the least a number of months.
Don’t develop “shiny object syndrome” and chase the most recent applied sciences; it’s a recreation that you’ll sadly lose.
There have been so many “distracting” applied sciences, resembling blockchain, Web3, AI, the listing goes on.
As a substitute, concentrate on the basics:
- Knowledge sorts
- Design patterns
- Object-oriented programming
- Knowledge buildings and algorithms
- Drawback-solving abilities
These matters transcend particular person programming languages and are a lot better to grasp than the most recent Javascript framework!
It’s a lot better to have a powerful understanding of 1 space than attempt to be taught the whole lot. Not solely is that this extra manageable, however it is usually higher to your long-term profession.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve progressed fairly properly in my profession by solely figuring out Python and SQL, as I realized the required applied sciences for the sector and didn’t get distracted.
I can’t stress how a lot leverage you’ll have in your profession for those who doc your studying publicly.
Doc your studying
I don’t know why extra folks don’t do that. Sharing what I’ve realized on-line has been the largest recreation changer for my profession.
Actually committing your code on GitHub is sufficient, however I actually suggest posting on LinkedIn or X, and ideally, it’s best to create weblog posts that can assist you cement your understanding and showcase you data to employers.
After I interview candidates, if they’ve some kind of on-line presence exhibiting their learnings, that’s instantly a tick in my field and an additional edge over different candidates.
It reveals enthusiasm and fervour, to not point out rising your floor space of serendipity.
I do know many individuals are scared to do that, however you might be affected by the spotlight effect. Wikipedia defines this as:
The highlight impact is the psychological phenomenon by which individuals are likely to imagine they’re being seen greater than they actually are.
Nobody actually cares for those who put up on-line or take into consideration you as a lot as 1% as you assume.
So, begin posting.
What about AI?
I may spend hours discussing why AI isn’t a right away threat for anybody who desires to work within the coding occupation.
You need to embrace AI as a part of your toolkit, however that’s so far as it should go, and it’ll positively not change programmers in 5 years.
Until an AGI breakthrough out of the blue happens within the subsequent decade, which is extremely unlikely.
I personally doubt the reply to AGI is the cross-entropy loss function, which is what’s utilized in most LLMs these days.
It has been proven time and time once more that these AI fashions lack sturdy mathematical reasoning talents, which is likely one of the most elementary abilities to being a very good coder.
Even the so-called “software program engineer killer” Devin is not as good because the creators initially marketed it.
Most corporations are merely making an attempt to spice up their funding by hyping AI, and their outcomes are sometimes over-exaggerated with controversial benchmark testing.
After I was constructing a web site, ChatGPT even struggled with easy HTML and CSS, which you’ll argue is its bread and butter!
General, don’t fear about AI if you wish to work as a coder; there may be a lot, a lot greater fish to fry earlier than we cross that bridge!
NeetCode has executed an important video explaining how present AI is incapable of changing programmers.
One other factor!
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