Learn to code - tips to get you started

Learning to code is not that difficult and can be useful for many projects. We explain what you need for a successful start.

Learn the basics of programming

First programming experience, the right forum and a suitable book - you don't need more to be able to program effectively. Then the question no longer arises whether, but only in what time and with what effort you can program it. There are eight steps to get there:

1. If you want to program, you have to read. Get used to browsing forums, books, and codes and make clear notes.
2. In computer or programming forums, such as that from CHIP-Online, you will find numerous solutions to problems. If you cannot find a satisfactory answer, ask your own question.
3. One of the first questions you will be asked is: "Which programming language is suitable for learning to program?" For example, you can create batch files for your own commands. In this practical tip we explain how to do it. HTML is also a good place to start. Here you can view results immediately in the browser. Integrated JavaScripts span the arch to other languages. HTML is also extensively documented with SELFHTML.
4. If you have specific goals, what and what you want to program for, it may make more sense to start with a suitable language. HTML and JavaScript are a good start for websites, CSS, PHP and Flash can follow. Languages ​​from the .NET framework such as Visual Basic and C # are useful for Windows applications. You can program in Flash or Java regardless of the platform. The latter can be integrated into the browser using a plug-in and is also used a lot in mobile devices. Forums help you here too.
5. When you find a language, get a good basic book. Our practical tip shows you where you can find good non-fiction books online, for example for c, Visual Basic and c #.
6. If you are already in the beginning and have specific questions and concerns, a more specific forum will help you, such as VB-Paradise for Visual Basic, c-plusplus for c ++ or Spieleprogrammierer.de for programming games.
7. Practice makes perfect: Many basic books already contain exercises. You can also find simple tasks and solutions for many programming languages ​​on ProgrammingTasks.ch. Work through as many small tasks as possible to internalize the basics of your programming language.
8. The wheel doesn't have to be invented twice. If you go beyond the exercises and implement your own ideas, you don't have to write your own code for every problem. Surely someone has already solved your problem exactly. In forums you will quickly get to know libraries, such as those from math.net Project or Fixel, which can import audio files or output animation. Use these pieces of code and build them into your own code.

CHIP job market

In our CHIP job market you will find thousands of current jobs in the digital world. Whether as a software developer or marketing expert, at Microsoft or Amazon - we cover the entire breadth of the German tech world. And if you want to start one of these jobs as a career changer, distance learning is worthwhile. Request an information brochure about the current distance learning courses from ILS, Germany's largest distance learning school.

You will find some programming aids, for example for Mathematica and C #, in further CHIP-Online practical tips.