10 Tips For Every New Programmer

Abdullah Shallal
4 min readFeb 11, 2021

So much advice is heaped upon beginners that it can be hard to know where to start. However, these ten practices are the foundation upon which everything else is built.

1- Don’t learn everything

It doesn’t matter how skilled you are or for how many years you are coding. The most important thing is that you don’t need to learn everything.
This mindset can be very counterproductive, especially when you try to grasp a lot of information in a little amount of Learn slowly, learn as little as you can, but precisely. Focus on understanding one thing rather than reading a lot.

2- Focus on progress

When it comes to web development, it’s an always-changing programming niche. If you aren’t up-to-date with some trendy technologies or languages or just with fundamentals, you won’t be an ahead of others, and that can lead to you not landing that job.
Plan it. Take help from the roadmaps, like a “Front-End Developer Roadmap”
created and available on roadmap.sh.

“Slow progress is still progress”

3- Try learning techniques

As I can see, people use different learning techniques, but all of them are similar to one, which you probably know already — the Pomodoro technique. That’s the most effective learning technique for most of us.
Why? It’s because of the breaks. More breaks you and so on. Give it a try!

4- Teaching mindset

I’m an example of this point. I’ve created this profile just because I wanted to help beginner programmers, web developers, especially. When you become a teacher, you’ll not only help eve it or not, I learn a Lot by creating these posts, by sharing knowledge, and helping others!
You can do that too!

Dennis Ritchie — C++ creator, Source: AZqoutes

5- Note your progress

When I note what I’m learning, I learn it much more effectively. Exactly how it’s in schools. If you write something down on a paper, you’re thinking of what you’re currently writing, you are reading it, and the most important you understand it better.
I’ve tried different methods, like writing on a computer. I wouldn’t recommend that as much as writing on a paper.

6- Avoid perfection

You will be able to do something flawlessly. No one will. When it comes to programming, there will always be a better approach. approach, a better understanding, or whatsoever. Rather than trying to do things superbly, make things work, and do it briefly.
This type of approach can slow down your learning process and keep you away from progressing.

7- Don‘t compare

For most of us, when we compare ourselves to all of the talented programmers that we see on YouTube or anywhere else, it won’t motivate us to get into their level. It can only leave us thinking that we aren’t that great, that this is not for us or similar, wrong thoughts.
If you want to compare, do it with your yesterday yourself. You just watched a video on Youtube about creating an HTML website, and now you know how to do it?
Boom! You just got it.

Most programmers do programming not because they expect to get paid or get adulation by the public, but because it is fun to program.

Linux Torvalds — Linux creator

8- Write code every day

The best programmers I’ve ever met write a lot of code and they do it frequently. Those who struggle usually spend more time watching Netflix than they do writing code.
So, simply writing code every day solves a cascade of problems that many beginners face. Over a period of 2–5 years, daily practice will take someone from a total beginner to a competent developer.
Ironically, getting a job writing code every day is how most people end up getting this done, but it isn’t a requirement.
If you are in the industry, you’ll probably have the experience of those who are fresh out of college still being kind of terrible at writing code, but 2 years on the job and they are solid.

9- Remember to rest

Keep in mind that resting is as important as learning. Especially it when to codes programming, where all you do is learn, you have to take breaks. It won’t only make you feel better, but it’ll make you ready for the new challenges that you’ll face every day as a programmer.
Eat healthily, exercise, and get enough sleep. These are my recommendations. When I don’t sleep enough, I can’t focus, and it’s a lost day for me.

10- Contribute to the open-source community

When you contribute to the open-source community, it will empower you, Tejada said. “When you contribute to a project, pay attention to the feedback you get from users and other developers,” he added. “When you give to the community, make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to receive as well.”
Recognize how important it is to interact with your professional community, but also think long and hard about what you want your role to be.
Exchanging ideas and learning new things from your community can help avoid burnout, but only if you’re approaching it in a genuine way.

Conclusion

Programming can also one of the most frustrating things you will ever do. Feeling frustrated is completely normal, and will probably never completely go away. As you get better, you’ll just attack harder problems but have the same problem. Yet, no matter how frustrating your problems are, there is almost certainly a solution out there.

--

--

Abdullah Shallal

I am a professional System Administrator and Web Developer. I am an avid Linux lover and supporter of the open-source movement philosophy