Hey everyone, I'm currently a student at a cybersecurity academy. I have a high school degree in computer science and telecommunications, but I've never really worked on any projects or interesting exercises. I'm eager to learn, but I've realized that I haven't actually programmed anything substantial—like a website or a weather app or even a mini Arduino project. I'm looking for advice on how to start programming more practically so I can ace my exams at university when I get there. I know the basics in C++, Python, Django, HTML, CSS, and SQL, but I've only done academic exercises that haven't truly challenged me or made me feel like I depend on programming. Any tips you have for a beginner like me would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
I totally get where you're coming from! One solid way to level up is by doing debugging exercises. Most of development isn't about creating something from scratch; it's about figuring out why something isn't working as it should. Mastering the art of reading and understanding existing code will serve you well. Trust me, you'll be glad you did this!
Starting on a project is key. When I wanted to build a website, I found this GitHub starter project really helpful: https://github.com/sahat/hackathon-starter. It uses both frontend and backend JavaScript, with Bootstrap for the frontend and Express on Node.js for the backend. MongoDB handles the database. It's a great way to kick things off!
Hey! I've been in your shoes a few years ago and now I'm in a big tech company. There are three main pillars to becoming a stellar software engineer:
1. **BUILD SOMETHING NOW**: It doesn't matter how simple—just start! Find a problem that excites you, and dive in. AI tools can make this even more accessible now.
2. **DEVELOP INTUITION**: Understanding how things work behind the scenes is invaluable, such as SQL’s inner workings to optimize queries later. Focus on grasping concepts rather than memorizing solutions.
3. **NETWORK**: Don't underestimate the power of connections. Make friends in your field, and learn from those who are already succeeding. It’s motivational!
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