Is Learning Assembly as Your First Programming Language a Good Idea?
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CuriousCoder42
I'm diving into programming and have just started learning C with the book "C Programming: A Modern Approach" by K.N. King. While looking into lower-level languages, I stumbled upon "Programming From the Ground Up" by Jonathan Bartlett, which suggests that Assembly could be a great first language. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this. Is it valuable to learn Assembly right away, or is that overkill?
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Honestly, I’d recommend steering clear of Assembly for now. It might be a bit overwhelming, as it focuses heavily on flow control and structural concepts that are easier to learn in a high-level language. Starting with C is a much better choice!
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I think learning Assembly as a first language only makes sense if it's coupled with a solid understanding of computer architecture. The real benefit of Assembly is grasping how computers operate at a low level, which can significantly enhance your programming skills overall.
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Starting with Assembly could deepen your understanding of machines, but it’s a tough climb for beginners. If you want a taste, maybe check out something simpler like Chip-8 to get familiar with the basics without too much frustration.
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While it could give you solid insights into how computers work, most of what you learn in Assembly can be forgotten, especially since you'll likely never use it directly. Stick with a high-level language like C for structuring your learning.
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I think there's value in learning Assembly, but maybe not as your first language. Higher-level languages like C already provide a lot of those foundational concepts while letting you create things without getting bogged down in the complexities of Assembly.
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