Coding can be incredibly challenging and confusing, especially for those who are just starting out. Many beginners tend to blame themselves for their inability to learn coding at a quick pace. If you are on the same boat, make sure you avoid making this mistake. This is because no matter what anyone tells you, learning to code is not a walk in the park and often requires some time.
Finding the ideal approach to learn coding can also be a massive challenge as there are plenty of conflicting ideas out there. People tend to memorize code and overload themselves with a lot of information. This is rarely the right approach. If anything, it will leave you confused and distracted. Believe it or not, issues like these are quite common and almost every programmer faces them.
Since there are loads of opinions and coding styles available these days, knowing which one would suit you can be a massive challenge. More often than not, aspiring coders continue to learn anything that they come across because they fear missing out on important information. However, that is not the case. Instead, would be ideal to follow a calculated approach when learning to code.
Everyone is capable of learning the basics of coding. Sure some people may take more time than others, but learning how to code is indeed possible, as long as you create a programming-based mindset. You must also make use of resources that do not make things unnecessarily difficult.
Now, let us talk about a few reasons why coding can be so frustrating and confusing.
Teaching Coding Related Concepts can be a Massive Challenge
More often than not, aspiring coders struggle to find the ideal resources that explain coding concepts flawlessly. This is because a lot of tutorials and explainer videos tend to make coding quite complex. In certain cases, the tutorial may not be the best match for your particular learning style. Teaching how to code is a complicated task itself. The main challenge coding teachers face is articulating concepts in the right words.
You have to be very precise when teaching beginners the fundamentals of coding. Therefore, using the right words, terminology etc matters a lot, especially compared to other subjects. It would be best to spend some time finding reputable organizations or sites to find the best learning resource. Sure, it is rare to find the perfect tutorial, but that does not mean that following one should be difficult.
Why Coding Concepts Can be Hard to Explain
Explaining complex code bases can be quite hard. Some teachers only tend to scratch the surface while dissecting a coding concept and may fail to give students a deeper understanding. Whenever you are watching a coding tutorial, ask yourself, “is understanding the code easy as a beginner, or am I struggling to comprehend what’s going on?” Give this some thought when looking for learning resources as they could be a massive reason why you may be finding coding to be confusing. To keep it short and sweet, learning to code begins with choosing the best learning resources and you must not take this for granted.
Aspiring Coders often Have Unrealistic Expectations
It’s hard to blame people entering the programming language for their unrealistic expectations. On one hand, people often come across rumors that programming is very difficult, while on the other hand, movements like Learn to Code have been showing everyone how coding is not as difficult as it seems. Tools like Treehouse and Codecademy assure people that they can learn the ins and outs of coding to pursue a career as a developer.
All of this ends up increasing people’s expectations. Sure, the tools mentioned above (and plenty others) do a fantastic job of holding your hand and walking you through the basics and early programming phases. Of course, this gives people a massive confidence boost, making them feel that they can conquer the coding world after all. Eventually, however, reality sets in when the handholding phase is over and you have to enter the advanced phase of coding. This is where most people get overwhelmed and abandon their coding journey.
So, whether you are just about to begin your journey or have some exposure to coding, know that the path to programming mastery is not straight. The beginning may be easy, but things will get slightly tough once you begin to advance. If you stay resolute and avoid keep your expectations realistic, nothing can stop you from becoming a master coder eventually.
Memorizing Code is not the Best Way to Learn
Many people who just started coding tend to panic when they don’t understand certain concepts. This causes them to memorize codes instead of really learning what they mean. While one might argue that they do not memorize code, they could be doing it subconsciously. Whatever the case, memorizing code is a big no-no and you must avoid it at all costs. Why? Because doing so can confuse you whenever you apply your knowledge for a coding-related matter, as you will not really be aware of what you are doing.
Instead of learning and understanding the ins and outs of coding concepts, you will just be restricted to copy and pasting the code you memorized. Make sure you understand how the code works, what it represents to ensure you can apply your knowledge effectively.
Beginners Often Overload Themselves
The last thing aspiring coders should do is overload themselves as it is a surefire way to create confusion. Overloading oneself means handling more stuff than you can take care of at a given time. When you are beginning your coding journey, you may get the itch to learn everything at once to gain every opportunity available in the programming world. This will do nothing but overload you with tasks that you will not be able to handle. What happens after that? Confusion, lots and lots of it.
Believe it or not, many well established programmers admit that understanding Javascript was quite difficult for them simply because they overloaded themselves. Do not make the same mistake trying to learn conditional statements, objects, arrays, functions, etc within half an hour, thinking that you will become the best software developer out there.
Minimize Confusions by Pacing Yourself
While you will encounter confusing subjects during your programming journey, you must do your best to minimize them. One way to do that is to keep an open mind and pace yourself. You can start by choosing a programming language that is easy to understand or build. Take your time to understand how they work, where you can and cannot apply them rather than merely memorizing them. Sure, you may struggle every now and then, but that is not a bad thing when it is productive.
Also, make sure you choose the most reputable resources when learning to code. Since there is a plethora of information out there, it’s easy to find a video or tutorial that does not do a good job explaining certain coding concepts. Finally, avoid overburdening yourself by learning everything at once. Instead, focus on incremental improvement and develop a clear understanding of coding through a well-thought out, step by step process.