Getting Started in Programming

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If you want a piece of software written, your best option might be to hire an experienced programmer. If you can't afford one this second, it might be cheaper and quicker to save up cash and hire one. Otherwise, you might spend a lot of time learning to do something you don't want to do or have little aptitude for.

Learning basic programming is undoubtedly helpful, even if just to better understand what programmers do and how to work with them.

If you're convinced that you want to be a self-taught programmer, buy a book and read it. Do the exercises. Then start off with a small project. Build from there.

All programming languages are basically the same. If you master one, you will be able to pick up others quickly. Some programming languages are popular for specific applications. PHP and Javascript are very useful for dynamic websites. There are other languages such as Python and ASP. Learn what's popular first (PHP) - you will be able to find lots of relevant help.

I'll assume you are mainly interested in web development. If you want to make dynamic websites you will need to know about:

Linux - operating system
Apache - webserver
MySQL - database
PHP - popular web programming language (used to fetch database data and generate webpages)

This is called the LAMP stack. All the software you need comes with Linux (and it's free).

Other things to know:
JavaScript & jQuery - allows webpages to change due to user interaction
HTML - webpage structure and content
CSS - webpage styling

It's important that you understand what each tool is used for.

Reading material:
PHP and MySQL Web Based Development
JavaScript and jQuery
HTML and CSS

General programming:
C++ How to Program

w3schools.com has a lot of reference material for website builders.

Programming is a real skillset so don't expect to master it overnight. It's also not hard to pick up the basics and start doing something useful.
#programming #php #programming #web development
  • Many software programming tutorials are available on the internet.Select the interesting programming language then apply for the work
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    • Guys, what do you recommend for me to start with for Apps Programming, Android at the begining? All the languages I know are Basic C from high school, so I get the the programming structure so what what do you really recommend for me to be able to cross the way to build an app myself!
      • [1] reply
  • Well W3C schools are one of the best way to get started and learn the coding and designing as well.
    • [1] reply
    • W3 is good for a quick reference, but it is not the best way to learn programming or design. That is, unless you are interested in learning poor standards.
  • For the guys wanting to get into webdev, I suggest you setup a LAMP stack on your local machine using XAMP https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html available for Win, Mac, Linux.

    Saves you the trouble of FTPing to a remote web server to test your file edits everytime you save. You can just test locally.
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  • WAMP (for Windows) or XAMP are just as good.
  • Learn to code | Codecademy

    This is a site that will teach you the basic of multiple web based languages. Its a fee interactive site. you will be able to learn while coding. good luck to all
  • Lol i've been working with programing for so long and i never heard about this LAMP thing.

    It makes sense to me and works great all combined. This is very useful post ill bookmark this thread.

    GJ
  • AWESOME guys.. I've been learning PHP for a year now, and pretty good on a few things. What do you all do to get ready to start a project? I mean how do you start?
  • Great thread. I'm newbie programming learner, here I got valuable information for further learning process. I have bought some E-Book + Script like tinder clone, aboutme clone and yelp clone on Provenlogic. I think I have got these tutorials from the right place at the right time.
  • Great Topic.

    I've been a professional programmer for more than 20 years. If I were just getting into programming today I would learn the following:

    Step 1. Client-side

    HTML / CSS and JavaScript then augment with AngularJS (Coolest framework ever!!!) and bootstrap CSS

    Step 2. Server-side

    Start by learning PHP and then look into Java and/or C#.

    My personal preference is to use AngularJS with Bootstrap on the client and C# running on Windows for the server. If cost is a factor then I use PHP running on Linux.
    • [1] reply
    • This. PHP is definitely hot in some circles but JavaScript and JavaScript frameworks are the future. JavaScript is becoming the language of choice for cross platform developmet including more mobile support and Internet of things.

      As for cost, c# is free and visual studio is by far the most mature IDE for developers to use. MVVM is hot and Angular2.js and react.js are really on fire.

      If you are looking to make money in a job or develop on the side, c# and JavaScript are much higher in demand. PHP doesn't even break the top 10 tech skills job these days( Sorry Wordpress lovers )

      Remember this opinion is from a job standpoint, not a personal project side. I work for an oil company and most larger corporate jobs are deeply entrenched in Microsoft.
  • Like everything else you can learn programming but most probably it will take you so much time that your idea will be outdated and your hair will turn white. It takes years for someone to learning programming up to a point where he can built something robust and something worth selling.

    I would go for hiring a programmer. I am not saying that because I am a programmer. It is like me trying to do marketing - not worth it because by time I am a novice marketer, my methods would be outdated!
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    • Sure you are saying that because you are one and want to get hired . What you wrote is totally ridiculous. Many people picked up programming in their teens are now working in their early 20s doing good programming. Their hair is not white.

      Even worse this thread is about web programming. with various frameworks out there for Ruby, Python and PHP you can create robust websites within just a few years of learning programming. Even less if you have the time to dedicate to it


      and finally anyone that knows any programming knows that after you learn one object oriented language you can easily and quickly pick up other ones as the concepts remain the same. The idea that you will learn and by the time you learn it will be out of date is pretty ridiculous because as you learn your project ideas will evolve with the learning and the BASICS of programming do not change each decade.
  • Mike Anthony - I know that what I sound will sound that I am fishing to get hiring but to be totally honest that is not what I meant. All I am saying that if you have an idea and would like to get it done - I don't think it is worth it to learn programming to develop that idea.

    On the other hand as you rightly said - I am no special. I have learnt programming and anyone else can do it. There are some programmers who are much better than me who have learnt programming in a couple of years. But expect to be full time on the subject. That is what I meant.

    There is a clear distinction whether you are learning programming to get a career in programming or whether you are learning programming to develop an idea. The latter is not worth it in IMO.

    Whilst you can disagree with me - and you might think that I am fishing for JVs you should not refer to my opinion as ridiculous. Check my posts and see that I frequently help fellow members here in this forum with their programming problems
    • [1] reply
    • I would agree with that but unfortunately what you said additionally to that was just false and yes in my opinion ridiculous for all the reasons I mentioned. We have a lot of young people on WF that would do well to learn programming and your claims would just frighten them off.

      Particularly in reference to web programming it does NOT take many years to develop an online application or website. People are now learning and deploying apps on the web, android and iphone in 6-24 months. In many cases you can start out with frameworks or existing BSD and MIT licensed code and only have to concentrate on the unique logic of the application.
  • What is 24 months to you? Is it a short period of time?

    Let's agree that we do not agree on this. By NO means I don't want to frighten anyone to learn programming. Actually I encourage anyone to learn since programming is fun.
  • I think you should learn Javascript, HTML, CSS. Web app will be popular in the future because it is cross platform. You can run it on Computer, Tablet, Smartphone, TV.... Javascript is the king of client side.
  • Hi Mark,

    Although I generally agree with you, there are few recommendations I wouldn't make to a newbie.

    I don't agree with you on that one. There are strict languages, loose languages (like PHP), some are object orientated, some are not.

    Some aren't actual programming languages in a strict sense, but more 'scripting' languages. It is called JavaScript for a reason.

    Yes, in particular for similar languages. If you know BASIC it is relatively small step to Visual Basic, VBA. VSTO and even .NET. Some of the syntax is also used in JavaScript.
    Learning C++ is somewhat different though and so is PHP.

    I'd recommend to learn basic HTML (and CSS) first. This is the very foundation of every website.

    Not neccessarily.

    Any webhoster will have this already installed. You can immediately start creating a code on your host account.

    However, if you do know about the components in a LAMP stack (or WAMP/XAMP) it is definetely a plus.

    jQuery is a chunk of JavaScript (a library)

    All in all a good post, thanks for sharing!
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  • I don't really agree with the premise of this post. If you want to get started with programming you first have to learn what programming is and basic programming principles, not learn some specific skills/software.

    So, if you are only getting started with programming I recommend learning a simple programming language (python/javascript/java) and learn basic algorithms and data types (lists, sorting vectors, reading from files, etc...)

    After you have some basic knowledge of what programming means you should try and build a small project. Don't learn anything in advance (eg: don't go and learn how apache works and what settings you can change) simply start creating your project and when you don't know how to do something, google it and you will certainly find a very relevant answer.

    Learning by doing is the best way to get started with programming. And there are some great sites to help you get started (eg: codecademy).
  • As a beginner ,you can enrich your potential on programming skills with the help of geeksforgeeks website.
    it is computer science portal that covered most of the programming material.
  • I would definitely recommend W3schools. But I have to say, when you decide what you exactly want to do, that is-what programming language, the documentation of the language is A MUST. That is usually the first thing that I open when I want to learn something.
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    Getting Started in Programming

    If you want a piece of software written, your best option might be to hire an experienced programmer. If you can't afford one this second, it might be cheaper and quicker to save up cash and hire one. Otherwise, you might spend a lot of time learning to do something you don't want to do or have little aptitude for. Learning basic programming is undoubtedly helpful, even if just to better understand what programmers do and how to work with them.