How to Become a Software Developer — An Early Introduction

STEP 1

Are you interested in software development? Do you want to learn how to code but you are confused about where to start? I have been there too so I know how that feels, but guess what? Your dilemma ends here.

Have you heard about HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading style sheet)?

HTML

If you've been interested in programming for a while, then HTML and CSS are not new to your ears. HTML is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser. To understand the function of HTML well, think of how the skeletal system of a mammal gives the structure and form of that mammal. In the same way, HTML handles the structure of a webpage, it is the skeleton of that webpage.

CSS

CSS describes how HTML elements are to be displayed on a screen, paper, or in other media. CSS saves a lot of work. It can control the layout of many web pages all at once. It is used to style the webpages built with HTML. CSS handles the beauty of the webpages you see online.

Where to start

Because HTML and CSS are the foundation of programming, it is a good place to start. If you are looking fort to becoming a programmer, you do not need to become an expert before learning new skills.

There is usually so much to learn about HTML and CSS but not to worry. No need to be overwhelmed by their bulkiness because W3schools is a good resource you can use to start learning HTML and CSS. Other resources such as freeCodeCamp also teach HTML, CSS and so many other web technologies.

Learning a new technology is usually challenging and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be, remember to take one step at a time.

“Re-usability is key in reducing bugs and coding. The more I use a piece of code, the more confident and familiar I become with it, which in turn significantly speeds up my development time.”

― Robert Duchnik

When programming, you will obviously come in contact with bugs but to worries. Resources such as Quora and StackOverflow are helping thousands of developers solve bugs. All you need do is create an account then you can type in your question. You will definitely get an answer from experienced developers who ran into such problems and ended up solving them“awesome right”.

Taking programming to another level

When I started writing code, it was just a hobby before I decided to take it professionally. If you are thinking of taking programming up to a professional level, I know just the right place you can go. Microverse is an amazing program which grooms it’s students from zero to professional. I recommend it to anyone who wants to speed up his/her programming career. Microverse gets you ready for the job market not only as an employee but as a boss too. You can apply now.

How to learn

• As an aspiring developer, a faster way to get things done is by googling your problems as often as possible. Always remember that someone has once had the bug you are having so the solution to your problem should definitely be somewhere online.

• Imagine you see an exiting feature on a website which you will like to have too on your webpage. The best way to go about this is by using your browser developer tool to inspect the page so you can see how the HTML and CSS were done.

• Another great way to start learning is by getting a programming partner preferably who is more experienced than you are in programming. This method saves you a lot of time in your learning process.

Conclusion

Generally, many people who start codding, end up quitting at some point. Am not here to tell you programming is easy but it doesn’t have to be difficult though. With the right tools and spirit, you will get through it. Programming is challenging because it is all about problem-solving and as an aspiring professional programmer, you will learn to love the challenge. All you need is persistence right now.

If you want to be a software developer, HTML and CSS is a good place to start.

Don’t just code, solve live's problems, influence lives.

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Tendongze Godson

I am a tech lover and enthusiastic programmer. Passionate about building web applications and learning new skills.