Ask HN: Best way to start coding with tools available today?
4 comments
For me, it helps to learn the history.
When I was learning how to make a web app, I understood what was happening, but it didn't really click why I was doing it this way.
For example, you might learn the history of punch cards, tele-typewriters (this era of coding is downright awesome, the programmer had to maintain so much in their head), terminal emulators, etc and then build yourself some kind of CLI which does something silly like get the current weather from a free API.
Or, if you want to learn how to make a web app, learn how people initially sent HTML from the server, then there was a bunch of jQuery stuff, now it makes sense why we have these SPA frameworks...
You'll have to decide what kind of project you want to learn and some source which tells the history, but pick a project and then just get into a playful state with it for a week or so. Then decide what to do next.
After you make a website, maybe you'll want to learn how all of the networking happens underneath. The networking stuff is foundational knowledge that'll never expire. All the layers that make it all work are quite impressive.
When I was learning how to make a web app, I understood what was happening, but it didn't really click why I was doing it this way.
For example, you might learn the history of punch cards, tele-typewriters (this era of coding is downright awesome, the programmer had to maintain so much in their head), terminal emulators, etc and then build yourself some kind of CLI which does something silly like get the current weather from a free API.
Or, if you want to learn how to make a web app, learn how people initially sent HTML from the server, then there was a bunch of jQuery stuff, now it makes sense why we have these SPA frameworks...
You'll have to decide what kind of project you want to learn and some source which tells the history, but pick a project and then just get into a playful state with it for a week or so. Then decide what to do next.
After you make a website, maybe you'll want to learn how all of the networking happens underneath. The networking stuff is foundational knowledge that'll never expire. All the layers that make it all work are quite impressive.
If you struggled, why not start in the future, get Cursor with the basic plan and build with it. You can build full pages/applications/tools with it without coding one line. When you got into that start asking cursor to explain to you what he is doing, and he will help you understand wharever you want to know.
For example, I just built this page with cursor in one day: https://convertdrop.com/
For example, I just built this page with cursor in one day: https://convertdrop.com/
For me, I always find its best to find a problem that I want to fix and then research to tools that would best fix it. I find it much easier to stick with something if I am seeing the benefits...I have a horrible time just trying to say I am going to learn (insert topic here) today! Its much easier for me to say I want to make my own Tower Defense Game, or Invoicing Application I should learn Python or C or html to make it work.
If you can afford to splurge a little. I found that the O'Reilly Online site is pretty good with eBooks and video tutorials on programming in several different languages. Some courses will walk you through the tools you need to install as well.
For years I’ve wanted to try my hand at coding and making things but have always struggled to get started from 0.
How would you recommend starting to learn today with all the new tools and things we have available.