A Practical Approach to Learning How to Code

August 11, 2023

Learning how to code can be a lot like learning a new language or a game of strategy. Just as in chess, sports, and even acquiring our mother tongue, the process often begins with imitation, followed by building upon what we've imitated, and finally, understanding the principles behind our actions. In this article I'll share a practical approach to learning how to code, based on my experience as a self-taught web developer.

Learning Through Imitation

1. Start with the Syntax

Learning the syntax of a new programming language is similar to imitating sounds and words as a baby. Before diving deep into how things work, it's important to familiarize oneself with the basic building blocks.

For instance, here's a basic HTML structure:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Web Page</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Web Page</h1>
    <button>Click Me</button>
  </body>
</html>

Simply put, this is a framework for a web page. Just as a child imitates sounds without understanding their meanings, you can start by creating something simple without overthinking it.

If you were to create a file named page.html, paste the above code, and open it in a browser, you'd have a working webpage.

You can do this with a free text editor like VS Code. Download and open VS Code, create a file named page.html and paste the above code. Then, open the file in a browser by double-clicking on it or by dragging and dropping it into a browser window.

2. Build Simple Things

Once you've gotten the hang of the basics, it's like stringing words into sentences. You can enhance your webpage. Add some style. Witness the transformation and experience the beauty of coding - instant gratification.

Here is how you would style the button using CSS:

button {
  background-color: blue;
  color: white;
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border-radius: 5px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

You can add the above code to the <head> section of your HTML file by using a <style> tag like so:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Web Page</title>
    <style>
      button {
        background-color: blue;
        color: white;
        padding: 10px 20px;
        border-radius: 5px;
        cursor: pointer;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Web Page</h1>
    <button>Click Me</button>
  </body>
</html>

3. Introduce Interactivity with JavaScript

Just as sentences turn into conversations, bring your website to life with some simple interactivity:

document.querySelector("button").addEventListener("click", function () {
  alert("Button was clicked!");
});

You can add the above script to the <head> of your HTML file by using a <script> tag like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Web Page</title>
    <style>
      button {
        background-color: blue;
        color: white;
        padding: 10px 20px;
        border-radius: 5px;
        cursor: pointer;
      }
    </style>
    <script>
      document.querySelector("button").addEventListener("click", function () {
        alert("Button was clicked!");
      });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to My Web Page</h1>
    <button>Click Me</button>
  </body>
</html>

Feel the excitement of making your web elements react, much like playing your first few moves in a game of chess.

Building on Experience

4. Repetition is Key

Every new project is an opportunity to practice and become more familiar. Whether it's trying a new strategy in chess or speaking in longer sentences, repetition helps in cementing the knowledge.

Understanding the Why's and How's

5. Delve Deeper Only When Ready

As you progress, just like when you start questioning why a certain chess move is better or why a sentence is structured in a specific way, you'll naturally begin to wonder about the intricacies of web development. This curiosity is essential but is often more comprehensible after some hands-on experience.

6. Level Up

Challenge yourself. Introduce more complexities. As you gain proficiency, understanding deeper layers will become more meaningful and rewarding.

The Path to Mastery

The path to mastering web development, much like mastering a game or a language, is a journey of imitation, practice, and deep understanding. By starting with the simple joy of creation and progressing naturally towards understanding the underlying principles, beginners can experience a rewarding learning journey.

If you're interested in learning more about web development, check out FreeCodeCamp, a free online resource for learning how to code.