How does one learn to program?

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Academy
www.codergv.com
All Rights Reserved
How does one
learn to program?
by Olmo Maldonado
GMG Agency, LLC
Dec. 4th, 2014

Academy www.codergv.com • All Rights Reserved
Instructor: Olmo Maldonado
➔Over 10 years of experience as Software Engineer
➔Masters in Electrical Engineering from UCLA
➔Founder Tech Tuesdays, Code#RGV
➔MooTools Developer
➔Ex-Googler with Google Photos Team, circa 2009
➔Fluent in JavaScript, PHP, and many more web
tech
Contact & Follow
{facebook, twitter, github}.com/ibolmo

Sorry, this is not a
“How to get started programming course”
This course is about
➔jump starting your programming engine
➔life lessons in the programming craft
➔how you should navigate the waters
Disclaimer

You should if you
➔Like taking apart problems
➔Want to develop a new skillset that pays
dividends the more you master it
➔Don’t mind stumbling and getting back up
First Step: Why should I learn?

You should not if you
➔Expect to “get it” in one week; let alone 1 month
➔Expect to make it “big” within 1 year*
➔Are shy, or need to be continuously motivated
*: Your mileage may vary (YMMV).
First Step: Why should I learn?

Bottom Line: Define Your Purpose
Programming is tough. You will be tested
at every single moment. You will get
frustrated. You will wonder whether it’s
going to get any easier. If you don’t have a
purpose, or drive, you will easily give up.

Defining A Purpose: Ideas
➔Projects you’ve always wanted to do*
➔Research and fix bugs for your favorite
software, framework, library, or company
➔Clone or improve an existing app or idea
➔Pair up with someone from Code#RGV that
already has a project
➔Do a Challenge
◆E.g. www.hackerrank.com, mscodechallenge.net
*: Not a new idea, but something already done or “easy” to achieve/modify.

What if someone asked you to build them a house?
➔Look for similar houses’ blueprints
➔Modify blueprint
➔Seek advice from city regulation, original
architect, and other architects
Alternatively,
➔Start with an empty canvas, a square, and pencil
Why start with something made?

Never Start with An Empty Canvas *
Compare your work with what’s expected.
Especially at this stage: make your life easier.
*: Everyone does this all the time. More explanation soon.

Review: What is it going to take?
➔ Patience and pressing the I believe button
➔ Aptitude, or hard work, to:
◆ ingest (educate)
◆ investigate (explore)
◆ improve (evolve)

So, you still want to code?
Choosing a Language*
➔All languages are (relatively) the same but with
different flavors.
*: Actually, this is probably already chosen for you -- by the projects you’d like to do.

Languages: What is a Language?
➔English instructions for the computer
➔You define a program with a language
JavaScript PHP Python
var variable = 1;
1 + 1; // answer is 2
for (var i; i < 10; i++){
console.log(i);
}
function method(argument){
return argument;
}
method(variable);
$variable = 1;
1 + 1; // answer is 2
for ($i; $i < 10; $i++){
echo i;
}
function
method($argument){
return $argument;
}
method($variable);
variable = 1
1 + 1 # answer is 2
for i in range(0, 10):
print i
def method(argument):
return argument
method(variable)

What’s in a Language?
Most, if not all, have
➔Variables
➔Types
➔Functions
➔Control Flow
➔Exceptions
➔Comments
➔and many more
Each has their merit
➔Choose by need, and
not by fervor
Want a class in a
specific language?
academy@codergv.com

Tip: How to Choose
➔Stick to a scripting language
◆PHP, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and so on
◆Faster, easier debugging (in most cases), and cross
platform
➔If you are getting paid to learn the language
➔Find a framework (Unity3d, Phonegap) and learn
the underlying language
➔Ask your immediate coding friends what they
are working with, and use that

How do I learn?
Seems like a cheap answer, but:
Google is your best friend™
Don’t worry there are examples coming up.

When starting a new language
Search for
➔Language comparisons
◆“PHP vs Python”
◆“switching to python from php”
➔Best practices
◆“JavaScript best practices”
➔Gotchas
◆“Python gotchas”
◆“JavaScript bad practices”

Resource: Books *
➔The Pragmatic Programmer
◆Free ebook: http://goo.gl/L4yZFv
➔Code Complete
◆Free ebook: http://goo.gl/Nl1OyO
➔Clean Code
◆Free ebook: http://goo.gl/bAQxP7
➔Design Patterns
◆Free ebook: http://goo.gl/9wIEc2
*: Notice not a single one is about a specific language.

Google Search for
“Code Complete ext:pdf”
http://bit.ly/1AmvCk9
Learn more about Google Search Operators:
http://www.googleguide.com/advanced_operators_reference.html
*: Use responsibly. Gotta love the internet. :D
Aside: Free Ebooks *

Other Resources: Blogs
Blogs are forward thinking, and archive the most
annoying problems
➔Fabien Potencier (Symfony, PHP)
➔CSS-Tricks (CSS)
➔David Walsh (JavaScript, MooTools, jQuery)
➔Dean Edwards (JavaScript)
Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or use IFTTT recipe to receive updates
https://ifttt.com/recipes/99479-rss-to-email-formatted

Other Resources: Slideshows
speakerdeck.com
slideshare.net

Other Resources: YouTube
The holy grail.

Shave off 8 minutes!
Aside: Fast Video Viewing
Shave off 8 minutes!
youtube.com/watch?v=f7AU2Ozu8eo

Resources: References
➔use the website of the language
◆php.net, python.org, ecmascript.org, ruby-lang.org
➔tutorial sites
◆lynda.com, code.tutsplus.com
➔online education*
◆codecademy.com, udemy.com, code.org, coursera.com
*: I’m not a fan, but they are improving. YMMV.

What’s next? Development
Each worth it’s own class but here’s an overview
➔Editors or IDEs
➔Terminals (Prompts)
➔Package managers
➔Version control
➔Environment or Platform
What should be the next class?
academy@codergv.com

Development: Editors or IDEs
Editors (desktop)
➔Sublime Text 3 and
Package Manager
➔Github Atom
➔Textmate
➔Coda
➔Notepad++
IDEs
➔Cloud9 (online)
➔Visual Studio (both)
➔IntelliJ (desktop)
➔XCode (desktop)

➔Each language has their own package
management. Find more here
◆brew, gem, npm, easy_install, pip, apt-get, bower,
composer
➔Each has their own way to search for packages
◆brew search, npm search, gem search, apt-cache search
➔Most packages have a version control like ‘git’
➔Review the usage and adoption of the package
Development: Packages

https://github.com/iojs/io.js/graphs/contributors

I don’t care but use a
version control
➔Use git,
git-scm.com
➔Use mercurial,
mercurial.selenic.com
➔Use SVN or CSV
Development: Version Control
➔github.com
➔bitbucket.org
➔trac.edgewall.org
Travel in time or work in a parallel universe
I don’t care but use a
version control

A machine within a machine
➔Take your development environment with you
➔No harm to your computer
Use Vagrant boxes
➔vagrantcloud.com
➔Ex: http://goo.gl/Si8x7u
➔LAMP, Python, Ruby
➔one line to install
Aside: Virtual Machines (Vagrant)
Credit: http://goo.gl/MJhrgV

Review (so far)
➔by now you understand the commitment
➔how to get educated and stay educated
➔and setup of your environment
Next
➔Coding and Practical Matters

Rule: Don’t Reinvent The Wheel
Someone already went through the trouble
https://github.com/explore

Use Code Repositories
➔https://github.com/search/advanced
➔https://code.google.com/hosting/search
➔http://sourceforge.net/directory/freshness:recently-
updated/
Use Package Managers
➔ brew search, npm search, gem search, apt-cache search
Finding Packages

https://github.com/search?q=3d

Tip: Subscribe

➔Read the source code
➔Hack things together
When you’re stuck …
➔Ask questions in
◆stackoverflow.com
◆user forums
◆Code#RGV Forum (Facebook Group)
◆IRC channel
Next Steps

Online chatroom(s) for nerds.
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=python
Aside: IRC Channel?

Aside: Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
➔Many professionals from Fortune 500 from
around the world
➔Most open source are on IRC
◆#mootools, #jquery, #nodejs, #python, #rails, #angularjs
➔Try to ask only if you’ve done a Google Search
➔Don’t be offended, and don’t offend others
➔IRC Clients
◆webchat.freenode.net, Colloquy, mIRC
➔Beware of files

How To Ask a Question
Seems stupid, but it’s critical. Include:
➔What have you tried?
➔What did you expect?
➔What happened (if anything), and were there any
errors?
➔Mention what projects you are using
➔Use gist.github.com, or pastebin.com to paste
your code

Challenge: Contribute to O.S.
If you’ve benefited from an answer, or from an
open source project you should reciprocate the
gesture.
➔Research and answer questions
◆stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/javascript?sort=unanswered
◆ forum.jquery.com
➔Fix bugs or send enhancements
◆github.com/facebook/react/issues
◆github.com/iojs/io.js/pull
➔Open Source a private project

True Story: I’ve Benefited
By contributing to MooTools
➔Satisfaction in helping others
➔Learned in collaboration
➔My code has been used by hundreds of
developers, and millions of users
➔One of the reasons that Google employed me
This is not an isolated incident, though. Majority of
MooTools devs are now part of Facebook.

How does one learn to program?
1. Find a purpose, and stay committed
2. Choose a project/goal and find packages to help
you get started in learning a language
3. Setup your environment and become proficient
4. Be part of a community, and contribute back

Homework
Post answers to Code#RGV Forum, or use #codergv
#academy #hw in tweets and posts
1. Define, or find, a project to learn programming
2. Pick one or more language for doing the project
3. Write a Getting Started guide for the language
4. Follow a blog, Github user, and YouTube channel
5. Setup VirtualBox and Vagrant; and a Vagrant Box
6. Answer a question on StackOverflow.com
7. Join a IRC channel and ask a question

How does one learn to program?

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