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5 Easy Hacks To Quickly Learn Any Programming Language

How many languages do you speak? Learn what you should focus on to begin learning new languages to make yourself a more diversified developer.

John Simmons user avatar by
John Simmons
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Aug. 13, 18 · Opinion
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In today’s society, everything we do has some form of software programming involved. Whether it’s navigating through the various applications we have on our phone, browsing our favorite websites during downtime, or inputting critical data into a software at work – programming surrounds our daily interactions. As companies increasingly look for ways to cut cost and increase revenue, programmers are needed to drive this innovation and propel society into the future.

The demand for programmers is not only making the job one of the most lucrative but also one of the fastest growing over the decade – 24% projected growth over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unique thing about programming is that if you can dream it, you can build it. The more programming languages you know the more you can build, and the more you can earn. Therefore, we have gathered a list of 5 hacks to learn any programming language and help you become a programmer faster.

Grasp The Fundamentals

One thing that is vital to learn is that you need to grasp the fundamentals of programming. The great thing about all programming languages is that they are all very similar in how they operate and run, but their markups are different. Markup is just another way of stating how the code is written or structured.

If you can grasp the fundamentals on how programming languages store values in Variables, use functions like Loops, Access and Store Data in Arrays/Objects, and more – then you can easily pick up any other programming language with ease.

Imagine the fundamentals as the foundation of a house. If your foundation is weak, then the house won’t stand. Therefore, you want to spend extra time learning the fundamentals of programming, so that you can then easily translate that knowledge to any programming language you learn.

Once you learn the fundamentals of one programming language, that knowledge can easily be transferred to any other language.

Seek Help or Clarification

One amazing thing about programming is that it’s not brand new. This means that there are plenty of tutorials, resources, or videos that you can watch to get any clarification on concepts you are struggling with. If you still don’t have an answer to the questions that you seek, then there are plenty of resources available to utilize to ask questions and receive real-time answers. The programming community is incredibly helpful, and if you have a question you can rest assured knowing that somebody else had the same question before you.

Use eBooks While Commuting To Read and Learn More Code

One critical hack that we can recommend to you when you’re attempting to learn any programming language is to constantly surround yourself with coding concepts and coding tools. One way to constantly surround yourself with code is to use eBooks to learn new concepts when you’re commuting.

Using an eBook will help you learn more about programming and offer an in-depth breakdown of some of the concepts that might be covered briefly in other places where you’re learning. Not only do eBooks help you understand concepts better, but they will also enable you to review real-world applications as examples to help you understand programming better. If you need help deciding which eBook reader to purchase, look for guides online such as this one.

Don’t Just Watch/Read, Tinker!

One critical aspect and hack to learning any programming language is that you can’t just sit and read or watch – you have to practice. You can watch every video on how to write a program, but you won’t figure out the inner-workings of writing a program until you actually attempt to write the program.

You might believe that you understand a concept very well, but when it comes to the application of that concept you get tripped up or forget what to do next. This is completely normal, and you’ll find that when you make mistakes you learn more about those concepts than before.

Even if the concept or idea you have is simple, put it into practice so you can create muscle memory.

Constantly Challenge Yourself

The final hack we are going to recommend to you to learn any programming language is that you need to be comfortable constantly challenging yourself. For instance, if you are really passionate about an idea you have but aren’t sure how you’re going to complete it – just start coding it. You’ll find that you learn more when you’re attempting to put your knowledge to use, instead of waiting until you think you have all the answers to every question.

Programming is so dense and complicated, that it’s nearly impossible to master every concept. Therefore, the best way to learn and become a better programmer in any language is to get your feet wet and begin programming. The more you program the better you’ll be, and the easier learning programming languages will become.

Conclusion

The demand for talented programmers is only expected to increase over the next decade. If you’re looking for a career that pays well and has solid job prospects, then you should consider programming. Learning a programming language can be both fun and useful. By implementing the hacks we have outlined for you, you can learn any programming language with ease.

Hack (falconry) Concept (generic programming)

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