When you first hear someone talk about “code” or “programming”, it can be quite intimidating, particularly if you don’t know what it’s about.
Programming is usually approached from an engineering/coding perspective.
This kind of conversation is quite common. It is commonplace for people to talk about the languages they speak and how much they’ve learned instead of talking about a particular process. There’s nothing wrong with anyone who is fluently speaking a different language. However, it could be confusing for those who are new to the field who get caught up in the details too early.
What’s the code?
Code is essentially a list of instructions for computers. These instructions are interpreted by an interpreter or translator (the compiler) that gives it an order to follow in order to get something done. The “something” can be anything, ranging from the addition of two numbers to display text on a monitor. The code only exists as text files, which are able to be run by other programs (more on this in the future).
The reason for it being called Code is that the language of programming (which contains the list of instructions) can be considered a secret code. It should be clear to computers and not to humans! This is why there are tutorials on coding on the internet that can be written in another language. These tutorials are simply written text that can be read by humans, but don’t have any significance until they’re actually observed or heard from the people who speak them.
If someone mentions “code” it is not a good idea to think about the math equation in a moment. Think about running commands/text files instead!
If you’re a bit knowledgeable about Code and have a solid idea of how you can apply existing code, this can be a great way to start with it. It is possible to use any of the programming tutorials out there or run a Google search if you’re looking to learn an entirely new language. This will let you learn the fundamentals of programming and provide you with a glimpse of what it’s like before you dive in!
Remember that these programs are typically simplified (which is understandable as they’re “tutorials”) but they show you how programs operate inside.
If you want to learn more, click coding curriculum
If you’re a beginner, all of this is likely to be completely unfamiliar to you!
Here’s a simple example of basic Python code:
print “Hello World!”
This is the first line from the famous “Hello World” program. It’s regarded as a custom for people who are brand new to programming, and can provide a glimpse of the meaning of code. It instructs that computer to print everything that follows the “:” character onscreen or wherever that text file is stored on your hard drive. Although this is not the way that all programming languages operate but it can be utilized to help you comprehend some fundamental concepts.
It is best to practice to learn programming! You’ll be able to develop your programming skills as you program. This post was created for beginners just starting to learn programming.