Anyone else find learning programming difficult?

HLRS

it doesn't click to me, there are so many programming languages with different syntaxes , how to remember all them.. I'm tryin to learn python, perl and c++ . how to make learning programming easier?

QHalo

Learning a programming language can be similar to learning an actual language. I'd say pick one and stick with it. It's probably overwhelming because you're trying to learn 3 of them at the same time...

YuckTheFankees

Are you trying to learn all 3 at once?

HLRS

well yea i guess, ill stick to one. programming seems very hard

petedude

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

Are you trying to learn all 3 at once?

Sounds kinda masochistic, don't it? I can see two at a time, especially if you use one in your spare time and a different one at work. Another work scenario would be having to use one language for the main portion of your application, but chaining to a different language for certain kinds of processing (e.g. DBMS or math)).

But yeah, three sounds a little much. I'd say get good at one, then start a second. You can pick up the third later.

And if you programmed before C++ came along, learning OOP can be a bit of work.

DevilWAH

Learn one well, then keep a syntax book to hand for the rest.

The best programmers I know have a book shelf closing under the weight of there reference materials as well as being members of and using multiply online forums and resources.

yes there are programming gods around that know 10 languages in depth of by heart. But that comes with many many years of experience. For the rest of us mortals its a case of understaning what a language is capable of, knowing the general structure if follows and building on it as time goes by.

JDMurray

You pick one language that you need the most and learn it well. The generic concepts you learn about programming can then be applied to other languages. Eventually, you will discover the languages whose syntax and semantic appeal to you the most and then least. Hopefully, the programming languages that you find the most appealing (i.e., fun and intuitive to use) are the ones you will need the most.

Roguetadhg

Batch files!

Oh yeah!

Three at once is overkill. You're going to slow your pace at learning all three of them, confuse commands, and it's a lot of headaches you probably don't need.

Like JDMurray said.

I tried to learn Javascript, C, HTML, Adobe Flash. Yeah, bad times... HTML was the only one that made it out of that list alive. The rest I've never used. I'd like to pickup Python though.

demonfurbie

id say start with java ... its fairly universal

... needless to say i hate programming give me a network to crack anyday

Coolhandluke

Over the years I have gone through lots of languages (ASM, C, C++, C#, Cobol, Java/Javascript, Pascal, PERL, PHP, VB/VB.net/VB Script/ASP) but I only ever use a couple of languages on a daily basis. As lots of people here have said, learn one language at a time. If you can master one language then lots of the concepts will carry over to others.

Brain_Power

Yes, programming is difficult. Do you have a strong background in math and computer science? There will come a point in time, where you will make decision to continue programming or move on to other areas of IT...I found out real quick that programming was not for me.

MickQ

At the beginning, yes it's hard.
Start with the principles (even BASIC if you want to), such as the for loops, while, functions/procedures, pointers, ints, floats, etc.

Once you have all that down, then each language is essentially just learning the phrasing and commands, but you'll understand the concepts behind why it's like that.

jdancer

I suggest codeacademy.com. Yeah, it's Javascript but it does teaches you the fundamentals of programming which are:

1) sequence
2) decision
3) iteration

Of course, it does throw in object-oriented concepts in there also.

FloOz

i hated all aspects of programming when i was taking a few courses for them during college. It just didnt click for me as well. As hard as i tried i just couldnt get it. Oh well

cyberguypr

I'm also an honorary member of the IHPP (I Hate Programming with a Passion) club. But the guys are correct, just take it one at a time. The same applies for certs in general. You can do a mediocre job preparing for 3 certs at once or do a great job at just one. Stick with one.

Patel128

At school we are starting off with java. I am a complete noob with programming and java is not so hard to pick up. Like everyone else said just stick with one language and you should be better off.

varelg

What probably frustrates many that try to learn a programming language isn't the syntax itself, but getting familiar with the accompanying API. Depending on the language studied, API can be a jungle and not the only problem, but different versions of them as well.
What you basically do when you code/program is you declare or aquire from somewhere else a bunch of variables that you put through various logical loops.
If I was to start learning programming all over again, I would start with assembler and stick with it, learn different directives and specs for different platforms and specialize in say, embedded systems/device drivers programming. Solely based on the assumption that the more obscure/nitche the skill is, the better it is paid.

paul78

I learned to program by studying algorithms and data structures - not the syntax of a programming language or it's APIs. I continue to be a proponent that if you truly want to learn to be a good programmer, you need to learn the foundational concepts before you start to learn the tools.

NetworkVeteran

paul78 wrote: »

I continue to be a proponent that if you truly want to learn to be a good programmer, you need to learn the foundational concepts before you start to learn the tools.

Many are in such a rush to learn to write code, they never learn to build good software.

+1 putting a focus on key concepts like loops, conditionals, and arrays.