Although I’d rather not get too technical, I can recommend some places to look when you’re starting out.
You’re in a great position to set strong foundations for your learning. I’d rather be in your position than be an arrogant programmer with bad habits.
Where to start?
Research your Roadmap
I’d love to have written material about every single aspect but there is so much to be said, and so many people can say it better than I ever could.
Look at what types of technology, and language you want to work with, what type of fields you may want to be an expert of (software, mobile apps, websites, video games etc). Obviously be sure this is the right choice for you. If it is, then narrow the list down. Look at various roadmaps.
If you want to venture right into the core of computers and code I recommend the book imaginatively titled Code by Charles Petzold. He manages to explain something stupidly complex in a way that leaves you feeling smart. He starts simple and layers complexity in-line with how the computer was naturally developed.
Courses
Udemy has many courses – never, I mean NEVER pay full price. They have a flash sale more often than they don’t and tutors are desperate for students. Courses tend to be around £10 during a sale (as opposed to whatever fake, non-sale cost it claims to be). Reviews tend to be genuine so it’s easy to spot a good course, plus, you can check out what the course consists of beforehand. Don’t get drawn in by how many hours each course is – it is more about the quality.
Note: Seriously, don’t get drawn into tutorial hell. There are many cheap courses and even though it helps your learning, they’re an aid, and a tool – eventually you need to take the proverbial stabilisers off and start building your own projects.
Codecademy is what I started with – they offer many different languages to learn. There is a paid/pro version but I got plenty out of the free version without any annoying barriers or advertising – from what I remember it is just a limit to what courses are available.
Figure out the best way for you to learn
I’m old school and prefer books – the problem with printed material is it gets out of date fast.
Some people are visual and prefer video. I also like this method but it’s only really effective for me when I’m at home, on my laptop and have my monitor available so that I can watch on one screen and code on the other. This isn’t always possible.
Others want interactive content. I’m sure there are some decent sites out there – for JavaScript, there is a Google app called Grasshopper that I enjoyed. Once you’re up and running with a language, I recommend CodeWars for some fun challenges. Other fun little games can be found, for SQL buffs you can play a murder mystery game!
Also think about how you plan to retain information – do you like to keep a notebook? Or maybe index cards on a cork board? Do you keep notes on your mobile or laptop? Find what works.
Summary
The whole approach to Outfox Code is to discover more about yourself on a personal level first, then iron out some of the creases and only then focus on the technical side of things. The reason is that by discovering yourself, you’ll find the most effective, and smartest way for you to learn something in the quickest time and with the deepest knowledhe.
Ultimately, you know how to google things. Take a look around, gather some ideas, some insight. You don’t have to follow the crowd with any of this, just figure out what works for you and what will get you where you want to be in a sensible fashion.
Start thinking about what projects you may want to work on and look at similar projects – even the most audacious of creations are born from influence. It is impossible to create something completely unique, you are influenced consciously and subconsciously. There is no shame in seeing how someone created a similar project to yours and then cherry picking the aspects you like and think work and use that as an approach to your product.
Learning should feel fun, sure, you’ll get stuck and frustrated from time to time, when you do, realise that once you crack whatever you’re stuck on – the greater the struggle, the greater the reward. You’ve got this!
Feel free to reach out if you’re looking for advice, or some guidance. If I see common trends in what people are asking for, I’ll write a post for you.