I’d like to counter and tell beginners learn the fundamentals of computer science and data structure and algorithms before jumping into any programming languages. The fundamentals are essential to be able to proceed. - ThreadSky

aliafonzy.bsky.social • 533 days ago

I’d like to counter and tell beginners learn the fundamentals of computer science and data structure and algorithms before jumping into any programming languages.

The fundamentals are essential to be able to proceed.

Reposted from Ansh

Here are some tips I would give beginners learning to code in 2024:

1. Start with the basics of JavaScript/Python as that’s usually the most approachable.
2. Build something small like a small game like hangman or anything can be played in the console/terminal.
3. Slowly build more complex projects

Comments

takahanazawa.bsky.social•533 days ago

When I was a CS TA this was a frequent point of friendly debate between my boss and I.

I still maintain that if you want to be any good at programming you need to understand what it is you're doing.

aliafonzy.bsky.social•533 days ago

Fundamentals make and break the experience

leviathan3k.bsky.social•533 days ago

These fundamentals are pretty much how I got my current job, which involved giving a very comprehensive answer to a Python question despite barely knowing any Python (because all my previous work was in Java).

ophelia-dusk.bsky.social•530 days ago

I absolutely agree. I teach cybersecurity and so many of my students don't know things like what is a ping, what is a driver, what is DNS etc. This content is out of the scope of my program, but should absolutely be prerequisite knowledge - they really won't understand what they're doing without it.

yourordinarycat.com•532 days ago

Not disagreeing here, but what do you consider to be “fundamentals of computer science”? I see this kind of statement floating around a lot, but I don’t see anyone mentioning what people should actually learn, and it gets messy with topics like memory - worth learning, but is it a fundamental?

aliafonzy.bsky.social•532 days ago

That’s why I mentioned data structures and algorithms which is the largest component to know and is important especially when coding and wanting to consider performance optimization

aliafonzy.bsky.social•532 days ago

And it is because everything has a foundation.

Like for example: Math is started off with basic addition, subtraction, etc.

How can you expect to do advance right off the bat when you don’t even have the basic fundamentals down?

aliafonzy.bsky.social•532 days ago

If someone can’t do adding or subtracting or multiplying or dividing, how can they ever build upon that to stuff like derivatives and exponential and Euler functions ??? Just that thought process. People need to stop skipping things cause it’ll hurt them

yourordinarycat.com•532 days ago

I agree, and there’s also the advent of cloud services that promise a lower entry barrier - no need to install an IDE, or Git, or configure anything, just use the interactive playground! It makes the first time working on a non trivial project hit like a brick wall.

aliafonzy.bsky.social•531 days ago

Yup ! Exactly

anshnanda.com•533 days ago

I think this is a great approach for the long term! Unfortunately the reality is that most people quit early, hence I recommended a really easy to get started and stay motivated.

Example: Here is the completion graph for people who do Replit’s 100 days of code

anshnanda.com•533 days ago

At the end of the day, consistency is the hardest part and the key to success.

Just find what you enjoy and stick to it and you’ll see tremendous progress!

geirhe.bsky.social•532 days ago

When you say success - what does that mean to you?

I have been on two-pizza teams that could outperform about fifty developers on other efforts I have been in. The two pizza team was by far the best one to be on.

I think getting on that two pizza team requires a measure of bloodymindedness.

aliafonzy.bsky.social•533 days ago

Then if they quit early 🤷🏼‍♀️I’m sorry but fundamentals are real and important and I’ve seen it all too well. Many want to cut corners and get it quick but tech is hard and long work.

aliafonzy.bsky.social•533 days ago

And I’ve soon learned myself:

This industry is brutal and nasty and will continue to do so. If people want something easy?

I’m not recommending software engineer. And I make it clear to people if they can’t put in the work:

Then don’t. But having foundation matters a lot

aliafonzy.bsky.social•533 days ago

Also 100 days of code I don’t really like using as a baseline or example versus the tech community I’m involved with (renderATL, Danny Thompson, Angie jones, Kelsey Hightower, Pariss Athena, etc) and also just what I’ve seen being in industry . Fundamentals SUCKKK but man they help!

aliafonzy.bsky.social•533 days ago

And with 100 days of code :

Was this after learning fundamentals or going in blindly?? And getting frustrated cause they don’t know why they coding and what is happening at the core. I wonder if comparison can be done in 100 days of CS fundamentals THEN code 👀

cruftbox.com•533 days ago

Yes! Back 35+ years ago when I was in school, they taught Computer Operations & Logic Design (COLD) where we learned the basics of how a computer uses gates and logic. It was fundamental to understanding how software runs on top.

Data structures and algorithms are key basics to understand today.

mitdasein.bsky.social•533 days ago

This is exactly what my company didn’t do. Just dropped us into Java. And said “no previous knowledge necessary” when previous knowledge was definitely necessary.

mitdasein.bsky.social•533 days ago

I’m genuinely kind of amazed that the rest of my cohort did better than I did.

The “instructor” was going to boot me before we finished boot camp and I talked him out of it. I wish I hadn’t.

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