Software development is often mistaken to be a career path for nerds and geeks only. Becoming a software developer calls for hard work, consistency, and a willingness to learn. That reason alone is why there are programs designed to help kids get an early start with coding as well other areas in the IT sector.
Step By Step Guide to Become a Software Developer:
There is no magical path to becoming a professional software developer. This course requires you to study, practice, and, most importantly, learn from mistakes and mentors. In this tutorial, we will give you some tips to take you from someone who knows nothing about software development to someone who’s an expert.
1. Determine Your End Goal
The first thing you need to do is figure out why you want to become a software developer. Is your end goal to be a full-time employed programmer? Do you want to create software to sell or license? Or do you want to become a data scientist? Having an end goal in mind will help you easily identify the programming languages and resources you need. It will also motivate you to push through the challenging units and topics you meet along the way.
2. Select a Programming Language
Once you determine your end goal, your next step will be to identify the programming language best suited for you. If you want to go into web development, you probably need to learn Python, HTML, PHP, CSS, or JavaScript. Data science, on the other hand, will call for python programming language or SQL. Before you dive into the framework, start by understanding the fundamentals of the language. For example, you can begin your journey to JavaScript by learning to check if your phone has Android-enabled JavaScript. Selecting a Programming Language is the most important aspect to Become a Software Developer.
3. Find Learning Resources
A common misconception is that you need a degree in computer science or any related field to become a software developer. The main advantage that a degree gives you is background knowledge about software and programming to Become a Software Developer. It can also give you an edge in the job market, though this is not always the case.
If your goal is to get full-time employed as a developer, it’s best to go for the degree. But if you have other intentions in mind, take advantage of online courses and coding boot camps. You can also read programming books or learn through resource websites like Udacity and W3Schools. To show just how software development is a career of the future, the STEM learning program Unruly Splats is designed specifically for kids to teach them coding at a very young age, proving that learning technology early on will be extremely beneficial for a career in the computer tech sector.
4. Find a Peer Community
As you grow in knowledge, make an effort to find a mentor or a community of coders and programmers. Being surrounded by a community of software developers will increase your chances of success. Some have probably gone through the challenges and failures that you are facing to Become a Software Developer. They can help you overcome the hurdles on your way. Sites like Reddit and Github are great places to meet developers proficient in the programming language you are learning.
5. Create Projects
Online courses and boot camps are a good starting point to learn software development. But once you gather the basic knowledge, practice it by building your own projects to Become a Software Developer. Practicing will not only enhance what you learn in class. It will also help you identify the parts and topics that need more attention. You can take it up a notch by reading code written by other developers or solving coding challenges.
In Summary
Becoming a software developer calls for hard work, consistency, and a willingness to learn. The first step you need to take is to determine why you want to be a developer, then select the programming languages suitable for you. You can start your learning journey by getting a degree in computer science, though this is not always necessary. Online courses and boot camps are also great learning resources. As you learn, find other developers that can mentor you and practice solving code challenges and building projects.
