how to become professional programmer and app developer

How to Become a Programmer: 8 Steps to Building an App from Scratch Published May 25, 2015 Intro “What’s the best way to learn how to code?” “How to become a programmer” “How to build an app” These are common questions asked everyday by beginners who are eager to learn how to code. No doubt you’ve already googled something along those lines and read enough articles/answers to the point where you’re sick of the “standard” advice. If you have not, or if you somehow think I have something new to say and want to hear it anyway (I don’t), here is a short and pretty much pointless answer (I shall give it a SEO-friendly click-bait name: “3 Steps to Becoming a Programmer”): Step 1: Pick a Language Step 2: Learn the Language Step 3: Build Stuff and Keep Learning Hey, don’t throw shoes at me. As much as I’d like to say there’s a one-size fits all method to learning how to code, there really isn’t. (Let me add a Step 0: accept that everyone learns differently). Countless more detailed answers elaborating steps 1 & 2 already exist on the web, but the common answer to step one is to learn Python or Ruby as your first language (don’t get too hung up on the language, you’ll never get started). If you need learning resources, we’ve curated several guides you can check out: Learn Python Learn Ruby on Rails Learn JavaScript (Always learn JavaScript before learning frameworks such as AngularJS or React ) Learn iOS Development Learn Android Development Several of you’d get to this point: If you’re having that moment when you’ve become a lost sheep, don’t freak out because you’re not alone. Pretty much every time you ask “how do I become a programmer”, developers will tell you to build stuff, as building things is how you can improve as a programmer and it’s the best way to learn, etcetera etcetera. But how do you build your own app? You can always follow existing tutorials on how to build a Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram/etc clone with whatever language & technology you’re using, but keep in mind that the authors of those tutorials have actually done most of the work for you, and all you are doing is understanding the code and their logic. This article will attempt to provide you an outline you can follow when building your own app from scratch. Pre-requisites Most apps would need a database, so if you’re going to be building your own app by yourself (ergo the front and back end), you’ll likely have to know a database query language (usually SQL). Unless you’re building something that does not need to interact with a database like Flappy Bird, for example. What’s more, if you’re looking to build a web app, you’ll need to know some basic DevOps to be able to set up your development environment/server, and to be able to actually launch the app. If you’re only aiming to be a front-end web developer, you can hone your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills at Codepen or JSfiddle. If you only know JavaScript and don’t want to learn another language, then you can try Node.js, as it’s a JavaScript platform for back-end development (You can also use MongoDB as your database since it’s also based on JavaScript.) Otherwise, you should also know one of the following languages (and usually a web framework) if you intend to build a complete web app: Ruby Python PHP Java Go C# If you’re looking to build games, then you can consider learning Lua, though C# is also a very good choice thanks to the Unity 3D game engine and its massive community. As for native mobile app development, you’ll need to know Swift/Objective-C for iOS development and Java for Android development. Without further ado, let’s get to how to build an app from scratch. Step 0: Understand Yourself First and foremost, build something that you’re passionate about. Interest is the best way to keep yourself motivated, so ask yourself what do you care about or what do you like to do. For example: What apps do you enjoy using the most? What apps can’t you live without? Do you