My Science School

Programming plays a part in almost every aspect of modern human life from online transactions and running the transport systems to powering our computers and smart phones. Coders stand as the architects of our digital worlds, and imagining a life without programmers is almost impossible.

A lot of people today wish to learn to code. Some wish to pivot their careers toward programming roles, while others look to augment their existing skill-set or professional lives with some software special sauce. For example, a stock analyst may want to learn how to code to write algorithms to analyse markets while a marketing professional could have different motivations to want to learn to code, and an artist may choose to code to be able to build a website for their portfolio. There are many more people who wish to learn to code, and with the zillion possibilities the world of programming has to offer, the ability to code is a superpower to posses. But people wonder how long it takes to become a coder. It doesn't necessitate years of preparation. There are a few good things to have in check before one starts preparing to code.

• Figure out your ‘why’. Why is it that you wish to code? Are you doing it to improve your problem solving skills? Or is it to learn to build a website? Or do you want to learn to build games?
• Find a mentor/guide or a course that holds the potential to answer your questions, and guide you through the process of learning by providing resources and direction. It's easy to get overwhelmed with the overload of information on the internet.
• Familiarize yourself with follow the What’s and the How of what you wish to leans Before diving deep into a specific topic, it’s a good idea to test the waters. For example, if you wish to leans how to build a website, you can get started with HTML CSS, and then go on to learn Javascript, or Python, or PHP the depending on your choice or your requirements. If you want to build a game, you can learn Unity, or work on Unreal Engine, or Autodesk C or other software. If you're excited about the world of robotics, you can use Arduino boards or Raspberry Pi.

With a robust plan followed up with an expert's guidance, the process of learning to code could take just a few months. One can keep adding layers of learning to improvise, and eventually become an expert. Gone are the days when one needed an engineering or a technical degree to pursue their interest in learning to code. With the plethora of resources available, even a non-technical person with the desire and mindset to learn can ace programming.

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The options for a programmer are near-endless: an aspiring programmer could work as a mobile engineer creating smartphone apps, become a game developer, a network security engineer, a database manager, or a full stack developer.

The skills needed for each domain of programming are different, but here are some fundamental skills a programmer needs to get started with coding.

Algorithms

Algorithms are at the heart of computer science. "An algorithm is a set of instructions for solving a problem or accomplishing a task. The understanding of algorithms allows a programmer to write code that can follow certain steps to get the desired job done.

Here's an example. Suppose a number or a name is to be searched from a huge list, how can it be done? One of the algorithms that can be used is the binary search. There are many algorithms used for different purposes, and to become an efficient coder, one needs to have an overview of algorithms.

Data structures

An understanding of algorithms leads us to our next hard skill: comprehending and using data structures. While an algorithm can order data when it is directed to do so, programmers need to understand how the data is organised in the first place. Data structure can be defined as the group of data elements that provides an efficient way of storing and organising data in the computer for efficient use. Some examples of data structures are arrays, linked list stack queue, etc. Data structures allow programmers to store data within specific frameworks and better facilitate communication between back-end operations and front-end users

HTML & CSS - Frontend technologies

HTML and CSS are both basic coding languages-often, they are the first two that they learn. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) helps organise the content and structure of a web page, while CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) determines the style and presentation of a web page.

JavaScript/ Backend technologies

The back end of a website / app consists of a server, an application and a database.

A back-end developer builds and maintains the technology, that powers those components which, together, enable the user facing side of the website to even exist in the first place

Languages such as Python, Java, PHP, Ruby, and Javascript are some of the popularly used backend technologies. Today Javascript is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to work on both frontend, and backend with frameworks such as node.js, react.js, etc.

Databases

A database is an organised collection of structured information or data, typically stored electronically in a computer system. A database is s usually controlled by a database management system (DBMS). Examples of some popular databases are MySQL MongoDB, Oracle, etc.

The data and the DBMS, along with the applications associated with them, are together referred to as a database system, often shortened to just a database.

Soft Skills

As a programmer you'd be required to interact and work with designers, fellow developers, product managers, tech leads, and at times the client, and this requires skill sets that can get you going Communication skills, patience, empathy, the ability to handle conflicts, and teamwork are some of the skills needed to get started as a programmer. Therefore, if you're looking to become a programmer, you may want to work on your soft skills as well.

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Computers and their applications have evolved quite a lot since the invention of the first-ever programmable computers in the 1940s. Initially, computers were extensively used in wars to break cryptic messages, or calculate artillery projectiles, or communicate over long distances. However, with time, the use of computers and their applications started increasing, and in this article, we will explore some modem uses of programming in our day-to-day life. Some of the real-world applications of coding are

Games and gaming consoles:

Gaming consoles have been the dream of many teenagers, but how do these consoles function? All instructions given by gamers through keyboards or consoles are translated into actions with the help of code.

Building websites and apps:

Social media platforms, search engines, audio streaming platforms, and many more websites and apps we are hooked to are a result of many programmers coming together to write code such that these applications and websites can do what they are supposed to.

Traffic management:

Be it managing traffic on the road or outer space, coding allows humans to actively manage traffic movement, eliminating the need for humans to manually manage it.

Facial recognition and biometrics:

Have you ever wondered how our smartphones can instantly recognise us and unlock our devices? Thanks to the feat of programming, computers can monitor millions of data points to verify the rightful owner(s) almost instantly.

Self-driving cars:

Who is driving the car when the human isn't? How does the computer know when to drive, how to drive, and where to go? With the extensive use of technologies such as Al (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning), today it is possible for cars to self-drive.

Banking and insurance:

How do banking systems know, about our bank balances and interests? With computers, and programming into the picture, banking institutions can access data in real-time, eliminating redundancies and errors.

Stock markets:

With trillions of dollars being traded every day, it becomes vital to ensure that the money reaches the right people at the right time, and all of this is managed through computer programs.

Powering e-commerce sites:

How come when you place an order for your favourite gadget, it usually reaches you and not someone else? It is with the help of code and programs that millions of products are safely shipped to the right recipients.

Electronic devices:

From refrigerators and television to earphones, electronic devices are hard-coded to perform certain actions.

If the computer is a physical entity, then the program running it is its soul.

The world of computing has undergone a rapid evolution, and today humanity enjoys the power of computing and programming in almost all aspects of life. Which is why today coding is seen as one of the most desirable skills.

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Do you have a friend you always turn to for advice and who gives you a patient car? And does sharing your concerns - sometimes in the strictest confidence- make you feel better? However, sometimes we are too afraid to seek even our friend's help. That's why newspapers and magazines offer help through advice columns. But did you know that these columns, known as agony aunt columns, started more than 200 years ago? Or that the first agony aunts were actually uncles?

In 1691, an English publisher named John Dunton launched the "Athenian Gazette". The periodical carried a column readers turned to for advice. Often the readers sent in their queries without revealing their identity.

The column was in the question-and-answer format. Questions came in from readers on subjects that ranged from religion to philosophy to personal lives. They were answered by Dunton and some of his friends.

How they evolved

Such columns soared in popularity in the 1900s. They struck a chord with the readers. Newspapers and magazines used them to interact with their readers.

The authors of these columns were not necessarily experts, but anyone with the gift of the gab especially those who could come up with witty and humorous responses.

Often the authors themselves kept their identity hidden. Sometimes the columns were written by a team of authors under a common pseudonym. The agony aunts doled out advice on a wide range of topics from mental health and relationships to homemaking and socialising. Readers found these columns comforting, as they echoed their own sentiments and concerns. Some of the popular advice columns of the 1900s were "Dear Abby", "Dear Prudence", and "Ask Polly".

In India, the '80s and the '90s were considered the golden age of advice columns and many celebrities and socialites played agony aunts. Television actress Priya Tendulkar ran the "Priya's Helpline" in The Indian Express and the column was known to receive 500 letters per week. Theatre director Pearl Padamsee's agony aunt column for Femina, and socialite Bina Ramani's "Very Personal" column for the Asian Age were equally popular.

While most of these columns were light-hearted, some of them tackled serious issues and were handled by experts such as medical doctors and psychologists.

New avatar

Advice columns continue to run even today albeit in a new avatar. They are no longer restricted to the print medium alone. Television shows and radio channels too have segments dedicated to answering questions from readers on various topics. There are also many agony aunt podcasts available online. For instance, Slate magazine has revived the "Dear Prudence" columns in the form of podcasts.

Social media too has not been left behind. Some websites and apps offer advice in real-time to users.

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