As the world is progressing largely in the tech-world, so are the opportunities – which are ever-increasing. More and more people are attracted to the plethora of job prospects the IT sector has to offer. However, not anyone can simply avail the job on simple terms. You would need to have a decent skill-set to show for, in order to be eligible.
One of the main markets that are never overflowing with resources and always has room for more, is the development sector. There is always a need for a developer that is fluent in one of the core languages currently being used globally. This is where you come in – an aspiring coder but still confused with the populated technologies and programming languages.
One of the easiest ways to learn to code is by indulging in web development and secretary cover letter. This is a generic guide on how to be an all-rounder web developer in just 6 months’ time. Moreover, this step-by-step guide will help provide a path on which you can tread on without being distracted with countless options available for programmers.
Here’s a 6 months plan to becoming a coder. Before starting, its prerequisites involve the following:
- Dedication
- Will to learn
- Patience
- Super-focus
If you have these, then you would ace through the six months’ plan like a breeze. So let’s start, shall we:
1) 1st Month: Create a Simple Website Using HTML and CSS
These are the easiest bunch of languages from the group; used primarily for writing websites. In addition, they are the best to start with, since they introduce the programming languages softly without overwhelming beginners. Furthermore, you would only need your computer for this and no other special software or additional installments.
YouTube is one of the strongest tools for learning as it has millions of tutorials uploaded. Similarly, there are many HTML and CSS as well. All you need to do is find the one with the best reviews and go ahead with it. Give it a month of dedication and focus and you would definitely get the hang of these two programming languages.
Once you are confident in your HTML and CSS skills and have successfully created pages; it is time to move on to your next coding-adventure.
2) 2nd & 3rd Month: Front-End-Development Using JavaScript:
Let’s get one fresher misconception out of the way – JavaScript or JS is not Java or related to Java. Both are different but very distant cousins of each other. Now, JS is a ‘scripting language’ that makes your web pages ‘interactive’ while Java is an object-oriented language.
Again, JS also doesn’t require any installation and it can be built upon HTML and CSS. Since all three, JS, HTML and CSS are interlinked, involved in making a web-page interactive and aesthetically pleasing.
JavaScript coding is famously referred to as front-end development because of its use which is mostly for the front end of things. However, JS is a versatile scripting language and is also used for back-end web development; running scripts on web servers.
JS is a great language to learn when dealing with web development and once you are well-versed with the language, you can start experimenting and the possibilities are endless. So give yourself a two-months’ time. Of course, since the learning capability differs from person to person, you can take more. But, watch out for the lazy syndrome and do not extend too much that you lose track and focus.
3) 4th & 5th Month: Back-End-Development Using PHP or Rails:
You are nearing your goal and by this time, you are, if not a champ, then educated with the works of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Next, you need to wrap your mind across the programming languages used for back-end-development.
Yes, you can have a specific niche and only choose to do front-end or back-end. But, anyone can make that decision better after they have the taste of everything. Moreover, for any coder having workable knowledge of certain languages is a plus and a must – for smoother and better coding experience.
PHP is widely used for back-end, but Ruby on Rails is emerging to the top to compete with PHP head-on. However, many famous websites were built on PHP. So it wouldn’t be a loss of any kind to learn PHP first. Besides PHP is more beginner-friendly and adaptable while Ruby on Rails has more of a learning curve.
Again, two months’ top should be your deadline and by that time you should be knowledgeable with practical implantation of at least one of the two; PHP or Ruby.
4) 6th Month: Make-believe Graduation and Building Credibility:
Assuming you are here because you haven’t gotten a degree in the field of Software Engineering or Computer Science; it is of importance that you build your portfolio by completing various projects of actual clients, delivering quality code and performance. This will help software development companies gauge your skill-set and consider you a great addition to their team – in-house or otherwise.
Key Tip: As an aspiring coder you should also learn about GitHub and its working. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully, this 6-month guide will help you set a target and follow it till the end.
