DEV Community: Patrick-co

Me, MySelf, & Self.

Patrick-co — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 00:05:19 +0000

It is week five into my journey with Flatiron, and I can confidently say I have learned much considering I had very minimal knowledge in the matter. I still have a long way to go, but every step takes me that much closer to reaching my goals.

In this blog post I do not want to talk too much about myself, as in me, but of 'self' which is a keyword that can be found within the Ruby language.
I, myself, am still having a bit of trouble grasping the full extent of this confusing keyword, so let's dive into it together.

There are four types of variables in Ruby:
Instance variables which uses the symbol @
Class variables which will use the the symbol @@
Local variables
Global variables

What is Self in Ruby, and how can we use it?

They keyword 'self' in Ruby gives us access to the current object and is the default receiver of method calls for which no explicit receiver is specified.
When you use the self keyword within an object it points at itself. Using self inside an instance or class method refers to the same object the method is being called on.

-In a method, the object on which the method was called is 'self'

-In a class or module, 'self' is the class or module object being defined

If your code is inside and instance method, 'self' is an instance of that class. In other word's self is an object.

Why do we use 'self'

We would want to use 'self' because we don’t want to use the class name for each method definition. Self makes our code easier to change if we change the class. And it makes the code less noisy and easy to read.

The concept of 'self' was and still continues to be a challenge to me, but good thing I love a challenge. If you are like myself, remember to be patient with yourself, and take your learning step by step. You will definitely thank yourself in the long run.

‘You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.’ –Richard Branson

Adventures of Building a CLI

Patrick-co — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 03:18:00 +0000

Hello again, Coding Community! I'm back to give an update on my coding journey. One month into the Flatiron Software Engineering full-time programing, and let me tell you . . .

IT'S BEEN TERRIFYING AND THRILLING ALL AT ONCE !!!

A dash of anxiety, a pinch of tenaciousness, a handful of Google searches, and a rollercoaster of emotions. Coming from a background of absolute no coding experience until today has certainly proven a unique one. We've gone over and learned, in depth, about Ruby which includes: Arrays, Looping, Iteration, Hashes, Data Structures, Object-Orientation, Class Variables, and Methods. Just to name a few.

With all said and done, each phase in the program finishes off with a project. For phase one, our project to was to construct our very own Command Line Interface (CLI) application from scratch which consumes data from an Application Programming Interface (API). Nothing too fancy, but with enough structure to demonstrate what we have learned so far.
Requirements for our CLI were to the point. Create a CLI which would be user-friendly, and allows for the choice to obtain certain details of selected outside source. A CLI where the data provided must go at least one level deep, prompting a choice for the user to make if said detailed information was wanted.

When starting out with any project, whether it is coding or not, it is always great to start off by mapping your steps of approach. A great thing about code itself, is its fluidity when it comes to writing it. For example, there are multiple approaches that could have been taken to begin this project:

If you draw your attention to the photo above, you can see for my project, I went ahead and manually created my folders, files, and a repo on GitHub. (A lot easier than one might think) Another method of starting this project would be using bundle gem which would create most of the necessary folders and files for you. If you take the second option, just make sure to go through it all to make sure you are only using the ones you need.

A major challenge for me was not the CLI structure itself, but consuming the data from the selected API. There are gems, methods, and shortcuts aplenty when consuming an API, depending on the API and the data source themselves. It is up to you to stay focused and organized when connecting the dots to your final goal. I learned this the hard way from overthinking and falling off the map a bit. From watching one to many videos for aid, and the pages of articles, I threw myself for a loop. Shown below is an snippet of the code I finished off with to complete the task at hand:

From not ever creating such a programming to finally seeing my program run without hiccups, I can honestly say a did shed a tear of enjoyment. My advice to anyone out there who is embarking on the challenge of making their own CLI, I say, "remember to double-check all your spelling for typos". Also not to be afraid to ask for help, no matter how small or "easy" the question may be.

“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
– Nelson Mandela

Why Did I Decide To Study Software Engineering? - The New Beginning.

Patrick-co — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:44:17 +0000

The world always seems to work in mysterious ways. One day you think to yourself that you have achieved a tranquil stage in your life. Everything planned out, everything running smooth, passing all the tests.

Until one day, the slightest error in your system and the world goes spinning.

The world might be always changing around us; however, never forget you're the one in control. Just have to get a little innovative. 

And that, is exactly what I did.

Hi, my name is Patrick Taylor and this is my story.

Before the whole Covid-19 outbreak in March of 2020, I was living a simple life here in Maryland. I worked, and I guess you could also say partially working, in the hospitality industry.  The idea of bringing smiles to others always sparked an note in me. That along with the thought of never having the same day twice. Having the ability to bring new ideas, opportunities, and the chance to network.
Along with that I am proud to say I am somewhat of a "Jack-of-all-trades".  I've always been a curious one, wanting to learn new skills and/or talents. For example, taught myself how to play seven instruments. Built my own p.c with some guidance from a friend. Looking to learn more into real-estate investment, and stocks. Etc. Which at the same time can be like a double-edged sword. I wouldn't say I lose interest easily in any one thing, but I do prefer to invest my time in the process, and opportunity for that personal growth. 

College years were definitely interesting to say the least. I was one of the undecided when it came to my major simply because I wanted to do and be everything! I ultimately narrowed down my choices, and started in the field of Biomedical Engineering. With an new fresh spark in my eye, and head full of ideas, I began on my path. That path ended up turning into another .. which turned into another, etc. etc. 

To keep that story short, and to bring you up to speed to present day, lets just agree to say life happened.

With everything going on nowadays, I decided it was a good opportunity to refocus and start investing in myself once again. And that brings us back to the main question of why I decided to study Software Engineering.
To begin, I was recommended and nudged towards path of Software Engineering by a handful of close friends who have knowledge, experience, and careers in the field. Having had several conversations with them, I recalled on fond memories of when I, too, dabbled with coding for fun! Thinking back on it now as I type this, I find it ironic how I was coding without even knowing it. At a previous work place, I noticed their website wasn't the most attractive, so that very night, I had set out to attempt to make them an newly renovated one.  
After a few days, and the help of Wix.com, I had created an new update mock site for work to which received many positive responses. 
So while deciding on whether to follow through, I searched inwards on what exactly it is that I want overall in life. Some reasons which one may relate to:

- Stability. The ability to not only support myself without worries, but my family as well. No matter what happens. 

- Growth. To finally tap into my full potential which I know has been patiently dormant within.

- Change.  To use my skills not only for myself, but to create and leave behind a better world for the future by any means necessary. 

With that being said, February of 2021 is the month I had planned to set off and began my new journey in life with FlatIron School as a Junior Developer. Learning I could along the way, meeting, and networking with others for potential future opportunities.

Now, as I have said previously, I did start off in Bio Engineering, so one might think why not pick up where I left off. Sometimes it is not about the destination itself, but the pit-stops made along the journey. And till this day will continue moving forward inch by inch with my final project in mind as the goal..

A goal which would save the world, and rocket us into the future.

"In order to grow, you must first place yourself in uncomfortable situations outside your comfort zone."