DEV Community: Rohit More

Approaches For Learning Programming Languages

Rohit More — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 05:59:39 +0000

Introduction

Learning a new programming language is no easy task. You need a clear and structural guide that will guide you through your journey of learning a particular programming language.

Well, this article does exactly that! It will give you an overview of the whole learning process. You will learn about the best approaches for learning a programming language. Alright, enough introduction! Let's start our journey by discussing the first approach:

Make A Plan

This is the first stage of your learning process. You need to have a detailed plan that you will follow in order to learn a particular language. There are two things that you need to prepare:

Roadmap

You need a roadmap for learning before you jump into a new programming language. This will help you to be clear about the topics you need to learn and the order you need to follow. Prepare a roadmap for the language you want to learn with the help of your friend, Google!

Resources

You need to gather the resources that you will use to learn the topics. These resources may include courses, documentation, or anything else. Create a list of resources that will provide you with the necessary learning materials.

Cool! You now have a roadmap and a bunch of resources ready to help you on your learning journey. So, it’s time to jump onto the next thing!

Learn The Fundamentals

A building's strength lies in its foundation. The stronger the foundation is, the more powerful the building is.

This is why the initial step of learning a language is to learn the fundamentals and get a strong grasp of them before moving onto the advanced topics. Start using the resources you gathered to learn about each and every topic in detail.

One common thing learners face is having doubts. It's pretty natural to get stuck while learning a topic. It happens to everybody. So, what's the solution?

Well, that's where Google comes into play! You just put your question in the search bar and it immediately finds you the solution.

Another resource that developers look up to for solving their doubts is Stack Overflow. If you don't know, Stack Overflow is a community-based website where developers can find and contribute answers to technical problems. Its huge collection of questions and answers helps you to find the solutions to your problems. Go and check it out!

Practice

Practice every time you get a chance!

If there’s one thing you should do, it’s to practice writing code. When you watch a tutorial or read the documentation about a particular topic, it's pretty normal to feel like you’ve learned that topic. However, the actual learning lies beyond a good amount of practice. The above quote clearly tells you the type of mindset you need to have.

Try to spend 30 minutes each day practicing coding. It's a great way to get your hands dirty. Try to write simple programs that involve the topics you’ve learned. This way, you will start feeling more comfortable with the syntax.

Another thing that developers sometimes do and you can try is to write code in a text editor rather than in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The reason behind it is that the utilities such as code completion, automatic indentation, etc. are not present in a text editor, unlike an IDE. So, if you write code in there, you have to take care of each and every element of your code and indentation, thus making you an overall better coder. Try this approach and see if it works out!

Learn Advanced Topics

Okay, so you've played around with the basic stuff for a while and now you are ready to move forward. What's next then?

The next step is to learn the advanced topics. These topics are most likely based on the basic stuff that you've learned. This is the stage where you will understand the importance of mastering the basics. If you have a good hold on them, the advanced stuff will be much easier for you to learn.

The approach will be the same. You have to practice writing code in a consistent manner. Remember, the programs you write this time around will be harder than the previous ones. So, don't get overwhelmed. Take your time and get them done.

Build Projects

Congratulations! You've successfully completed learning the basics and the advanced parts of the language. Give yourself a pat on the back! You deserve it! It’s never easy to come to this stage. Drink some water, celebrate a little, and take some rest!

Now, you're back again with full focus to get the next step done! So, what's that?

It is to build projects. Building projects helps you to identify the patterns you should use to put together the pieces of syntax you've learned. Start building simple projects using the knowledge you've got and then gradually move on to the more complex ones. The more topics the projects involve, the more practice you get. It's really a great way to strengthen your knowledge of the particular language.

Conclusion

We've reached the end! We have seen above some step-by-step approaches that you need to follow in order to become a master of the language. It’s definitely not an easy task, but it’s not super tough either if you abide by the above approaches. Remember that learning a new programming language takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication. So, stick to the process until it's done! Here are three tips from me that will help you reach your destination:

Be patient
Be consistent
Take regular breaks
One day, you will surely reach the spot where you can say, "Worry not! I got this!"

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We are Setting Up a Coder's Community

Rohit More — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:49:52 +0000

Webo Master Community

We would like to invite you to join our community. We want to make it a place where we can share our knowledge and experiences. We will be posting articles about the latest trends in the industry, as well as tips and tricks to make your coding journey easier.
We are excited to have you on board!

TailwindCSS vs Bootstrap: What's the deal?

Rohit More — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 05:24:17 +0000

Introduction

I recently noticed that having an idea of something you want to build sometimes, isn't as complicated as finding the right tools to build with. We are constantly conflicted about which framework or library to use, and the thought process can get you winding down rabbit holes for quite a while.

In this article, we are going to explore two of the most widely used CSS frameworks, TailwindCSS and Bootstrap. These two have been around for quite a while, the former younger than the latter, but they are responsible for many websites that are up and running today.

But why should one go for Tailwind or Bootstrap? What do they have or do not have in common? And what should you consider when making a choice?

Before we find answers to these questions, let's explore both frameworks separately.

What is Tailwind?

Tailwind was created by Adam Wathan and was first released in November 2017. It has been growing very fast since then and is taking over many other CSS frameworks that existed before it.

It is an open-source, utility-first CSS framework. Imagine that you have all the CSS classes written in a global CSS file, and all you have to do is call those classes in your HTML. So, you write CSS without writing CSS (if that makes sense).

Tailwind kind of follows something called atomic CSS or functional CSS.

Atomics CSS is the approach to CSS architecture that favors small, single-purposed classes with names based on visual function.

If you understand the basics of CSS, then picking up tailwind will not be much of a problem because the class names resemble and work in the same way as pure CSS.

Pros

As for advantages, Tailwind has got some.

Makes styling flexible and neat UIs much easier and faster.

It's easy to customize. Tailwind already has a large set of utility classes written for you, but customizing and making things suit you is also very easy, but sometimes uncommon.

Allows for optimization. You can't use every utility class on your site, and Tailwind uses PurgeCSS to help eliminate unused classes, thereby reducing file size.

Is a bonus for teams. If you are working with a team, then using Tailwind for production is a plus. Classes have naming conventions, and everyone can see and/or easily change the styles for an element without even looking at the global CSS file.

The Just In Time compiler (JIT). When your app starts to get complex, the size of the CSS file also becomes somewhat heavier. Tailwind introduced a JIT, that only compiles the CSS that you use.

Cons

As for disadvantages, there aren't too many, because Tailwind has been growing fast and improving so much over the years.

Before, developers complained that applying so many classes inside the HTML file made things ugly and clogged up. Tailwind fixed that by introducing reusable styles.

The one downside of Tailwind as compared to Bootstrap is that it does not give you prebuilt components like the latter does. With Bootstrap, you have a custom-made navbar already made behind the scenes for you. With Tailwind, you have to combine classes to make a navbar for yourself.

If you have little or no knowledge of CSS, then Tailwind might prove to be somehow strange. With previous CSS knowledge, you will quickly pick up the classes, and development there afterward will be faster.

What is Bootstrap?

Bootstrap has been around for well over 10 years. It was created at Twitter by Mark Otto and Jacob Thornton. Despite how old it is, it is still widely used today.

Just like Tailwind, it is open source. The reason why Bootstrap became so popular is because of the approach that it uses. The framework already has prebuilt components written in CSS and JavaScript ready-made for you. Components like navbars, buttons, forms, etc. Without much work from your side, you could have a complete website in only a matter of time.

Pros

Thriving community. They've been around forever (if 10+ years is that long). Despite the fact it's open source, Boostrap is backed by a huge community of teachers, as well as developers.
Prebuilt components. This is probably the biggest advantage of using the framework. Bootstrap's prebuilt components save a lot of time and are easy to get started with.
Has a good grid system. This makes layouts with Bootstrap easy to build and manipulate. This advantage also contributes to the fact that the framework is perfect for the mobile-first approach, and makes it easy to achieve responsiveness.
Has a wide variety of templates. With tools like Bootstrap Studio, you don't even need to get your hands dirty with too much code. All you need to do is to fine-tune these templates to your taste.

Cons

Constant overriding of styles. Since Bootstrap has already written pretty much everything for you, it leaves developers wanting to make things look the way they want most of the time. To do this, you need to dig into the many files that Boostrap comes with and start customizing styles and media queries.

Boostrap classes are pretty generic. If everyone kept using the standard classes without any customizations, then every website would start to look and feel the same.

What's the difference?

As you might have seen above, these two frameworks come from two different approaches. They have quite a number of differences.

Bootstrap comes with larger file size. If you aren't using the CDN, then the next way to add Bootstrap to your project is by downloading a ZIP file that will contain the necessary CSS and JavaScript files. Tailwind on the other hand is installed as a package and the largest file you'll come across is the global CSS file which contains all the utility classes.

Like we've seen before, Bootstrap comes with prebuilt components that aim at helping you build faster. Tailwind comes with utility classes that help you build freely.

Bootstrap requires constant overriding of styles, which can get pretty much tiring in the long run. Since Tailwind doesn't restrict you to have elements look a certain way, not many customizations need to be made if any should even be made.

A button created with Bootstrap by developer A will look exactly the same as a button created with Bootstrap by developer B. Again, tweaks need to be made in order to create significant differences. With Tailwind, UIs come out looking slick and neat. Needless to say, I'm biased towards Tailwind.

When to use what?

If you are someone who doesn't like getting into too much styling or coming from the backend world, or if you just need a minimalistic front-end so that you can focus on backend logic, then Bootstrap might be the perfect fit for you.

If you are more design-inclined and love to have things looking neat and beautiful, then Tailwind makes it easier for you. Or maybe you're me, who isn't design-inclined but loves working with a framework that makes my designing skills better than they actually are.

Conclusion

The end note is, to work with what you are comfortable with. These are two amazing frameworks with technical functionalities that are far beyond the scope of this article. If Bootstrap calls to you, go for it. Same as for Tailwind. I hope that this article shone sufficient light on these, and helps make a pick for your next project.
Happy Coding!

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10 Free Resources to learn JavaScript

Rohit More — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:59:05 +0000

1. FreeCodeCamp

FreeCodeCamp is one of the biggest and most exceptional communities for anyone who wants to learn to code.

🔗 freecodecamp

2. JavaScript 30

Build 30 things in 30 days with 30 tutorials.

🔗 JavaScript 30

3. JavaScript info

On this website, you can learn JavaScript from basics to advanced topics with very detailed explanations.

🔗 JavaScript info

4. Learn JavaScript Online

On this Website, you can read short lessons about JavaScript topics and then try to implement them in their Interactive environment.

🔗 Learn JavaScript Online

5. MDN docs

MDN doc is an excellent resource for learning JavaScript. Here you can find a very detailed explanation of topics with code samples.

🔗 MDN Docs

6. Javascript Essentials

This is a free JavaScript Course available on udemy where you can learn all the basic and essential topics in JavaScript.

🔗 Javascript Essentials

7. Scrimba

Learn the basics of JavaScript by solving 140+ interactive coding challenges and building three fun projects.

🔗 Scrimba

8. Intro to JavaScript ES6

This Youtube playlist teaches you about all new concepts that are introduced in ES6 JavaScript.

🔗 Intro to JavaScript ES6

9. JavaScript DOM Manipulation

This freeCodeCamp tutorial will teach you how to manipulate a DOM Tree in JavaScript.

🔗 JavaScript DOM Manipulation

10. Javascript Crash Course

Recently Traversy Media drops a 1-hour-long JavaScript course on their Youtube Channel.

🔗 Javascript by Traversy Media

C++ is being replaced by Carbon?

Rohit More — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:41:43 +0000

When it comes to system programming and application development, the general-purpose programming language C++ provides excellent versatility. To ensure high-quality programming, however, developers must be aware of some language traps.

In an effort to replace the venerable but problematic C++, Google researchers have introduced a brand-new "experimental" open source programming language called Carbon.

Carbon could serve as a successor language to C++, one that provides a simple starting point for developers to a newer language that addresses contemporary development concepts like memory safety and generics. This would be similar to how Microsoft built Typescript to update JavaScript and Kotlin to strengthen weaknesses in Java.

Pitfalls of C++

C++ has long been the preferred language for creating performance-critical applications, but it has a number of problems that make it difficult for current developers to use it.

It carries with it many of the archaic habits that were a part of the language's predecessor, C, and has accrued decades' worth of technical debt. Backward compatibility is given top priority by C++'s guardians in order to maintain support for popular projects like Linux and its network of package managers.

Another obstacle to the language's progress is a bureaucratic committee approach that prioritizes standardization over design. It may make adding new features challenging. In a waterfall approach that might take years, a select committee makes crucial decisions in the mainly secretive development of C++.

How Carbon offers remedies

Carbon's design hopes to have a core working version ("0.1") available. A generics system, which eliminates the need to examine and review the code for each instantiation, is one of the current programming principles on which Carbon will be constructed.

Memory safety is a crucial element that C++ is missing. One of the main sources of security flaws is memory access issues. The development of dynamic bounds checks, greater tracking of uninitialized states, and a thorough default debug build mode are all goals of the Carbon team. The creators intend to create a secure Carbon subset over time. According to the documentation, the language will support:

Performance-critical software
Software and language evolution
Code that is easy to read, understand, and write
Practical safety and testing mechanisms
Fast and scalable development
Modern OS platforms, hardware architectures, and environments
Interoperability with and migration from existing C++ code.
The development team will also set out to create a built-in package manager, something that C++ sorely lacks.
Conclusion
The replacement is not going to happen tomorrow or next. C++ will still be relevant in the next decade. That being said, Carbon is an experiment. There are no guarantees, it may fail to meet its goal. Thanks so much for reading. The comment section is open for you to share your thoughts.

How to Get Started in Tech?

Rohit More — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:16:48 +0000

Introduction

If you've ever thought about getting started in tech, but have been afraid to take the plunge, this post is for you! It's not as hard as it seems—and I'll tell you how right now!

Pick your passion

There are a lot of options when it comes to picking a topic to focus on. You can learn how to code, but there are also so many other areas within tech that are equally as exciting and rewarding.

When choosing your focus area, make sure it is something that you're truly passionate about. It's easy to get lost in the excitement of learning new things, but if you don't actually like what you're learning, it'll be hard for you to stay focused on improving at it over time.

Use your free time

Use your free time to learn.
If you have a few hours in the day, take advantage of them and use those hours to do something that will help you get better at what you love. Find tutorials online or dive into books on your favorite topic (or anything else!). Read articles from reputable sources on how tech is changing the world, then write down any questions you have about it so that they're ready when they come up later in life—or even this week!

Use your free time to create something new.

You don't need an expensive piece of equipment or software; there's no reason why anyone should stop making things just because they don't know how yet! If there are certain aspects of design/development that interest me but aren't part of my regular workflow at work, then maybe those could become part-time hobbies instead? Or maybe I'll find a way around this limitation altogether by creating something entirely new based on another idea instead?

Learn a programming language.

You should pick a programming language that you are interested in. You don't need to know everything about the language before you start using it, but at least understand what it is and how it works. I recommend starting with Python and JavaScript because they are easy to learn and popular among employers.

What kind of language do you want to use?

There are many different types of programming languages, so choose one that is easy for you to learn, fun to use, and most importantly in demand by employers (which means it will be easier for you to get hired). If your goal is just learning about tech companies and software development careers then any modern programming language will work fine!

Develop a growth mindset and learn to enjoy the process.

The key to learning to enjoy the process is developing a growth mindset. A growth mindset is when you believe that your abilities can develop over time, and that every step along the way adds something new to your skill set.

In a nutshell, a growth mindset is the idea that you can improve your skills through hard work and practice. It's not something you're born with: it's something that you can cultivate by learning to enjoy the process of learning itself, even when it's difficult or frustrating. You can learn how to do this by finding mentors, or joining communities where people are more than willing to help each other out as they go through their own journey of self-improvement.

Find your superpower and become an expert! 💪💪

If you're like most people, you have a special skill or set of skills that make you good at something. Maybe it's your ability to juggle and solve puzzles, your facility with code, or your knack for graphic design. Whatever it is, spend some time exploring what makes you uniquely good at something and then focus on honing that skill.

For example: If you're great at solving problems by thinking outside the box (and getting others to do so), look for ways to use this skill in your day-to-day life.

Build a portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of your work and accomplishments. It’s one of the most important things you can do as a tech professional, because it shows potential employers what you have done in the past and what skills you have. A good portfolio will showcase your design skills, programming knowledge and ability to communicate with others in different fields. Having a strong portfolio will help get you hired!

There are lots of places where software developers can build their own portfolios online using websites like Github, Dribbble or Behance.

Don't be afraid to try out something you want to do in tech

Don't be afraid to try out something you want to do in tech. If you're new and interested in technology, I recommend starting small. Choose a project that's relatively simple, but still interesting enough for you. Don't worry about what other people think: if you love coding, then go for it! The best way to learn is by doing and making mistakes along the way. You'll also learn faster when there are fewer things standing in your way of trying new things—like having an empty text file staring at you on screen!

Get involved in a community

You'll want to find a community that is close to your interests and skills. This will make it easier for you to learn from people, as well as help others by sharing knowledge. You should also find a community that is willing to teach newbies like yourself and help them grow their skills.

Get involved in tech Twitter!

It's the fastest, most direct way to learn about tech and get your foot in the door. There are tons of people who are willing to help, especially if they see you making an effort and taking initiative. You'll also get exposed to all sorts of resources, which means more opportunities for getting your name out there.

Getting started in tech is not as hard as it seems.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of learning to code, but getting started is not as hard as it seems. You don't have to be a genius, and you can learn at your own pace. You don't need a degree or formal training to learn how to code.

There are many resources available for you to get started with coding and any programming languages. It's possible to teach yourself programming languages and create your own applications without spending thousands of dollars on tuition and classes.

It's never too late and you're never too old to get started learning to code!

It's never too late and you're never too old to get started learning to code! You can learn to code at any age, and it's never too late to start. In fact, a lot of people are surprised to find out that they can still learn how to code in their 50s!

If you have a passion for technology, why not start now? You might be surprised at what you can accomplish with just a little bit of practice.

The barrier to entry for learning how to code is much lower than it used to be. With so many resources available now and an increase in people entering the field, there's no reason why anyone should hesitate about starting their journey into tech education.

The truth is that anyone can learn how to code and become good at it if they want it badly enough!

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped you get started on your journey to becoming an expert in tech. There's no need to be afraid or hesitant about what lies ahead! Don't feel pressured by others' expectations of you, and focus on what makes your heart sing. With these tips at hand, I believe anyone can make their dreams come true.

Which is easier? Frontend or backend development?

Rohit More — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 07:40:00 +0000

The argument about which is easier between frontend and backend development has continued to breed lots of sentiments in the technology industry.

While backend developers believe that their counterparts pass through little or no stress to get their work done, frontend developers on the other hand feel the backend devs only finish up a little of what is left after they are done.

This article does justice to this lingering sentiment, by explaining, especially to newbies in the web development space, how frontend and backend developers work.

What exactly do frontend developers do?

Frontend developers are professionals who build websites and applications which users can see and interact with.

They use programming languages such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), JavaScript, etc. to code what pops up on the screen when you click the URL of a website.

They achieve these by doing the following:

Designing:

Web design is the primary job of a frontend developer.

It entails the look and feel of the website, and contains features which the user can interact with.

The features include the texts, buttons, forms, drop-down menus, animations, etc.

The frontend developers also style the features, to enhance their appearance and make them sizable.

A frontend developer needs knowledge in the following areas to successfully design websites:

Graphic design: It is an artistic skill which helps a developer to create meaningful texts or graphics that communicate to the user.
User experience design: Also known as UX design, is a skill used to determine how a user would feel while using the website. It is done by mentally empathizing with the user and comparing his needs and goals to what he would encounter while using your website to meet them.
User interface design: The UI design is mainly focused on the architectural innovations that a user uses to communicate with the website. It can be graphical e.g. desktop, or voice controlled e.g siri, or gestural e.g. virtual reality games.
Mathematics: It is true that one does not necessarily need to be grounded in math before you can code successfully. However, a basic knowledge of mathematics will help you. While some web design does not need anything more than basic numerical operations, others do. Sprinkle a little math there. It won't hurt.
Programming languages: Languages as basic as HTML and CSS can build you almost any type of web design you want. You can as well spice it up with JavaScript.
Search Engine Optimization: How do you make your website rank high in search engines? Optimizing the website! That is another nut a web designer has to crack.

Web responsiveness:

A frontend developer does not stop at designing the website. He goes further to ensure that the webpage will fit in sizably in all kinds of screens and devices, big or small.

It should be accessible to people using desktop, tablet, or mobile phones with maximum satisfaction.

This is achieved when the developer uses:

HTML: It is one of the best languages in responsive web design, in that, its liquid layout allows any design made using HTML to automatically become responsive to any kind of device, mobile or desktop.
CSS: The features in CSS are used to enlarge, reduce, adjust, hide, and as well make the layouts flexible.

Testing:

The frontend dev has yet another frog to eat after designing and making his website responsive.

Of course, you do not just create a product and throw it out into the market without checking if it works.

The questions the frontend developer asks after designing are:

Is it usable?
How well is it functioning?
Is the performance good enough?
Is it aligning to its purpose?
Is it secure enough?
Are there errors I need to correct?
When you are able to answer these questions, then you have tested your website.

Fixing errors:

What happens when a frontend dev notices an error while testing? He fixes it to avoid problems in the future!

In web development, this is known as DEBUGGING.

Bugs are errors (tiny or big), found in codes, that have the potential of disrupting its function.

Ignoring bugs can be disastrous, as it can crash your website.

Creating new versions:

If you ever thought that the job of a frontend dev ends after releasing his website into the market, well, you thought wrong.

A frontend developer constantly tracks his website and thinks of new ways to make it better.

He continually comes up with ideas and features that will enhance his product, and codes them into the system.

All these are achieved by using a software known as VERSION CONTROL.

Some examples of version control softwares are:
Git
Darcs
Azure DevOps
Apache SVN
Mecurial
Concurrent Version System (CVS server)
What exactly do backend developers do?
Unlike frontend developers, who take care of everything you can see on your screen, backend developers are experts who control how the website works.

Backend, like the name goes, constitutes everything that goes on behind the scenes in the website.

Backend developers use programming languages such as Java, PHP, C#, Ruby on Rails, Python, etc to control proper functionality of the website by:

Managing databases:

When a frontend developer creates a system where a user can input any form of data, the data does not go anywhere, because there is no database where it can be saved yet.

This means that if a user wants to create, recreate, read, update, or even delete his data, it is not possible.

This is where the backend developer comes in!

Using the Database Management System (DBMS), he stores or hosts databases (as the case may be), to allow efficient user interface.

Some examples of DBMS are:
MySQL
MongoDB
Microsoft SQL server
Amazon RDS
SQLite
Oracle Database
IBMDb2

Writing API:

So, you must be wondering how a frontend application talks to a backend application.

What method and function can be used to communicate between these applications?

The Application Programming Interface (API) is a software used to interface with other softwares using a set of procedures/protocols.

It is the backend developer who incorporates this API into the software.

To learn more about APIs, click here.

Networking:

When developing web applications, the principles of computer networking can never be overemphasized.

The backend developer uses the following to exchange data and share resources:
TCP/IP model
Port numbers
IP addresses and networks, etc.
Application logic:
The backend developer will need to understand and executive exactly what the web application is built to accomplish.

Whether it is in databases, meta-level descriptions or encoding rules for behavior of the website, a backend developer never overlooks application logic while structuring web applications e.g structuring web search and web information.

Website availability:

When the URL of a link is clicked, it opens into a webpage and is accessed by the user.

However, server or software failures may hinder the availability of the website.

The backend developer ensures that the website is available at all times, and this is checked by using online services such as:
Uptime
Dot-com monitor
CurrentlyDown
Host Tracker
StatusCake, etc.
Website scalability:
This has to do with how well the website can cope when the number of its users start to increase.

The backend developer ensures that there is an increase in traffic on the website, and that this increase does not in any way hamper its functionality.

This, they do by either increasing the number of resources in the server, or increasing the number of severs in the system.

Overall performance:
This entails:

Measuring the loading-time of the webpage and
Ensuring smoothness of running.
The backend developer monitors the speediness and blockers-free running of the website before and after designing.

So, which is easier?

We are no longer oblivious to the fact that frontend and backend developers are children of the same mother with different destinies, judging by their duties mentioned above.

Frontend developer attributes include being:

Creative
Innovative
Visionary
Artistic
Empathetic
Curious

While backend developer attributes include being:

Analytical
Logical
Organized
Detail-oriented
Systemic

Conclusion

In web development, it is almost impossible for frontend and backend developers to do without each other.

Each developer has his own skill, preference and special field of interest. This does not make one field less easier or difficult than the other.

Web development is already complex, and I personally consider these comparisons unnecessary.

Just keep creating mind-blowing websites!!!

Popular VS Code Shortcuts for Developers

Rohit More — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 07:26:54 +0000

Developers are highly opinionated when it comes to code editors. A code editor is just not for writing code, it is also used to ease up the developer's work in several ways. For devs like you, it is very necessary to pick the right code editor. Among the various options available, Microsoft's Visual Studio Code has been one of the most preferred choices when it comes to being a multipurpose and multi-lingual code editor.

So what exactly is Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a lightweight and feature-rich code editor released in April 2015 by Microsoft. Little did people know at that time, that this tool will go on to become a disruption in the world of code editors. VS Code was an instant hit among developers. By 2016 itself, it ranked 13th among the top popular development tools on stack overflow, and by 2019, it became the #1 choice of developers and is still expanding its user base like crazy!

According to 2021 Developer Survey on Stack Overflow, where a mammoth 82,277 people participated, VS Code was ranked #1 among the top popular development tools with a majority vote share of 71%. Sounds crazy, right

VS Code Popular Development Tools

The reason for VS Code being so popular among the developer community is, that it's a complete package for all kinds of development workflows. Be it doing web development, from coding simple programs to some complex ones in different programming languages like C, C++, Python, JavaScript, Java, etc. to just writing a simple Hello World program, VS Code does all that very efficiently.

Since so many people are using VS Code daily, it is important to realize why it is so popular among students and developers.

A clean UI
Accessibility to features
Integration of multiple extensions
Plethora of shortcuts
In this article, we at Coding Minutes have decided to give you a walkthrough of some of the most popular Visual Studio Code shortcuts that can save you a lot of time and boost your productivity. We understand that, as readers, when we visit an article in search of useful information, we want it to be informative and to the point, and that's exactly what we are offering you here!

Let's just dive into the top 30+ VS Code shortcuts one by one...

General Shortcuts

1. Opening Command Pallete
Windows : ctrl + shift + P or F1
Mac : ⌘ + shift + P or F1

2. Quickly open a file in the Current Workspace
Windows: ctrl + P
Mac : ⌘ + P
Basic Shortcuts

3. Cut a Complete Line
Windows : ctrl + X
Mac : ⌘ + X

4. Copy a Whole Line
Windows : ctrl + C
Mac : ⌘ + C

5. Moving a Line Up or Down
Moving the line up - Windows : alt + up-arrow , Mac : options + up-arrow
Moving the line down - Windows : alt + down-arrow , Mac : options + down-arrow

6. Copying a Line Up or Down
Copying a line up - Windows : alt + shift + up-arrow , Mac : options + shift + up-arrow
Copying a line down - Windows : alt + shift + down-arrow , Mac : options + shift + down-arrow

7. Deleting a line
Windows : ctrl + shift + K
Mac : ⌘ + shift + K

8. Insert the next line without altering the current position of the cursor
Below the current line - Windows : ctrl + Enter , Mac : ⌘ + Enter
Above the current line - Windows ctrl + shift + Enter , Mac : ⌘ + shift + Enter

9. Moving to Begin or End of a Line
To move to the start of a line - Windows : Home , Mac : Home
To move to the end of a line - Windows : End , Mac : End

10. Moving to Begin or End of a File
To move to the start of the file - Windows : ctrl + Home , Mac : ⌘ + Home
To move to the end of the file - Windows : ctrl + End , Mac : ⌘ + End

11. Fold or Unfold the current block of code
To fold - Windows : ctrl + shift + [ , Mac : ⌘ + shift + [
To unfold - Windows : ctrl + shift + ] , Mac : ⌘ + shift + ]

12. Comment or Uncomment a line
To comment a normal line - Windows : ctrl + / , Mac : ⌘ + /
To uncomment a commented line - Windows : ctrl + / , Mac : ⌘ + /

13. Toggle Word Wrap (highly)
Windows : alt + Z
Mac : options + Z
Search and Replace Shortcuts

14. To find or replace a word or a string in the current file
Find - Windows : ctrl + F , Mac : ⌘ + F
Replace - Windows : ctrl + H , Mac : ⌘ + H

15. To find or replace a word or a string in the current workspace
Find - Windows : ctrl + shift + F , Mac : ⌘ + shift + F
Replace - Windows : ctrl + shift + H , Mac : ⌘ + shift + H
Multi cursor and Selection Shortcuts

16. To insert multiple cursors at mouse click positions
Windows : alt + left-click
Mac : options + left-click

17. To insert multiple cursors above or below the current line
Above - Windows : ctrl + alt + up-arrow , Mac : ⌘ + options + up-arrow
Below - Windows : ctrl + alt + down-arrow , Mac : ⌘ + options + down-arrow

18. Select current line
Windows : ctrl + L
Mac : ⌘ + L

19. Select all occurrences of the current word
Windows : ctrl + F2
Mac : ⌘ + F2

20. Column Box Selection
Windows : shift + alt + mouse-drag or shift + alt + arrow-keys
Mac : shift + options + mouse-drag or shift + alt + arrow-keys
Advanced Document Editing Shortcuts

21. Format the document
Windows : shift + alt + F
Mac : shift + options + F

22. Show References
Windows : shift + F12
Mac : shift + F12

23. Close the Code Editor Window
Windows : ctrl + F4 or ctrl + W
Mac : ⌘ + F4 or ⌘ + W

24. Split the editor (high)
Windows : ctrl + \
Mac : ⌘ + \

25. File Management
Creating a new file - Windows : ctrl + N , Mac : ⌘ + N
Opening an existing file - Windows : ctrl + O , Mac : ⌘ + O
Save a file - Windows : ctrl + S , Mac : ⌘ + S
Save as a file - Windows : ctrl + shift + S , Mac : ⌘ + shift + S
Display Shortcuts

26. Toggle Full Screen
Windows : F11
Mac : F11

27. Zoom in or out of the editor Window
Zoom in - Windows : ctrl + + , Mac : ⌘ + +
Zoom out - Windows : ctrl + - , Mac : ⌘ + -

28. Show or hide the terminal
Windows : ctrl + Mac : ⌘ +

29. Open a new Terminal Window
Windows : ctrl + shift + Mac : ⌘ + shift +

30. Open native markdown preview
Windows : ctrl + shift + V
Mac : ⌘ + shift + V

31. Open Zen mode
Windows : ctrl + K Z
Mac : ⌘ + K Z Press esc to exit
and many more...

Conclusion

Visual Studio Code is a great tool when it comes to developing software on the go. With its extensive free plugin libraries and regular feature releases and bug fixes, it has been greatly admired in the developer community.

In this article, we have seen some of the most used vs code shortcuts. Feel free to visit the VS Code's Keyboard Shortcuts menu using the ctrl + K S to find some more shortcuts for your use. These all shortcuts can be customized as per your choice, if you are already familiar with some code editor, then you can always go to the keyboard shortcuts menu and can modify any of the available shortcuts as per the key binding of your choice.

How to get unstuck when you hit a programming bug

Rohit More — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 13:15:29 +0000

As a Software Engineer, getting stuck is a very common thing. Being a Software Engineer/Developer is a skill on its own. While learning how unstuck a software problem is another skill one needs to know.

I've been getting stuck recently, so finding a way to get unstuck has been ever present on my mind.

HOW TO GET UNSTUCK WHEN YOU HIT A PROGRAMMING BUG

STAY CALM:

This is the first step to staying positive. Believe in yourself and in your ability to solve problems. Errors are not something to fear or be discouraged by. So, take a breath and stay calm before attempting any of these strategies to get unstuck.

READ ERRORS:

take the time to read the errors you received, understand the errors you receive, and connect the quotation marks between each error message and the solution to the problem, you will gain valuable coding.

BREAK DOWN THE PROBLEMS:

Don't look at your code as one large block, it can seem like a massive undertaking to hunt down one error. But, if you breakdown your code down into smaller blocks, each accomplishing a small task it will be much easier to figure out where the error is located.

MAKING RESEARCH (Google precisely):

Even though we said there wasn't a magic button to help you get unstuck, Google should be your best friend. Sometimes, Google is pretty a close alternative if you're working outside the community platforms. Google can help you search for a solution to a particular issue you're having.

VISIT PROGRAMMING RESOURCES:

There's been a lot of discussions and questions from learners that have gone through the same materials you are going through. If you're stuck working on a project. You can also leverage "walkthrough videos". These videos will take you through how to complete the step-by-step tutorials.

As a Software Engineer, Getting stuck can be so frustrating. That is why developers should join communities that will be helpful to solve problems.

DEVELOPERS COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE HELPFUL TO SOLVE PROBLEMS

github.com:

Github is supporting a community where more than 40 million people learn, share and work together to build software.

stackoverflow.com:

StackOverflow is an open community for anyone who codes. They help you get answers to your toughest coding questions and share knowledge with your coworkers in private and find your next dream job.

freecodecamp.org:

FreecodeCamp is a non-profit community that helps you learn to code by building projects.

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to like comment and share if this was helpful.

Why should you do a hackathon?

Rohit More — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:27:09 +0000

Here are just a few of the many benefits of competing in a hackathon:

1. Win Big You can win some great prizes from cash prizes to computing hardware, VR headsets, and even Teslas sometimes. The diversity of prizes provided by sponsors is unlimited.

2. Network and Grow Community It's one of the best ways to meet other developers, designers, and tech business developers, and make lasting relationships. These relationships are valuable for your next project or job opportunity.

3. Talent Scouting By Sponsors The sponsors often use the hackathons for sourcing talent for their corporations, and will often push you ahead of the line for job opportunities, if they see your work at a hackathon.

4. Follow On Funding Additional funding through grants or investments by the sponsors is often available to hackathon participants, especially in the #web3 space to continue developing the project presented.

5. Free Travel + Room and Board Numerous hackathons with large sponsors will reimburse hackers for the cost of travel + room and board. So you can compete and explore new places for free for these particular hackathons.

6. Swag There is so much free, awesome swag at hackathons from beanies, shirts, gift cards, snuggies, drones, etc everything under the sun - just for showing up.

7. Free Food If you're a foodie, you"ll love a hackathon. Every in-person hackathon has free food available, often highlighting unique, local eateries.

8. Build Your Portfolio Hackathons are a great way to build your portfolio and create example work to show future clients, employers, etc in a fun environment.

9. Fun and Games In addition to the hackathon-sponsored challenges, there are usually other games throughout the contests esp for in-person events, such as capturing the flag or making forts from available materials that have prizes separate from the challenges.

10. Free Training Every hackathon usually offers free training on relevant programming and design skills through seminars or labs that will you to build your skillset for free.

11. Free Developer Tools Sponsors usually provide free subscriptions to their developer tools so you can use them during the hackathon and afterward in your dev journey.

12. Build Confidence One of the best benefits of participating in hackathons is the improvement in self-confidence. Pushing to create a project, in a limited time will give you the courage to take on new challenges as a developer and in your personal life.

Come on, try out a hackathon sometime! I know you want to! 😀

Mistakes when learning to code

Rohit More — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 10:34:05 +0000

In this article, I want to go over mistakes you may make when learning to code. This can also be considered advice when learning to code honestly, however you want to take it. I had 4 points that came to my mind that I think can big time change your way from learning improperly to learning properly.

Tutorial Hell

The first one is the famous tutorial hell. Tutorial hell was something I myself was in, doing tutorials for over 2 years straight, and then thinking I'm a full-stack developer, little did I know, I had a hard time coding up stuff with just HTML and CSS.

It made me on one hand really demotivated to continue coding, I put in so much time just doing tutorials, I'm supposed to be able to code up anything now right?

That's when I realized, I never struggled. Struggling is where you actually learn. If you don't struggle, it likely means you're not on the right path when learning. It is a good point to assess if you're doing things correctly, by asking yourself: How comfortable am I right now?

My advice to summarize: Spend more time building stuff and struggling than doing tutorials, your future self will thank your current self.

Not focusing

When learning to code, oftentimes the primary goal is to find a job. Learn to code and then find a job. A lot of beginners, including myself at the time, want to learn everything and so many things.

What can happen is, instead of focusing on learning the stuff necessary for you to find a job, depending on the field you have chosen within software development, for web development that could be for example HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you end up jumping around and learning a bit of numerous stuff, which won't actually help you and just waste your time.

Focus on learning what you need to get that job as a developer and once you have that job, feel free to jump around however you want like a bunny in your spare time.

Not journaling

I think journaling and assessing yourself is super important when you're trying to accomplish a great goal with a timeline in mind.

You want to improve every week, every month, in order to perform better as time pass.

Try to journal every evening, assessing yourself, how your day went, what you could have done better, and what you were proud of.

It is good, to be self-aware and have the mindset of knowing that there is always room for improvement.

Not researching

Well, this may not be a mistake, but rather an advice. Spend time researching and improving your research skills.

By researching, I don't mean just Googling. When you do Google, pull up multiple links, read them thoroughly, and make sure to take advantage of Google.

Fireship has an amazing video on how to improve your google searches: How to "Google It" like a Senior Software Engineer.

Golden advice

Golden advice I wish someone would have given me, and not me having to find it out myself: If the documentation isn't enough, and you feel like you need more practical examples and seeing how people have implemented a certain technique/approach/framework, whatever that may be, use Github's search.

Once I learned this technique, honestly, I rarely feel like: How do I even implement this into my code?

Another thing that is really useful, is if you don't want to search for code, but see how others have used a certain technology that is open-sourced on Github.

Best resources for self-taught developers

Rohit More — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 16:44:43 +0000

Selecting the right tools and resources from the myriad of available resources can be challenging for Self-learner and anyone looking to make a transition to web development.

Below are some of my favorite free learning resources and tools that helped me in my journey as a self-taught web developer.

Learning Resource

1. FreeCodeCamp

It is a non-profit organization with the mission to help people learn to code for free by creating thousands of videos, articles, and interactive coding lessons.
It has the most comprehensive lessons and an up-to-date curriculum. It also, consists of an interactive learning web platform, an online community forum, chat rooms, as well as online publications.

2. W3Schools

It’s one of the oldest online learning platforms that create simplified and interactive learning experiences. If you are looking to learn basic frontend development technologies - HTML, CSS, and Javascript, this is definitely a great website.

3. Javascript.info

Javascript.info created in 2007 by Ilya Kantor covers modern javaScript tutorials from the basics to advanced topics with simple, but detailed explanations.

4. CSSreference.io

Cssreference is a free visual guide to CSS. It features the most popular properties and explains them with illustrated and animated examples.
It gives illustrated and animated examples to improve understanding of the cascading style sheet (CSS) covering topics like flexbox, grid, box model, positioning, transitions, animations, and typography.

5. DevDocs

DevDocs is a web app aimed at providing you with quick access to the reference manual of just about every front-end language and library. It combines multiple documentation of over 100+ for lots of developer tools into a single searchable interface.

6. MDN Web Docs

MDN (formerly Mozilla Developer Network) is a free resource for in-depth and well-explained documentation on web standards such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Web APIs, and much more.

7. Frontend Mentor

Frontend Mentor is a collaborative learning platform that provides designs so that you can practice your front-end skills using a real-life workflow.
It helps you improve your front-end skills and knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript by building real projects.

8. Scrimba

Scrimba is a code-learning platform that helps motivated newbies become professional web developers without spending a fortune. Its mission is to give students the quality of a coding Bootcamp with interactive courses and tutorials on React, Vue, Angular, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and more.

9. CSS In Real Life

CSS-irl is designed, written, and developed by Michelle Barker covering tips, tricks, and tutorials on the web's most beautiful language known as CSS.

10. Learn X in Y minutes

It’s one of the most popular tutorial websites that provides a concise and introductory guide on any programming language and technologies including Solidity, Python, JavaScript, C, C++, etc.