Learning to code for the first time is fun and in the beginning, with that much power, it feels like “I am going to be the next Mark Zuckerberg or Linus Torvalds”. But soon that feeling ends with a slam on the face and you get a lot of syntax errors.
Particularly in the development side, there are a number of things that need to be right in order to be able to start with least unknown errors at work. So, here I list some of the things that you need to learn before you start your development journey.
1. Directory Structure --
There were a number of times where the errors were just due to a bad folder structure in the app/website. A sound understanding of directory structure is a must thing to have while in the dev field or in general.
2. Command Line Interface --
While working with APIs and packages/modules, CLI is a must to have. A lot of people start good and feel intimidated with the text-only setting but I assure you, once you get comfortable with it, there is no way back.
3. Git, Github and Remote Repositories --
A lot of times, we write something of a masterpiece code and we don’t wanna lose it. You may also want to know how you come up with that brilliant code and detect the steps taken by yourself. In such a scenario, git is a life-saviour. It tracks your work and every change within itself. There are also a number of GUI tools to check your work’s history. Some of them include github.com (online repository), Github Desktop (local/online both), Gitlens (Vscode extension) etc.
4. Know your machine --
There are times, when a certain pc/laptop model is prone to some bugs and as a software dev, you should be able to find solutions/workarounds for those. Be it your provider's blog or community forum. The crux is to have the basic setup and understanding of general fundamentals of computer science.
5. It's gonna be hard, but you'll do it --
In your journey of becoming a self taught software developer, you are bound to excel. Just remember one thing, You are awesome, but your errors are not unique to you only. There are a lot of people like you having same/similar errors and already got their solutions on stackoverflow. Remember, as a software dev, stackoverflow is your best friend.
" Good Programmers borrow, Great Programmers steal" :)
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