DEV Community

Are you TOO OLD to start coding? Use this tool to find out!

Savvas Stephanides on July 18, 2022

Coding is an exciting field, there's no doubt about that. It's an attractive field, but a lot of people are put off for one simple reason: they fee...

Read full post

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Jul 19 '22

Apparently, at (Number.MAX_VALUE+1) I'm too old to code :(

lionel-rowe • Jul 21 '22

Ahh, but you can never age to Number.MAX_VALUE. Once you hit Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER + 1, you stop aging every birthday:

const startAge = Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER + 1
let currentAge = startAge

const happyBirthday = () => {
    ++currentAge
}

for (let i = 0; i < 1000; ++i) {
    happyBirthday()
}

console.log(currentAge === startAge) // true

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Jul 21 '22

JavaScript invented immortality 💒

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

That’s just an infinite loop 🔁

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

Haha 😂

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 19 '22

That's probably a bug in the tool

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Jul 19 '22

It's a joke, the number doesn't exist in JavaScript

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 19 '22

I know 😬

CraftyMiner1971 • Jul 20 '22

I thought this was a gag tool, so I tried it out. And, at 51, I'm not too old to code. But, looking at the other comments for this thread, the said even at 99 he's not too old. Thanks for the little kick up the butt. BUT, I may not be too old to code, but with me, it's not the age that's the problem. I don't have any motivation or inspiration to code anything in particular. I even put up a challenge that someone could turn my interest to coding once again. I'm still waiting! Thanks for the laugh, though.

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

I’m sure you’ll find the motivation you need. Imagine what you could create and how many people you can help just by using your mind and a few lines of weird text! 🔥

Nikolai Djemerenov • Aug 8 '22

I am 1 year older than you.
Everything about coding is new and difficult for me. I haven't a mentor and I make many mistakes. But I have motivation, a lot of motivation, I will never stop learning till I reach my dream to be a web developer. I start at the end of 2020 and I want to give up many times, but I am still in the game and I know that the success is round the corner . Be patient and consistent. May the pation be with you!

Michael Tharrington • Jul 18 '22

Haha, love it! 🙌

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 18 '22

Thank you Michael. Hope the result was what you were hoping 😬

Michael Tharrington • Jul 18 '22

Well, I was looking for an excuse not to start, but dangit... apparently even when I'm 99, I'm still young enough! 😆

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 18 '22

Well it’s true! Get to it 😬

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 19 '22

We might have a slight issue that the sun will have already exploded by then, but sure. Why not!

Medea • Jul 18 '22

Nice!

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 18 '22

Thanks, Medea! 🔥

ca55idy • Jul 28 '22

Guess what, no one needs this tool. The answer is no. If you're open to learning, you will learn end of

Savvas Stephanides • Aug 15 '22

This is the whole point of this "tool", Cassidy. No matter what age you put in there (even something astronomical like "999999999999999999999999999999", it will still tell you that you're not too old to code. It's not actually useful tool, it's meant as a joke just to make a point 🙂

Andrew Baisden • Jul 23 '22

Age has no limit when coding.

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 23 '22

Very true!

Jakub • Jul 21 '22

I see you are fan of console.log in production too

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

The best debugging tool in existence? Of course I’m a fan!

Akin C. • Jul 20 '22

Hello Savvas Stephanides,

thanks for your tool

It was amusing to use and I agree with the result(s) :D

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

Glad you found out useful Akin!

Chris Hansen • Jul 19 '22

😂 Nice one. Very good stuff her folks.

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 19 '22

Glad you found it useful, Chris! 😆

JoeB • Jul 29 '22

what a joke

Savvas Stephanides • Aug 15 '22

Awww, thank you! This is the best compliment I've received for my tool. Means a lot.

Alperen • Jul 20 '22

It's subtle :)

Savvas Stephanides • Jul 21 '22

Haha 😆

BELearn • Jul 24 '22

Hello this is my result :
No, at age 56, you're not too old to learn to code! Enjoy!

Savvas Stephanides • Aug 15 '22

Let's get to it then! 💪

Dante Foulke • Sep 15 '22

Result:

No, even at age 9000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000, you're not too old to learn to code! Enjoy!