Why should I code?

You call the shots!

With code, you get to do whatever you want. Obviously, there are limitations. We should do things that make the world a better place, not worse. The sky is the limit and actually, that’s not really true either. You’re really just limited by your own creativity.

Those limitations aside, you can build whatever you want. If you want to build a car that transforms into a tiger, you can. If you want to build an app that helps people without homes have access to free resources, you can do that. If you want to program a robot to throw a ball for your dog, you can.

The fun of a challenge

What’s the last thing you learned how to do? It was probably hard at first and then something clicked. Do you remember that awesome “aha, it makes sense” feeling? I promise you will get lots of that when learning to code. Of course, at times, that means it’s going to be hard. That “aha” feeling makes it all worth it. That feeling of accomplishment feels good.

Why Use Python and not [insert other programming language]?

There are hundreds of programming languages. You could choose any one of them and be able to learn the same concepts and probably build all the same projects. Each language is typically built for a purpose, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do other things. Sometimes that purpose is just for fun and sometimes it’s to launch a rocket.

In Python’s case, Python was written to make coding easier to read. This is why many programmers suggest learning to code with Python. You’ll also find that Ruby, JavaScript, and Java are often suggested for learning. There really is no right answer. In my experience, I find both Python and Ruby to be the easiest to read and write. Once you understand a few terms, they kinda read like English.