What qualification is required to learn programming?
When discussing programming, the first question often arises about what qualifications are needed to learn programming.
What does it take to learn programming? What qualifications are needed to learn programming?
I’m not good at math or numbers. Can I still learn to program? I have already tried to answer this question in a previous post. However, here I will try to remove the fear of programming.
Why are we scared of programming?
Naturally, programming is a new language of rules that is meant for computers or mobile devices, not for humans. Therefore, there are no emotions in this language, no questions of headaches, and no need to be threatened or show anger. So the language of these new rules may seem difficult to us. The biggest fear is that we won’t find it entertaining while learning this language. It may seem dry, boring, and difficult to type on a keyboard.
So, I would say that learning programming is not a battle with the programming language, but rather a battle with our mindset and mentality. We lose and retreat in fear. Another issue is the environment.
You need to create the right environment for the specific programming language you want to learn. Thinking about the environment again? Hmm, good question. Suppose you want to learn how to ride a bicycle, then you will definitely need an open road or a large field. If you want to learn boating, you’ll need a boat, a river, or a pond. Different things require different elements, and this is called the environment.
Many people get bored while setting up the environment on the computer for programming. This can discourage them from learning programming altogether.
Each programming language requires a different environment. However, nowadays setting them up is not a big problem. All you need is a high-speed internet connection.
Now, what qualifications do you need to learn programming?
First of all, you need to have the mindset and interest to learn. Patience is also essential. Just like a student who says, “I won’t go to school unless I get new clothes,” or “I won’t go to school unless I buy a bag,” or “I won’t go to school today because I have to finish a book,” will not be able to study. Similarly, if someone says that they can’t learn programming because their computer is not good enough, or they don’t have a computer with 16 GB of RAM, that’s not the right mindset for programming.
Even the world’s greatest programming masters, like Bill Gates, learned programming by writing in notebooks and using computers for testing and creating new code. But the programs given by the teacher do not require a computer, because there are no mistakes in those programs. So why write in a notebook to learn? It’s because you can’t see what’s going on. Actually, programming is nothing but some small sentences to instruct someone, and these sentences are logical.
For example, to calculate averages, one must learn addition and then division. Can you see the logic here? The logic is that you need to learn addition and division first to find the mean. In other words, you need to perform one operation based on the condition of another. Still don’t understand?
Let’s look at this small example: if I say “eat less food,” there is no logic in that statement. Various questions will arise, such as why someone would say “eat less” or what it means to be “miserly,” etc. But if I say, “do not eat when you are full to prevent wastage,” there is logic behind it. Because it is said not to eat when the stomach is full, which means that it is not forbidden to eat until the stomach is full.
So, your qualification for learning programming is to understand logic, understand terms, and have the ability to determine what to do based on a given condition.