Learn to think like a coder
Consider this surprising idea: coding is not primarily about computers.
Coding is a way of thinking, of structuring your thoughts. A way of expressing yourself.
Code as a medium is as expressive as natural language. At the same time, it is as rigorous and unambiguous as math.
Anything you can think, you can code. There's always a way to do it. You just have to find it. This is the puzzle-solving aspect. The dopamine rush that comes with it is what hooks many right from the start.
You learn how to work with information. On a very intimate level. So you get to understand how programs work, and how computers work as well. You get to see why they sometimes don't work.
You'll also become somewhat of a hacker. Not in the malicious sense displayed in the media. But in the sense that you understand systems. Which also means you can manipulate them. True to the original definition of the word “hacker”.
In the beginning, the odds are stacked against you:
There you stand, code editor in hand. Facing huge, complex systems. Intricate, interlinked, difficult to survey and grasp. You understand — at best — five percent of what's going on.
Now you're supposed to — literally — hack your way through the thicket and produce a working solution. How, exactly? Where to start, and how to proceed when you don't know what's out there?
This is where I come in. To be there with you along the way. And to provide guidance from an experienced perspective. I'm not only there to help you find a concrete solution. But to give you feedback on your own work. And to ask questions. Questions like:
- Why does it work this way?
- Is there a better way to do it?
- What can we learn from this?
- Which aspect is most relevant?
- How is this related to everything else?
Over time, your coding skills become better. You find it more natural to express yourself in code. And you end up not running into the same problems as before. You produce cleaner code, and you sharpen your intuition for finding solutions. Follow the path of the coder.
