Discover Your Ideal Learning Trajectory to Learn Programming Quickly
How to Acquire Coding Skills Effectively
To be successful in programming, you should be able to build complex programs from scratch. It takes time to reach this stage. Learning should be progressive. Ideally, progression should be:
- The skill of reading and comprehending code.
- Writing small fragments of code within a well defined context to complete a given program.
- Writing of complete non-trivial programs from scratch.
Comprehension of program code and the ability to produce program code are two semi-independent capabilities.
Someone who can read programs may not necessarily be able to write programs. The ability to write program code does not imply the ability to debug it.
Take the quiz to identify your learning trajectory and get your customized guide to improve your coding skills and understanding. This guide will accelerate your learning of the following problem-solving activities related to programming.
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Adapt | Modify the solution for other domains. |
| Analyze | Probe the time complexity of a solution. |
| Apply | Use a solution as a component in a larger problem. |
| Debug | Detect and correct flaws in a design. |
| Design | Devise a solution structure. |
| Implement | Put into lowest level, as in coding a solution, given a completed design. |
| Model | Illustrate or create an abstraction of a solution. |
| Present | Explain a solution to others. |
| Recognize | Base knowledge, vocabulary of the domain. |
| Refactor | Redesign a solution (Eg. optimize). |
| Relate | Understand a solution in context of others. |
| Trace | Desk-check a solution. |
This table categorizes various activities you might undertake during the coding solution process, providing a concise description for each.
Take the quiz now!
- How to improve your study methodology?
- How to improve your coding skills?
- How do you exercise and consolidate knowledge?
- How to gain complete mastery of a subject matter?
- How to get unstuck and make progress?
Learn how to improve your studying technique.
- I am a theoretical based learner
- I prefer practical approach to learning how to code.
- I can build small pieces of code
- I can construct a big program from scratch
- I can dissect and understand programs but cannot write my own program
Learning to program is a process consisting of different stages and not an unique stage that is impossible to reach.
Some learners attain only theoretical competencies, whereas others who take the practical approach lack the ability to analyze or evaluate even their own program code. If you have taken one of the less desirable learning paths (theoretical or practical only), you will face problems.