What is Coding? Understanding the Basics

Last Updated: April 2024

For some, the initial perception of a software developer may be a far cry from reality. That’s because building tech products in real life often means more than sitting alone in front of a laptop for nine hours a day—just as becoming a successful programmer requires more than learning how to code.

Proficiency in various programming languages is just one aspect of being an effective professional software developer. You’ll also have to utilize interpersonal, “soft” skills like communication and collaboration to work effectively across departments in an organization. And you’ll face new challenges daily, no matter how long you’ve been coding.

In this article, we’ll explore the basics of coding and what a career as a programmer may look like.

What is Coding?

Coding, also known as programming, is the act of writing the language essential for communicating with computers and computer programs. By coding, you tell computers what to do—from building websites and apps to analyzing data and creating software. If you've ever used a smartphone or browsed the internet, you've interacted with code in action. This powerful skill opens doors to exciting careers and empowers you to bring your ideas to life!

To the budding developer, writing computer code can seem like a foreign language—which makes sense, because that’s exactly what it is.

Any programming language, from JavaScript to C++, is simply a way of telling a computer to carry out a certain task. Just as when conversing with another person, you have to use the right words in the right language in the right order to be understood—the same applies when communicating with computers.

What these words are and the order in which you use them differs among the programming languages. At the core of each language, though, are the same basic components and concepts.

Why Learning the Basics of Programming Is Important

Now that you understand what coding is, it is essential to know why learning coding basics is important. Learning the fundamentals of one programming language is the first place any aspiring coder should start. That’s because many programming languages share structural concepts that are both transferable to other programming languages and essential to all of them.

Whatever programming language you decide to learn first, there will be many new terminologies and concepts to digest. This can be overwhelming if you aren’t already familiar with the basics of how computer science works in general, says developer Mikke Goes. “After learning Computer Science basics, you’ll have a solid understanding about what computers can do for you,” Goes writes. “You’ll also learn coding a lot faster since you’ll already be familiar with most of the technical terminology you hear when you’re learning programming.”

This last point is essential. At the end of the day, you probably aren’t going to learn just one programming language during your entire career. Odds are, you’re going to have to learn several, one after the other.

Adam Wulf, founder of Milestone Made, believes changing tech stacks is inevitable. “Right now, I’m of the mind that you should plan to learn essentially brand new technology stacks every ~4 years,” he writes.

That means your career will depend on your ability to learn new languages quickly, which is facilitated by a solid understanding of programming’s underlying concepts.

How Does Coding Work?

Coding translates human instructions into a language computers understand. Imagine it as giving driving directions from point A to point B, one step at a time. Coders write specific sets of instructions, called code, that tell the computer what actions to perform and when.

a. Low-Level vs. High-Level Languages

There are two main types of coding languages:

• Low-level languages: These are closer to the machine's native language and require a deep understanding of computer hardware. They offer precise control but can be complex and time-consuming to work with. (e.g., Assembly Language)

• High-level languages: These are designed to be more human-readable and easier to learn. They use keywords and syntax similar to natural languages, and the computer translates them into machine code. (e.g., Python, JavaScript)

b. Coding vs. Programming

The terms "coding" and "programming" are often used interchangeably. However, there's a subtle difference. Coding refers to the act of writing the instructions (code) itself. Programming encompasses the entire process of designing, writing, testing, and debugging code to solve a specific problem or create a functioning program.

Types of Programming Languages

There are many programming languages, each with its strengths and applications, making each coding language more or less suitable for specific tasks. Some popular types include:

• Web Development: Languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the building blocks of websites and interactive elements.

• Mobile App Development: Swift and Kotlin are commonly used for creating applications for iOS and Android devices, respectively.

• Data Science: Python and SQL are powerhouses for data analysis, machine learning, and statistical computing.

• Game Development: C++ and Unity are popular choices for creating games due to their efficiency and performance-oriented nature.

This is just a glimpse of the top programming languages to learn in the vast coding landscape. The best language for you depends on your coding goals and what you want to create.

What Is Coding Used For?

Coding is all around us in this digital age—the websites you browse, the apps you use daily, the games you play for fun, and much more. You know that coding is like giving instructions to a super-powered machine, but what exactly can you do with code? Let's dive into some tasks coding is used for:

• Building Websites and Apps: From the social media platforms you scroll through to the online stores you shop at, coding brings websites and apps to life. Coders write instructions that determine how websites and apps look, function, and respond to your clicks and swipes.

• Creating Software: The software that runs your computer, edits your photos, protects your data, or even powers your favorite games all rely on code to function. Coders design and write the code that instructs the software on how to perform specific tasks, ensuring its functionality and efficiency.

• Data Analysis: Companies use coding to analyze data and recommend products you might like. Coders develop programs that analyze massive datasets, identify patterns and trends, and translate this information into actionable insights for businesses and organizations.

• Artificial Intelligence: The self-driving cars and generative AI chatbots that are reshaping our world are also powered by code and complex algorithms. Coders design and implement these algorithms, enabling machines to learn, reason, and make decisions in an intelligent way.

Coding is a valuable skill that transcends industries, from healthcare and finance to entertainment and education. It empowers you to not just use technology, but to harness the skills and understanding to create and manipulate it!

Learning How to Code

Coding might seem complex, but anyone with dedication and a passion for learning can master it. To start, there are various ways to embark on a coding journey—each with a distinct learning path and potential outcome:

• Online Courses: Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity offer a vast selection of coding courses, from beginner-friendly introductions to advanced specializations. You can learn at your own pace, fit coding lessons into your schedule, and explore different programming languages.

• Coding Bootcamps: If you crave a more immersive and structured learning experience, consider a coding bootcamp. These intensive programs move through foundational coding concepts at an accelerated pace, typically ranging from weeks to a few months. Fullstack Academy's Online Coding Bootcamp, for instance, is a comprehensive 12-28 weeks program covering the fundamentals of web development, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and popular frameworks like React. You'll gain hands-on experience through real-world projects, receive mentorship from industry professionals, and benefit from career guidance services to help you land a job in tech. Coding bootcamps offer a fast-paced and project-oriented approach to learning, ideal for those who want to gain job-ready skills quickly.

• Self-Learning with Resources: You can also explore free coding tutorials, documentation, and online communities, to learn to code by following tutorials, working on personal projects, and seeking help from online forums.

No matter your learning style or budget, there's a path to coding proficiency waiting for you. The key is to find an approach that sparks your interest and keeps you motivated.

Benefits of Learning Coding

In today's tech-driven world, coding is more than just a cool skill; it's a gateway to exciting opportunities and a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Here's why learning to code can be incredibly beneficial:

• Experience High Demand & Earning Potential: Coders are in high demand across various industries. This translates to a strong job market with competitive salaries. Whether you dream of becoming a web developer, data scientist, or software engineer, coding equips you with the skills to thrive in this dynamic field.

• Use Problem-Solving & Creativity Skills: Coding is more than just writing instructions; it's about critical thinking and creative problem-solving. As you learn to code, you'll develop essential skills like logic, breaking down complex problems, and designing creative solutions—valuable assets in any career path.

• Build Anything You Imagine: The beauty of coding lies in its ability to bring ideas to life, whether it's building a website, developing a mobile app, or even creating video games. Coding empowers you to transform your vision into reality, fostering innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.

• Future-Proof Your Career: In a constantly evolving digital landscape, coding skills are becoming increasingly valuable. Learning to code not only opens doors to new career opportunities but also keeps you relevant and adaptable in the ever-changing digital world.

Learning to code is an investment in your future. It empowers you to not only understand technology but also to actively shape it.

Some Examples of Code

Code itself might seem like gibberish at first glance, but it's actually a language with structure and logic. Here's a taste of what basic code looks like:

HTML

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<body>

<h1>Hello, world!</h1>

</body>

</html>

This simple code snippet written in HTML displays the message "Hello, world!" on a web page.

Another example:

JavaScript

function greet(name) {

console.log("Hello, " + name + "!");

}

greet("Alice");

This JavaScript code defines a function called "greet" that takes a name as input and prints a personalized greeting message to the console.

These are just basic examples, but they showcase the fundamental structure of code. As you progress in your coding journey, you'll create more complex programs with advanced functionality!

Coding Concepts That Aspiring Developers Need to Know

Lines of computer code might seem completely indecipherable to you in the beginning, but if you can understand the following key concepts, you’ll soon be able to start making sense of specific programming languages.

The Flow of Data

Programming is all about the flow of data. A programmer has data that they can feed into a program. The program has its own data that it can use to interpret the input data. All of this data can be combined to represent ideas and provide use to both the program and the user.

In programming, data is usually represented by what we call data types, which can include words, numbers, and other kinds of complex data.

Variables

Data is essential, but a program can only use that data if it knows how to ask for it—and what to do with it when accessed, which is why it’s important to declare data at the start of the program.

Declaring a variable simply means giving a name to a piece of data. Once you’ve named it, you can refer to that data as many times as you want. Naming your variables helps the program understand what the data is and what it means when you need to draw on it later. It’s important to remember that variables just point to data; they don’t hold the data.

Control Structures

Once you have data and have named that data as variables, your program needs rules and instructions to allow it to make choices and execute commands. This is done with control structures.

Think of control structures as bouncers at a bar. The bouncer (control structure) is instructed not to let anyone under the age of 21 in. They check each ID, and if the birthday is before a certain date, that person is allowed into the bar. If the birthday is after the required date, the bouncer does not allow that person in the bar. Control structures operate in a similar fashion. They are a fundamental conditional concept, one that allows you to dictate how your code runs under different conditions or not until a certain condition is met.

Functions

In order to build something, you’re going to have to give your program a lot of instruction—but if you’re stuck asking the computer to run through the same steps over and over, writing out the same dozen instructions gets incredibly repetitive.

Functions are a way of collecting commonly used instructions and giving them a shorthand name that you can call back to. Rather than writing all of the instructions every time, you can simply use the name of the function instead, and the instructions contained within that function will execute on their own.

You can use functions to scale activities, including:

• Encapsulating code without having to know the code inside

• Dividing code into segments so multiple developers can work on it

• Reusing code

• Making it easier to test and debug

Syntax

The final core programming concept that you need to know is syntax. In technical terms, syntax is the order in which certain predefined control structures, variables, and keywords are allowed to be written. This order defines the expected result of the computer reading and executing the code.

To simplify this concept, you can think of coding syntax just as you would think of syntax in the English language. The order in which you write code is very important. Write it in the wrong order, and—just as with English—the meaning of what you’re saying can change drastically.

Unlike English, however, noticing syntactic mistakes in code isn’t that easy. These mistakes can be a tricky problem for coders because the program will run with syntactic errors but won’t produce the right output. For many new programmers, syntax can be a challenge. However, it does get easier as you gain more experience and get better at spotting syntax errors.

Professional Software Developer Career Outlook

Now that you have a basic understanding of coding, you’re probably wondering what a career in software development might look like. Life as a programmer will vary depending on the kind of company you work for, what you’re building, and which stack you’re using to do so. That said, there are several things that all programming jobs have in common.

Patience and Persistence are Non-negotiable

Patience is key to being a successful programmer. Some concepts can be incredibly complex and difficult to understand. However, with patience and hard work, you’ll eventually overcome the challenge.

Failure will happen as well, though—and that’s to be expected, even when you’ve got a good grasp on the programming languages you’re working in. The important thing to remember is that failure is not a bad thing; it’s an opportunity.

There’s also a (pretty good) chance that, as time goes on, one or more of the programming languages you know so well will be rendered obsolete by changes in technology. Learning one or even a set of coding languages isn’t enough. You need persistence to keep re-skilling if you want to stay current in the labor market.

Coding Requires Both Creativity and Thorough Planning

You’d be forgiven for assuming that coding is repetitive work. Yes, the fundamentals of coding are the same whether you’re building a web browser or fixing a plane’s autopilot system, but that’s what makes coding so creative.

By definition, coding is a creative act because you’re creating something that has never existed before. What’s more, the solution you are looking for can often be expressed in several different ways. Choosing the correct solution for your specific product out of the many available—say, for example, by making the right trade-offs (like prioritizing speed over memory)—requires the imagination to think through all of the possible user experiences and choose the best one.

While many programmers are eager to jump right into writing code, it’s important to plan ahead. By not planning, you may miss important things—leading to bugs and poor performance—which could slow down development and cost your company time and money.

Communication Skills are Just as Important as Tech Skills

You can be the greatest programmer in the world, but if you can’t explain things clearly to other (non-technical) people, you’ll limit your potential success in the industry. Communication—whether verbal, written, or even embedded in your code—is absolutely essential in the web development field.

Effective verbal communication is part of being a good team player. As a programmer, you’ll need to learn to explain code in basic, easy-to-understand terms. This will make it easier to work closely with your fellow peers who aren’t programmers.

Programmers should also possess good written communication skills. While it may not seem like it, coders spend a great deal of time communicating via email and other channels. It’s important to be clear and concise, especially if you want to eventually step into a management role.

Lastly, remember the code you write is a powerful communication tool, too. Ensure that you write clean lines of code with comments so your fellow developers can easily decipher your code and understand the reasoning behind it.

Being a Great Programmer Goes Far Beyond Your Programming Abilities

To be a good developer, you must have a firm grasp of relevant programming languages—no question. But to take things further and build a long-term career, you’ll need to dig a little deeper. The best programmers are creative, quick-thinking collaborators who keep learning as technologies change.

Coding isn’t done in isolation, and the ability to accept rapidly changing demands and work with a team to implement changes is crucial in this field. It’s one of the reasons coding bootcamp graduates tend to become great all-around programmers. During bootcamp, you’ll have the opportunity to practice pair programming by working collaboratively with instructors and peers through group projects to help further develop your teamwork and communication skills. You’ll be able to combine these in-demand soft skills with more technical bootcamp knowledge for a competitive edge.

Start your journey as a programmer with the online Fullstack Academy Coding Bootcamp! We offer full-time and part-time options to provide the flexibility you need to manage bootcamp and other life commitments.

FAQs

1. How do you explain coding?

Coding is like writing instructions for a computer, but in a special language it understands. These instructions tell the computer exactly what to do, step-by-step, allowing you to create websites, apps, software, and more!

2. What are coding skills?

Coding skills encompass the ability to write code in various programming languages. These skills involve understanding programming concepts, problem-solving, and the ability to break down complex tasks into logical steps.

3. How do I start coding?

There are many paths to becoming a coder! Explore online courses, coding bootcamps, or free online tutorials. Start with beginner-friendly languages like Python or JavaScript, and practice through projects to solidify your learning.

4. What is HTML coding?

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the building block of web pages. It involves writing tags that define the structure and content of a web page, like headings, paragraphs, images, and links. Think of HTML as the skeleton of a website!

Images by: NESA by Makers, Mimi Thian, Markus Spiske