Coding for Absolute Beginners: Most-Asked Questions Answered!

i get this question a lot. Python or Java? JavaScript or C?

i wasted two years because i was asking the wrong question. i started with Python, switched to Java, and got nowhere. i was trying to find the perfect programming language, but that was the very thing holding me back.

the truth is, it doesn't matter that much.

The "survivor" problem

you see a lot of successful developers telling you their path was the "right" one. some say C, some say Python.

but we never hear from the people who followed that same path and failed. it's a classic survivor error. programming is hard no matter what language you pick.

think about it. nobody argues about the best computer game to start with to become a gamer. you just pick one and start playing. you should do the same with programming.

Pick a role, not a language

instead of the language, focus on the job you want.

• Frontend: you want to see what you build and interact with it.

• Backend: you like complex logic behind the scenes. you won't be coloring buttons.

• Mobile/Full-stack: you want to do both. but be careful, full-stack can take twice the effort to get your first job.

once you pick, stick with it. it’s tempting to switch after six months, but it's more effective to follow one plan.

How to build a real roadmap

stop looking for roadmaps on youtube. they get old fast. the job market changes constantly.

here's a better way:

1. Find 10 junior job listings for the role you chose.

2. Count every technology that gets mentioned in them.

3. Sort that list by the number of times each tech appears.

that is your roadmap. it’s built from what companies are actually asking for right now.

How to actually learn and get unstuck

courses are fine to get familiar with something. but real skill comes from practice. for every 1 hour of watching a course, you should spend 4 hours building things.

when you get stuck (and you will):

1. Sit with it. just think about the problem for at least 20 minutes without looking for a solution.

2. Talk to a rubber duck. explain the problem out loud like you're talking to someone. it works.

3. Use pseudocode. write the steps to solve the problem in plain english before you write a single line of code.

The part people are afraid to say

you will never feel ready for an interview.

my secret to getting good at them? i just went to as many as i could. it’s free practice, and you learn exactly what questions they ask.

but if you're a beginner getting rejected a lot, that's normal. the market is broken for juniors.

so here's what i teach: fake it 'til you make it.

1. build one great, complex project. a good source is a take-home assignment you got from an interview, even if you failed.

2. build a story around it. say you worked on it for a year as a contractor for a real company. nobody checks contractors.

3. that one "year of experience" on your resume will get you past the filters.

the developers who get jobs aren't always the best coders. they are the best strategists.

i break down every single one of these points in my latest video. go watch it, unless you enjoy being stuck. i know i didn't.