Introduction
Learning a new programming language is no easy task. You need a clear and structural guide that will guide you through your journey of learning a particular programming language.
Well, this article does exactly that! It will give you an overview of the whole learning process. You will learn about the best approaches for learning a programming language. Alright, enough introduction! Let's start our journey by discussing the first approach:
Make A Plan
This is the first stage of your learning process. You need to have a detailed plan that you will follow in order to learn a particular language. There are two things that you need to prepare:
Roadmap
You need a roadmap for learning before you jump into a new programming language. This will help you to be clear about the topics you need to learn and the order you need to follow. Prepare a roadmap for the language you want to learn with the help of your friend, Google!
Resources
You need to gather the resources that you will use to learn the topics. These resources may include courses, documentation, or anything else. Create a list of resources that will provide you with the necessary learning materials.
Cool! You now have a roadmap and a bunch of resources ready to help you on your learning journey. So, it’s time to jump onto the next thing!
Learn The Fundamentals
A building's strength lies in its foundation. The stronger the foundation is, the more powerful the building is.
This is why the initial step of learning a language is to learn the fundamentals and get a strong grasp of them before moving onto the advanced topics. Start using the resources you gathered to learn about each and every topic in detail.
One common thing learners face is having doubts. It's pretty natural to get stuck while learning a topic. It happens to everybody. So, what's the solution?
Well, that's where Google comes into play! You just put your question in the search bar and it immediately finds you the solution.
Another resource that developers look up to for solving their doubts is Stack Overflow. If you don't know, Stack Overflow is a community-based website where developers can find and contribute answers to technical problems. Its huge collection of questions and answers helps you to find the solutions to your problems. Go and check it out!
Practice
Practice every time you get a chance!
If there’s one thing you should do, it’s to practice writing code. When you watch a tutorial or read the documentation about a particular topic, it's pretty normal to feel like you’ve learned that topic. However, the actual learning lies beyond a good amount of practice. The above quote clearly tells you the type of mindset you need to have.
Try to spend 30 minutes each day practicing coding. It's a great way to get your hands dirty. Try to write simple programs that involve the topics you’ve learned. This way, you will start feeling more comfortable with the syntax.
Another thing that developers sometimes do and you can try is to write code in a text editor rather than in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The reason behind it is that the utilities such as code completion, automatic indentation, etc. are not present in a text editor, unlike an IDE. So, if you write code in there, you have to take care of each and every element of your code and indentation, thus making you an overall better coder. Try this approach and see if it works out!
Learn Advanced Topics
Okay, so you've played around with the basic stuff for a while and now you are ready to move forward. What's next then?
The next step is to learn the advanced topics. These topics are most likely based on the basic stuff that you've learned. This is the stage where you will understand the importance of mastering the basics. If you have a good hold on them, the advanced stuff will be much easier for you to learn.
The approach will be the same. You have to practice writing code in a consistent manner. Remember, the programs you write this time around will be harder than the previous ones. So, don't get overwhelmed. Take your time and get them done.
Build Projects
Congratulations! You've successfully completed learning the basics and the advanced parts of the language. Give yourself a pat on the back! You deserve it! It’s never easy to come to this stage. Drink some water, celebrate a little, and take some rest!
Now, you're back again with full focus to get the next step done! So, what's that?
It is to build projects. Building projects helps you to identify the patterns you should use to put together the pieces of syntax you've learned. Start building simple projects using the knowledge you've got and then gradually move on to the more complex ones. The more topics the projects involve, the more practice you get. It's really a great way to strengthen your knowledge of the particular language.
Conclusion
We've reached the end! We have seen above some step-by-step approaches that you need to follow in order to become a master of the language. It’s definitely not an easy task, but it’s not super tough either if you abide by the above approaches. Remember that learning a new programming language takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication. So, stick to the process until it's done! Here are three tips from me that will help you reach your destination:
Be patient
Be consistent
Take regular breaks
One day, you will surely reach the spot where you can say, "Worry not! I got this!"
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