Coding? 6 Top Skills Needed
Are you interested in coding? Here are the essential skills you need to succeed.
Technology is evolving and expanding at a mind-blowing pace, and with it, the future of coding is changing. As more automation becomes possible, coding won’t become obsolete. Quite the reverse: coding is a skill which will become even more important than it is today.
Interested in coding? First, let’s delve into what coding is.
What’s coding?
Computer coding is the process of writing computer codes using a programming language to give precise instructions to get a computer to behave how you want it to.
These codes are the instructions that computers use to function or perform functions. Codes are used to program apps, mobile devices, websites, and other technologies we interact with daily.
To anyone not in the tech field, computer codes may look like a series of random numbers and letters. However, it is a highly efficient language that computer programmers write and edit to assign something for classification or identification. Every line of code tells the computer to perform a task. A document full of lines of code is a script.
Learning how to code
Knowing how to code is a valuable skill to have for anyone looking for a job in tech or any computer science industry. If you are interested in computer coding, it is important that you know it’s a specialized job skill used by many tech professionals including computer programmers, AI architects, data scientists, software engineers and application developers.
These days, more people use a computerised system or gadget at home or work. So, various highly sought-after jobs involve coding in nearly every industry.
To code, programming languages are used to create applications and web pages. With all the free resources available online today, it’s not difficult to teach yourself to code. However, getting started may be daunting if you don’t know which programming language to learn. Well, the choice isn’t easy as there are many computer programming languages, and dozens more are being created yearly. Even if you narrow down your choices to only the 10 most popular ones listed below, there are still loads more to choose from.
If you want to code and have a clear idea of your reasons for wanting to code, and what you want to accomplish, then with tons of information online, you’ll be able to make the right choice.
Here’s a list of top 10 programming languages as provided by edureka!
See Which Programming Language Should You Choose? (Video)
The 6 Top Skills Needed to Code
To be able to code, you’ll need technical skills but that’s only part of the story. Programming isn’t about just being able to parrot learned code; you’ll need a plethora of soft skills to draw upon as you work on each project.
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Here’s a look at 6 skills which will be the most useful when you code.
1: Perseverance
Coding isn’t an area where you can easily just plug in a solution right away. Every situation will have its unique features which means that the code you’ve used in the past may not fit the exact parameters you need.
Getting the result you want may require patience to keep trying different solutions. Trial and error is something you will become very familiar with. Whether you’re inputting code for the first time or scanning for an error, the willingness to keep trying until you find a solution is critical.
2: Self-Motivation
As a developer, you will be expected to get the work done by the deadline. You won’t have a supervisor standing over you; your job will be to get the code in place and operational in time.
You might be frequently working on your own, or at home. This means if you aren’t disciplined enough to work without constant supervision, coding isn’t for you.
It’s also not a black and white scenario, so you’ll need that same motivation to get the best outcome. Slapping in a code that works isn’t what being a developer is all about. You’ll need to be motivated to find the best code for your project, not simply the first one that works.
3: Vision
A top-class coder will be able to spot the solution with the cleanest pathway. Although there may be many ways to get the result, vision is a useful skill as it will help you to visualise how to get everything working most efficiently.
Remember, it’s not just about what you’re doing now. At some point in the future, other programmers will probably need to look at your code. If it’s haphazard and disorganised, you’ll be making their job much harder.
4: Attention to Detail
Whether it’s entering pages of code at the start or troubleshooting a problem, you’ll need to have meticulous attention to detail to succeed. Coding is just another way to describe problem-solving and a willingness to scrutinise every detail to get the best result.
5: Willingness to Learn
You may be proficient with current languages such as Java and HTML, but the world of technology doesn’t standstill. To be able to keep your skills up to date, you’ll need to be willing to commit to continuing development.
Coding isn’t something that you can learn just once. You’ll be on a continuous journey of self-development to keep up to date and your skills current.
The rapid changes which are likely to continue to arrive mean that you can’t just learn the current coding languages and expect to be able to rest. To continue to create efficient and effective code, you’ll need to embrace the idea of lifelong learning.
6: Creative Thinking
If nothing else, coding involves the ability to use your brain. It’s about trying to solve in an efficient and controlled way while still being innovative.
Critical thinking edged with vision and creativity is key to creating codes which use the best language for the job. If you aren’t creative enough to think about alternative approaches, you will find it hard to craft the very best code or solve any problems which occur along the way.
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These 6 skills plus patience, a high level of focus and commitment are what you need in order to learn any coding language or work on an important project.
