How I Started Coding: My First Steps into the Programming World

We all have unique stories about how we entered the world of programming. Some people knew from a young age that they wanted to code, while others discovered it later in life. My journey began somewhat accidentally, but it's led to a career and passion I wouldn't trade for anything.

The Spark

It was 2015, and I was working in a completely unrelated field - marketing. Our company's website needed updates, but our web developer was swamped with other projects. Out of curiosity (and necessity), I volunteered to learn the basics so I could make simple content updates.

What started as learning basic HTML and CSS to update text and images quickly turned into a fascination. I remember the first time I changed some CSS and saw the immediate visual change - it felt like magic! That small spark of curiosity ignited something much bigger.

Self-Teaching Journey

With my interest piqued, I began dedicating my evenings and weekends to learning more. My learning path looked something like this:

1. Starting with the fundamentals: HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript through freeCodeCamp and Codecademy
2. Building small projects: Simple calculators, to-do apps, and personal websites
3. Diving deeper: Learning about DOM manipulation, APIs, and responsive design
4. Framework exploration: Taking my first steps with jQuery (yes, it was still popular then!) and later React

The journey wasn't always smooth. I remember spending hours debugging issues that turned out to be simple syntax errors. There were moments of frustration where I questioned if I was cut out for this. But the satisfaction of solving problems kept me going.

My First "Real" Project

About six months into my learning journey, a friend who ran a small business asked if I could build them a website. Despite my impostor syndrome screaming that I wasn't ready, I took on the challenge.

That project taught me more than any tutorial could. I learned about:

• Working with clients and translating their needs into technical solutions
• Project planning and time estimation (I was way off initially!)
• The importance of responsive design and cross-browser testing
• How to search for solutions efficiently when stuck

When I finally launched the site, seeing something I built being used in the real world was incredibly rewarding. Even though looking back at that code now makes me cringe a little, it was a crucial stepping stone.

The Career Pivot

After about a year of coding on the side, I realized that I enjoyed programming more than my actual job. It was time for a career change, but I wasn't sure how to make the leap.

I decided to approach it methodically:

1. I enrolled in a part-time web development bootcamp to fill knowledge gaps and get structured learning
2. I built a portfolio of projects that showcased my abilities
3. I networked with developers through meetups and online communities
4. I started applying for junior developer positions

The transition wasn't immediate. I faced rejection and encountered the classic catch-22 of needing experience to get experience. But persistence paid off, and I eventually landed my first junior developer role at a small agency.

Lessons Learned

Looking back on my journey, several key lessons stand out:

• Start by building: Reading and watching tutorials is important, but nothing beats hands-on experience.
• Embrace the discomfort: Learning to code means constantly being outside your comfort zone.
• Community matters: Finding supportive communities online and offline accelerated my growth.
• Consistency trumps intensity: Small, regular study sessions were more effective than occasional coding marathons.
• Everyone's journey is different: Don't compare your chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 20.

Advice for Beginners

If you're just starting your coding journey, here's my advice:

1. Choose a learning path and stick with it long enough to build something substantial.
2. Don't get caught in tutorial hell - apply what you learn immediately.
3. Build projects that interest you personally - motivation is crucial.
4. Don't be afraid to share your work, even if it's not perfect.
5. Remember that confusion and struggle are normal parts of the learning process.

The Journey Continues

Years later, coding has transformed from a curiosity into a career and passion. The learning never stops - there's always a new technology, framework, or approach to explore.

What started with simple HTML changes has led to building complex applications and mentoring other newcomers. And while the technologies have changed over the years, that core feeling of excitement when solving a challenging problem remains the same.

If you're just beginning your coding journey, welcome! It's a path filled with challenges, but also incredible rewards. And if you're further along, I'd love to hear your story in the comments below.

Happy coding!