Why is Learning How to Code So Damn Hard?
You finished that long course or expensive bootcamp and you’re still struggling.
Have you finished a course or expensive bootcamp, only to find that you’re still struggling to come up with solutions or code a project from scratch? Do you feel like throwing in the towel?
Today, we want to talk to you about why learning code is so damn hard, and reassure you that it doesn’t have to be. It’s also not your fault.
Why is coding hard?
Chances are, the problem isn’t you – it’s the program you’ve chosen.
Most coding bootcamps and courses only teach you coding languages and frameworks, expecting you to carry on by yourself. These learning spaces don’t help you develop the thought process and problem-solving skills that are necessary to solve complex coding problems, build solutions from scratch, and become an autonomous software engineer.
Most coding bootcamps are missing four things:
1. Comfortable pacing
If you feel like you moved at a breakneck speed through your work, you probably did. Websites like Codecademy can teach you a topic, test you on it quickly, and may never come back to talking about it again. Without repetition and proper pacing, how can you be expected to retain everything you learn?
2. Theory
While some bootcamps will get into the theory of coding, others are so laser-focused on getting you through a curriculum that they won’t stop to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing. Without learning the “why” behind your work, you’re not able to form connections between previous things you learned, making it harder for you to conquer new concepts when you get out of class.
3. Rules without application
Just because you understand syntax doesn’t mean you understand how to properly apply code, or what the cleanest, most efficient code will look like. With some programs, as long as you get the end result accomplished, the journey along the way doesn’t matter as much. If you’re not getting feedback on the quality of your code, you could be in for a rude awakening at your first job.
4. Problem-solving skills
There’s a difference between cramming for a test and truly understanding the material. Think about the classes you took that you still remember today – how did the teacher expect you to prepare the material? Did you have a lot of discussions and applications? Did they present you with a problem and you had to explain how to solve it with your background knowledge? Or do you remember all those mnemonics you memorized for an anatomy class?
When we memorize things for a test, these pieces tend to live in our short-term memory – here today, gone tomorrow. However, if we’re encouraged to apply what we’re learning in a bigger way – problem-solving, learning it to the extent we can teach someone else, engaging in critical thinking around a topic – retention improves dramatically. Did your coding bootcamp prepare you to memorize lines of code, or did it prepare you to solve real-life problems and equip you with resources to do so?
Is learning how to code hard?
In short, it’s not hard to learn how to code, but the way you were taught may not be serving you well. Learning code in a vacuum without real-life applications can mean walking away from the program feeling like you don’t understand anything, or like coding is the hardest thing you’ve ever done.
What courses make coding easy?
Another hard part about coding is figuring out which program to choose. Did you know there are over 10,000 courses on Udemy alone that pop up when you search for “coding”? I’m not even talking about the dozens of other courses and platforms out there that all seem to offer the same thing.
If you’ve already made your way through a few of these, you probably feel even more frustrated. Let’s not waste any more time.
The right coding program won’t over-promise and under-deliver
We’re not going to lie – learning to code, especially as a beginner, can be a difficult shift in mindset to start. You want to find a program that promises realistic results grounded in real-life experience, instead of one that promises fast results, truckloads of knowledge, and unimaginable outcomes. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
The right coding program won’t make you memorize everything
Programming is not about learning code syntax, language-specific knowledge, or frameworks. It’s also not about understanding every element of code in C# or being a wizard in Python.
When you try doing any of these things, you end up with a bunch of knowledge that you can’t apply to actual projects.
Tell us: When you’ve completed a few lessons in one of the usual courses you find online, have you tried to code something on your own after that?
Because of the way most programs present information, you probably sat there, wondering how to start, and ultimately gave up on the whole idea.
The right coding program will help you understand how coding works
It all boils down to this: Understanding the how and why behind what you’re doing is so much more valuable than understanding the what. What makes you successful is knowing how coding works – the brains behind it all.
That’s how you can make everything else click. By understanding why things work the way they do, and the science behind it all, coding gets infinitely easier. You’ll go from “why is coding so damn hard” to “oh wow, coding can be pretty easy!”
Learning the core of programming is like becoming Neo in The Matrix. When he starts to understand, the code aligns around him and he sees the system as it truly is.
Teaching the how and why behind coding is what sets AlgoCademy apart
We’ll level with you – we’re not going to try to teach you everything.
Instead, we’ve spent years crafting the perfect curriculum to bring you the best way to learn programming. We won’t teach you anything you don’t need, and by the end of the course, you’ll understand what programming is and how it really works. You’ll also learn the deeper fundamentals of computer science.
You’ll be job-ready
Prepare yourself for FAANG companies (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) or another dream company by learning true problem-solving skills that will more than equip you for technical interviews and the job you land afterwards.
Coding doesn’t have to be hard
Stop searching for the perfect course, or trying one more YouTube tutorial. Instead, complete your first lesson with us and build a path to your perfect career.
