Well the titles says all, I need a programming language to learn this summer, and some tutorial websites. I'm thinking about web development, unless you guys suggest other things.
What's a good beginner coding language, and where to start?
IMO start with C, or if you want something a bit less error proof and easier for beginners go for Java or C#. Learn the basics of programming before going into web development. When learning you don't have to complicate things, all you need is a good code editor like Notepad++ and a compiler, so don't go for an IDE so that you spend time learning the basics of programming instead of spending time discovering the features of that IDE. IMO Java can be good for you, good luck :)Well the titles says all, I need a programming language to learn this summer, and some tutorial websites. I'm thinking about web development, unless you guys suggest other things.
The problem is, I don't understand Java well, I need something simpler so I could understand the basics of programming, then move to harder languages. And I have this thing for web development, I kinda like web development for some reason.
There are plenty of programming languages out there for you to chose from. I would really know which one to recommend if you told me what type of programmer you want to be.
* Game programmer?
* Web developer?
* Embedded system developer? (Developing the software for iPhones, iPads, portable devices, cars, TVs, ...)
* Business applications developer? (most likely to find a job)
* Simple desktop apps?
* Operating system developer?
* ...
Give us your profile, so we could give you the right tools.
* Game programmer?
* Web developer?
* Embedded system developer? (Developing the software for iPhones, iPads, portable devices, cars, TVs, ...)
* Business applications developer? (most likely to find a job)
* Simple desktop apps?
* Operating system developer?
* ...
Give us your profile, so we could give you the right tools.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/ff384126.aspx !
P.S. : I've always wanted to link this. I'm not suggesting you use it.
P.S. : I've always wanted to link this. I'm not suggesting you use it.
Everything mentioned above, except for game programmer. I only need a simple language to start with and that's it.
Ok just saw your post.
So web development it is!
Start by learning HTML and CSS. It is a must. There are plenty of excellent tutorials out there, you just have to google it. They are not programming languages, but still languages you have to learn at first before you go further.
Then start with a somewhat easy language (but very beautiful) like Javascript. Be sure to check jQuery, a Javascript library.
Then you have to learn a scripting language. I would say Python. It has many advantages:
* The syntax is clear. As a newbie, you spend much more time focusing on the logic of the program rather than the actual syntax. It is a lot more easier to start.
* Python has a web development framework called Django that is one of the most efficient frameworks out there.
* Python is very simple, but is also very powerful. You can develop almost everything with it. Business applications, Telecom applications, games, scinetific apps, ...
Then ... well it's really up to you isn't it?
So web development it is!
Start by learning HTML and CSS. It is a must. There are plenty of excellent tutorials out there, you just have to google it. They are not programming languages, but still languages you have to learn at first before you go further.
Then start with a somewhat easy language (but very beautiful) like Javascript. Be sure to check jQuery, a Javascript library.
Then you have to learn a scripting language. I would say Python. It has many advantages:
* The syntax is clear. As a newbie, you spend much more time focusing on the logic of the program rather than the actual syntax. It is a lot more easier to start.
* Python has a web development framework called Django that is one of the most efficient frameworks out there.
* Python is very simple, but is also very powerful. You can develop almost everything with it. Business applications, Telecom applications, games, scinetific apps, ...
Then ... well it's really up to you isn't it?
To be honest, I had JavaScript in mind for web development to start with, but I need others to suggest stuff. I need your opinions and arguments.
@xterm: I tried small basic, I just didn't like how it looked and felt. I don't know, I just didn't like it. I tried visual basic and python, and I kind of liked them.
@xterm: I tried small basic, I just didn't like how it looked and felt. I don't know, I just didn't like it. I tried visual basic and python, and I kind of liked them.
- Edited
Well I think the best language would be filling the forum search form :)
There have been previous posts.
Anyway, to answer, for web development, the basic standard is HTML, which is not really a language but a subset of XML or SGML, and I dont know if that is a language. And of course CSS also, which is a very good tool for self-torture.
jQuery will do most of the common client-side scripting/animation without requiring you to scratch your head with pure javascript.
For server-side scripting, these are the good ones I know a bit:
- PERL
- PHP
- VB (and other MS stuff, like C# J# etc)
- Coldfusion
Others will defend:
- Python
- Ruby
- Java
If you want to go deeply in high-availability, high-responsiveness, realtime, you can use
- Erlang (there is a web server written in Erlang, I think its called Yaws, and you will be building on top of that)
Facebook uses Erlang for a component, and also uses PHP (a variant called XHP) compiled into binaries (for a huge performance increase). They have a page somewhere where they list most of the technologies they use, most of them developed in house, but made available as open source.
PHP is the major language (dont anyone use google anymore??), and very easy to start with, yet with a lot of libraries and extensions, allowing you to do most of the stuff.
But if you're going into programming, I would recommend starting with C or C++, even if you have to use CGI to build websites. C is the mother language, and you'd be learning 2 things at the same time, C and web development. Besides PHP is so easy that you'll be lazy and discouraged to learn C or more complicated languages after that!
Good luck.
There have been previous posts.
Anyway, to answer, for web development, the basic standard is HTML, which is not really a language but a subset of XML or SGML, and I dont know if that is a language. And of course CSS also, which is a very good tool for self-torture.
jQuery will do most of the common client-side scripting/animation without requiring you to scratch your head with pure javascript.
For server-side scripting, these are the good ones I know a bit:
- PERL
- PHP
- VB (and other MS stuff, like C# J# etc)
- Coldfusion
Others will defend:
- Python
- Ruby
- Java
If you want to go deeply in high-availability, high-responsiveness, realtime, you can use
- Erlang (there is a web server written in Erlang, I think its called Yaws, and you will be building on top of that)
Facebook uses Erlang for a component, and also uses PHP (a variant called XHP) compiled into binaries (for a huge performance increase). They have a page somewhere where they list most of the technologies they use, most of them developed in house, but made available as open source.
PHP is the major language (dont anyone use google anymore??), and very easy to start with, yet with a lot of libraries and extensions, allowing you to do most of the stuff.
But if you're going into programming, I would recommend starting with C or C++, even if you have to use CGI to build websites. C is the mother language, and you'd be learning 2 things at the same time, C and web development. Besides PHP is so easy that you'll be lazy and discouraged to learn C or more complicated languages after that!
Good luck.
So basically you're telling me to use C. Now that's 2 for C. Might go ahead with C.
I learned C++ for starters. Went to work. Didn't ever use it professionally. I went into a web development house.
One thing for sure, PHP and C# are good if you're building a web development career here in Lebanon.
Web development is a place where the hype is kind of more important than the technology (you'll see hoards of developers following this tech for a while, and all moving to the next the other while around). It just doesn't matter anymore, pick one that's well used (PHP comes out really well here) and stick to it.
Some people are going to spit on my face for this post :)
One thing for sure, PHP and C# are good if you're building a web development career here in Lebanon.
Web development is a place where the hype is kind of more important than the technology (you'll see hoards of developers following this tech for a while, and all moving to the next the other while around). It just doesn't matter anymore, pick one that's well used (PHP comes out really well here) and stick to it.
Some people are going to spit on my face for this post :)
I would say C as well. I come from a web development background and now I'm going into business software development, so I'm learning C/C++, VB.NET and Java.I have to tell you, C is kinda annoying with its syntax errors and type checking and all that, but it's very powerful and that's basically the logical place to start from. You might get annoyed from C at first but then you'll get used to it and like it.
And then once you're ready for web development (after you understood the concepts of programming), you can get into HTML/CSS then JavaScript/AJAX/jQuery and then reward yourself with PHP, and here's where the fun begins. PHP is so damn powerful and yet it's so damn easy to learn and understand. I simply love PHP and I really writing scripts using this language.
Good luck man!
P.S: don't forget, go for MIS and not Computer Science :)
And then once you're ready for web development (after you understood the concepts of programming), you can get into HTML/CSS then JavaScript/AJAX/jQuery and then reward yourself with PHP, and here's where the fun begins. PHP is so damn powerful and yet it's so damn easy to learn and understand. I simply love PHP and I really writing scripts using this language.
Good luck man!
P.S: don't forget, go for MIS and not Computer Science :)
I'll go for C this summer.
PS. @Kassem I'll see what happens, need to talk to people about it.
PS. @Kassem I'll see what happens, need to talk to people about it.
We had this conversation many times before, but still I have to say this. C should not be taught as a first programming language. A quick look at a simple Hello World program:
1- Includes and libraries. (#include <stdio.h>)
2- functions ( int main {...return0;} )
3- arguments from the command line (argv)
4- arrays as pointers (char* argv)
5- finally the function printf.
Most (if not all) teachers will go through the first four lines by saying something like: "Don't mind all this bullshit we'll explain this later".
Not to mention the real joy of dealing with Strings in C, linked lists, and low-level features like pointers, malloc and free. (And of course who could forget the great missing semi-colon problems).
C as a first language is old school. Do not get me wrong, I love this language and to this day it is the language I am most comfortable with (not that I am a guru or anything). Yet Python (again) has such a simple syntax that it allows a beginner to focus on the algorithmics rather than syntax problems.
However it is true that if you start with something as easy as Python you will never bother to learn good ol' C. Too difficult. Then again, as a web developer you're not really missing out, as you'll probably never need it.
#include <stdio.h>
int main (int args, char* argv)
{
printf("Hello World");
return 0;
}
Here are the concepts displayed in this piece of code:1- Includes and libraries. (#include <stdio.h>)
2- functions ( int main {...return0;} )
3- arguments from the command line (argv)
4- arrays as pointers (char* argv)
5- finally the function printf.
Most (if not all) teachers will go through the first four lines by saying something like: "Don't mind all this bullshit we'll explain this later".
Not to mention the real joy of dealing with Strings in C, linked lists, and low-level features like pointers, malloc and free. (And of course who could forget the great missing semi-colon problems).
C as a first language is old school. Do not get me wrong, I love this language and to this day it is the language I am most comfortable with (not that I am a guru or anything). Yet Python (again) has such a simple syntax that it allows a beginner to focus on the algorithmics rather than syntax problems.
However it is true that if you start with something as easy as Python you will never bother to learn good ol' C. Too difficult. Then again, as a web developer you're not really missing out, as you'll probably never need it.
In C++, you will learn to manage your own memory, when in all the other languages they will give you an automatic garbage collector.
The environment and the purpose of the language is different from all the other languages that you've mentioned. I would only suggest C++ in one of the following cases (and would dismiss C all-together):
- You are a mathematician interested in making high-performance algorithms (inventor, think MP3)
- You are a game programmer that's specialized in physics or graphics
- You are writing system drivers (perhaps C only would work here, not sure)
- You are competing with the Apache Foundation for their HTTP server and want to pitch in your item
- You are writing the new blockbuster operating system
- You are writing a new compiler for a language you're designing
- You are writing code for GPU using CUDA
Got the drift? C/C++ have become the domain of the highly specialized
I liked Python, and would suggest it along learning PHP. You should also get familiar with C#.
HTML and CSS. Are markup languages. Not programming languages. They are more like a data format. Javascript is a programming language.
While you should be familiar with the awesome trio (HTML/CSS/Javascript), a lot of web developers get away with only knowing so little about them and still strive.
Don't base your future on a voting of random people. That's WAY out of reason.
As for the argument that you need to learn to program before learning web programming, I find it bogus and wrong. Languages, most of them, are turning complete. So basically, whatever you can do with one language, is completely doable in the next language. So your learning of programming will register with whatever language you choose. My first language was Logo, and perhaps it was the most enjoyable language I've played with (it was a long time ago, and everything was utter and complete joy)
So punk, are you going to learn C?
The environment and the purpose of the language is different from all the other languages that you've mentioned. I would only suggest C++ in one of the following cases (and would dismiss C all-together):
- You are a mathematician interested in making high-performance algorithms (inventor, think MP3)
- You are a game programmer that's specialized in physics or graphics
- You are writing system drivers (perhaps C only would work here, not sure)
- You are competing with the Apache Foundation for their HTTP server and want to pitch in your item
- You are writing the new blockbuster operating system
- You are writing a new compiler for a language you're designing
- You are writing code for GPU using CUDA
Got the drift? C/C++ have become the domain of the highly specialized
I liked Python, and would suggest it along learning PHP. You should also get familiar with C#.
HTML and CSS. Are markup languages. Not programming languages. They are more like a data format. Javascript is a programming language.
While you should be familiar with the awesome trio (HTML/CSS/Javascript), a lot of web developers get away with only knowing so little about them and still strive.
Don't base your future on a voting of random people. That's WAY out of reason.
As for the argument that you need to learn to program before learning web programming, I find it bogus and wrong. Languages, most of them, are turning complete. So basically, whatever you can do with one language, is completely doable in the next language. So your learning of programming will register with whatever language you choose. My first language was Logo, and perhaps it was the most enjoyable language I've played with (it was a long time ago, and everything was utter and complete joy)
So punk, are you going to learn C?
shell scripting is a good start. it is simple, methodical and flexible.
if you want some fun with coding you can play little with vb6 (visual basic 6)
but its not useful for the future. anyway if you want to have some fun with it i can help you with its codes.
but its not useful for the future. anyway if you want to have some fun with it i can help you with its codes.
This thread is great thnx for the help guys.
Some of you posted about me going to be a Web developer and no need to use C. I am not just going to be a web developer. So all of you are confusing me with what to start with. Some are suggesting HTML CSS and JavaScript, others C and others python.
Will you please make up your minds ;P?
I need you to state which language I should start with and your arguments.
Will you please make up your minds ;P?
I need you to state which language I should start with and your arguments.
@arithma you can do that?- You are writing code for GPU using CUDA