The Basics

TheZestyLemon

Hi,
So, when it comes to programming and coding I'm an absolute noob. I've seen some tutorials but they don't seem to help me at all. Could anyone tell me the "best" language (and I quoted that for good reason) to start with? I'd probably be basic applications like a timer or a word game to start off with.

Thanks in advance and if my ignorance in programming offended you, please excuse me.

TonyStark

TheZestyLemon wrote: »

Hi,
So, when it comes to programming and coding I'm an absolute noob. I've seen some tutorials but they don't seem to help me at all. Could anyone tell me the "best" language (and I quoted that for good reason) to start with? I'd probably be basic applications like a timer or a word game to start off with.

Thanks in advance and if my ignorance in programming offended you, please excuse me.

Javascript is pretty decent for a start to get to grips with the basics.

http://www.codeacademy.com is a good place to start.

DonkeyStyle \o/

I haven't touched 'C' in many years, but I really liked it as a starter language.
Small console programs... ask the user for a words/numbers, do something with it, output the result. Learn about the various data types and control structures, while getting good feedback from your program.

I've seen some tutorials but they don't seem to help me at all.

I'd start with a good heavy book, one that can take you all the way through the basics. Unlike a random collection of tutorials, they'll be expertly written, and build upon your knowledge as you go. It'll also cover things you didn't know you should know.
Tutorials can be a bit "Wait... what?", presuming you have knowledge of something you were never introduced to.

daithimacgroin

http://www.udacity.com

TheZestyLemon

Thanks, you've all been extremely helpful

Kidchameleon

This will no doubt end up as a "my language is better than your language" debate, as it always does here. OP, all languages are pretty much the same in principle, first you have to learn to program, then you can worry about what languages to program with. Java is a great language to start with. I would recommend you avoid using an IDE (Eclipse, Netbeans, Visual Studio etc) at the beginning, they can be very intimidating at first. Best way IMHO is to type your code in Notepad (if your using Windows) and compiling at the command line.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Java has a really simple IDE called BlueJ, which gives you the benefits you want as a beginner without all the scary stuff. Some basic code highlighting is good for bringing your attention to simple things like typos or unclosed quotes/braces.

henryporter

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

Java has a really simple IDE called BlueJ, which gives you the benefits you want as a beginner without all the scary stuff. Some basic code highlighting is good for bringing your attention to simple things like typos or unclosed quotes/braces.

Agreed - a little help goes a long way especially when starting into any programming language as a novice.

On a more general note it's important to study a programming language not just from a basic level of building small programs and then building bigger ones, you also need to learn the principles of programming so that you can build good programs. No harm to study the more general principles of object-oriented languages as it will be a big help in the long run.

carveone

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I would recommend you avoid using an IDE (Eclipse, Netbeans, Visual Studio etc) at the beginning, they can be very intimidating at first. Best way IMHO is to type your code in Notepad (if your using Windows) and compiling at the command line.

Funnily enough, 20 years ago (oh god) I would have disagreed - the Turbo C IDE was fall-off-a-log simple*. It looked like the old DOS EDIT. Now, the all singing all dancing IDEs are intimidating enough to make you use notepad until its limitations make you annoyed enough to seek out better... Which is the way most of us old fogeys learnt

I'll still use notepad to knock up a few lines in awk if I've nothing better to hand...

---- test1.awk ---
BEGIN {
print "Hello world"
}

---

> gawk -f test1.awk


* Note: remember the alternative was "edlin". That was painful...

Ant

carveone wrote: »

Funnily enough, 20 years ago (oh god) I would have disagreed - the Turbo C IDE was fall-off-a-log simple*. It looked like the old DOS EDIT.

The Turbo C IDE editor was indeed very user-friendly for a beginner. I used it for my final year project in college.

* Note: remember the alternative was "edlin". That was painful...

I tried edlin once and found her to be very unfriendly. We didn't get on so left it at that first date. These days I use VIM for all my text editing. At the start, it took us a while to get used to each other but many years later the relationship is progressing and we still learn new things about each other.

@TheZestyLemon, I'd agree with the other posters that you're best off not using an IDE at the start. You should be aware that some people like to have religious wars about the "best" text editor as well as the "best" programming language. I'd advise choosing a text editor that has syntax highlighting which displays the programming key-words in different colours. This makes it very easy to spot typos where you forget to close a string with a double-quote or terminate a line a semi-colon. In my experience, programming is 20% writing, 80% debugging and syntax highlighting makes it a lot easier to scan through the code.

I wouldn't recommend VIM to a beginner but if you use GNU/Linux, gedit is user-friendly. If you use Windows, I've heard Notepad++ does syntax highlighting and is supposed to be easy for beginners.

daithimacgroin

there's nothing scary at all about an IDE

that's ridiculous

longhalloween

Give 'C' a go. This book http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/C-All-one-Desk-Reference-for-Dummies-Dan-Gookin/9780764570698 is a lifesaver for me and it's helping me get through my first years programming in college.

Also many languages are based on C and if you're interested in projects and hardware, it's easy to use C with microcontrollers like the arduino. http://hacknmod.com/hack/top-40-arduino-projects-of-the-web/

Kidchameleon

daithimacgroin wrote: »

there's nothing scary at all about an IDE

that's ridiculous

How long have you been coding though? A noob, as the OP described him/herself, would normally find the likes of VStudio scary. Its not a bit ridiculous. I see it every year when new students come in...

daithimacgroin

fair enough

Groinshot

Python python python python python python python!
Do yourself a favour, learn python! It will get you up and running nice and quickly and teach you the basics, and you can move on from there. I use it in loads of applications, and it pains me to think of going back to C/C++...
EDIT:
Notepad is a little too hardcore IMO, try Notepad++. It has syntax highlighting, bracket and quote matching, and nice indentation!

carveone

Groinshot wrote: »

Python python python python python python python!

I guess this is appropriate then!!!:

python rap

Somewhat nsfw language wise.

conor.hogan.2

The only good thing about that is the Ice Cube beat. (Well it was produced by Vaushaun "Maestro" Brooks)

Groinshot

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

The only good thing about that is the Ice Cube beat. (Well it was produced by Vaushaun "Maestro" Brooks)

Ah now, it's pretty funny in fairness.