Programming - What Is It?

You’ve probably heard the term "programming" multiple times since it’s become super popular, and more people are diving into learning it. But what exactly is it? 🤔

Simply put, programming is the process of creating software using something called "source code."

Now, I get it—terms like "source code" might not mean much to you at this point. But don’t worry, we’ll break it down. Programming is essentially about giving instructions to a computer, and those instructions are delivered through code. Think of a programmer as an instructor who tells the computer, step by step, what it needs to do to complete a task. 🖥️

Here’s the important thing: computers don’t think. They just follow the instructions you give them. So, if you make a mistake or leave something out, the computer won’t be able to do the task correctly. 😅

Starting to make sense now?

To sum it up: a programmer is someone who provides a computer with a set of instructions in a language the computer understands.

These instructions can be about anything: adding numbers, showing something to the user, performing calculations, and much more.

There are also different ways of programming depending on the programming language the developer uses. 🧑‍💻

What Exactly is a Programming Language? 🤔

Just like we humans use spoken languages to communicate, programmers use programming languages to talk to computers.

Think of it like this: if you want to ask a foreigner to do something for you, you need to speak in a language they understand. The same goes for programming—if you want to give commands to a computer, you have to use a language it can comprehend.

Here’s where it gets a bit tricky: computers actually "think" in binary—a sequence of 0s and 1s. But do you think most programmers are learning how to give commands to a computer in this binary language?

Nope! That would take forever. 🕰️

So, programming languages were invented as a middle ground between the languages we speak and the machine code that computers understand. A programming language is simply a way for programmers to give instructions that are later translated into 0s and 1s for the computer to execute. This translation process is called "compiling."

There are also interpreted languages, but we won’t dive into those just yet. 😎

Programming languages are generally split into two categories: low-level and high-level.

Low-level languages are much closer to machine code, making them harder to work with. These are usually used for very specific tasks. 😬

Thankfully, we also have high-level programming languages, which are much easier for humans to understand. Any logical person can learn these languages—it just takes some time. 😊

These high-level languages are more user-friendly because, once you know the semantics (the meaning behind specific symbols and phrases), syntax (the rules for writing code, kind of like grammar in human languages), and basic programming concepts, you’ll be able to "talk" to the computer to make it do what you want. Of course, there are some limits to what you can do—but that’s where creativity comes in! 🎨

If this has piqued your interest and you want to learn more about programming languages, stay tuned for my next post! 😉

To Sum It All Up

Learning programming takes commitment and persistence. While talent certainly helps, determination is what truly matters. It’s that drive that allows us to push through frustrations and keep learning, even when it feels impossible.

Programming is a process that includes many different aspects. But once you get the hang of it, things start clicking into place, and you’ll begin to see how everything works together.

If you have any preconceived notions about learning to code, you might want to check out the most common myths about programming and see if your thoughts match reality. 💡

Spoiler alert: you won’t become a programming expert in just a week or even a month—no matter what those fancy $10,000 courses promise. 🤑

Everything takes time, so give programming a try and see if it’s for you. I gave it a shot, and I quickly got hooked on learning new technologies, solutions, and concepts. I’m sure if you stick with it, you won’t regret it either! 🚀

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post! 😉