Here are 7 Mistakes to Avoid as a Beginner Programmer

 As exciting as it can be to learn to code, it can also be quite overwhelming especially at the beginning. The world of tech is big and that can make your learning process extremely hard if you don't know what to focus on. One of the main reasons why a lot of beginners tend to struggle is not because they are not intelligent enough or because they lack grit but because they unknowingly make mistakes that cost them. These mistakes can lead to frustration, burn-out and a false sense of belief that coding isn't for you. This blog is designed to help you avoid these mistakes. By the time you are done reading this article you will gain clarity on what is important, what isn't important and how to build a strong foundation for your long term learning to stand on. 

1.Skipping the basics

A lot of beginners come into programming with a lot of enthusiasm - wanting to build the next big social media app. The problem with this level of enthusiasm is that it tends to push them into the deep end where they struggle to swim, leading to frustration. If not careful, this level of frustration could easily cause a person to lose hope and completely drop the idea of learning to code. What a lot of beginners fail to understand is that a lot of advanced technologies are built on the back of fundamental knowledge that may seem insignificant or simple. In fact, if you ever struggle with something in programming, chances that it could be because you overlooked a fundamental concept and are paying for it are high. When you understand the basics, everything else becomes easier.

2.Too many languages

Because the tech world is constantly advancing, it can feel like a good idea to learn everything at once so as to not fall behind. This is a terrible idea that tends to do more harm than good. Every language has its own syntax and best practices. Constantly moving from learning one language to another before you can have a good grasp of the first language can lead to confusion, shallow understanding and frustration. You could easily get the impression that you are making progress in your journey only to learn that you have not acquired any skill when a laptop is put infront of you. Focusing on one language first will make it easier to learn other languages because the difference lies in syntax. The skills you acquire from fully grasping one language ensures you don't waste a lot of time when it's time to learning something else.

3.Passive learning

Passive learning is when you rely heavily on watching tutorials without applying what you learnt. Many beginners can fall into a trap of believing you understand until you have to code yourself. Tutorials are meant to be paired with hands-on learning. Typing in lines of code along with the instructor and understanding what you are typing builds the muscle memory required for you to code independently. Programming is a skill just like cooking or riding a bike. No matter how much you watch a cooking video, you can never really be a good cook until you start cooking yourself. Programming is the same way.

4.Ignoring bugs

Bugs can feel overwhelming for beginners. It easy to just decide to move past certain bugs if most of the code works, however this could lead to much bigger problems in future. Bugs are a normal and unavoidable part of being a programmer. Even programmers who have ben coding for years come across bugs. How a beginner behaves when he/she comes across bugs will determine whether they progress or hit a level they can't move past. Beginners should learn to treat bugs as learning opportinities instead of obstacles. When you ignore bugs you are creating fertile ground for smaller issues to grow into biger untameable issues. These issues make your code harder to understand and maintain. A harmless error could turn into a serious issue in the event you think about adding a new feature.

5.Unorganized code

A lot of beginners tend to want to only focus on the code working. What they don't realize is whether your code works is just as important as how it is written. Someone else outside of yourself should be able to look at your code and be able to read and understand your code. Messy code may not seem like a big deal with a small project but becomes problematic with bigger more complex projects. It can also be difficult to understand when you revisit it later on. Debugging also becomes hectic because finding the issue is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It slows down the entire process and builds frustration. Writing organized code builds confidence and makes you feel proud of your work.

6.Fear of asking for help

Programming is challenging for everyone. Beginners have a tendency of assuming that they are the only ones struggling or that asking for help will make them look stupid. That is the furthest thing from the truth. Asking for help means that you have a commitment to learning and are not ready to give up. In fact, the most experienced programmers are those that have learnt how to pose good questions in order to get help. Being afraid to ask for help can make you lose motivation and in turn give up. On the other hand, learning when and how to ask for help can build confidence and also let's you know you are not struggling with your problems in isolation. Later on you may also find yourself on the other side of the table, helping other programmers with problems you overcame.

7.No plan/overplanning

Having no plan or overplanning before starting to learn can create challenges for a programmer. Having a plan for what you hope to achieve while learning to code enables a person to create a clear path to follow. It can be hard to move from this path to chase shiny objects when you have a goal in mind. On the other hand, overplanning can lead to paralysis analysis where you get stuck analysing everything instead of just starting. Being balanced is key, immediately you know what you want to learn get into it and adjust as you move on.

Making mistakes as a beginner programmer is normal, the most important thing is that you are able to bounce back. The key to effectively keep learning how to code is recognizing common pitfalls early and navigating them efficiently. Avoiding the mistakes discussed in this article can greatly improve the approach you take at learning to code thereby improving your chances at success.