Introduction - Coding For Dummies (2015)

Coding For Dummies (2015)

Introduction

The ability to read, write, and understand code has never been more important, useful, or lucrative as it is today. Computer code has forever changed our lives. Some people can’t even make it through the day without interacting with something built with code. Even so, for many people, the world of coding seems complex and inaccessible. Maybe you participated in a tech-related business meeting and did not fully understand the conversation. Perhaps you tried to build a web page for your family and friends, but ran into problems displaying pictures or aligning text. Maybe you’re even intimidated by the unrecognizable words on the covers of books about coding: words such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, or Ruby.

If you’ve previously been in these situations, then Coding For Dummies is for you. This book explains basic concepts so you can participate in technical conversations, and ask the right questions. Don’t worry — in this book I’ve assumed you are starting with little to no previous coding knowledge, and I haven’t tried to cram every possible coding concept into these pages. Additionally, I encourage you here to learn by doing, and by actually creating your own programs. Instead of a website, imagine that you wanted to build a house. You could spend eight years studying to be an architect, or you could start today by learning a little bit about foundations and framing. This book kickstarts your coding journey today.

The importance of coding is ever increasing. As author and technologist Douglas Rushkoff famously said, “program or be programmed.” When humans invented languages and then the alphabet, people learned to listen and speak, and then read and write. In our increasingly digital world, it is important to learn not just how to use programs, but how to make them as well. For example, observe this transition in music. For over a century, music labels decided what songs the public could listen to and purchase. In 2005, three coders created YouTube, which allowed anyone to release songs. Today more songs have been uploaded to YouTube than have been released by all the record labels in the last century combined.

Accompanying this book are examples at www.codecademy.com, whose exercises are one of the easiest ways to learn how to code without installing or downloading anything. The Codecademy companion site includes examples and exercises from this book, along with projects and examples for additional practice.

About This Book

This book is designed for readers with little to no coding experience, and gives an overview of programming to non-programmers. In plain English, you learn how code is used to create web programs, who makes those programs, and the processes they use. The topics covered include:

· Explaining what coding is and answering the common questions related to code.

· Building basic websites using the three most common languages: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

· Surveying other programming languages such as Ruby and Python.

· Building an application using everything you learn in the book.

As you read this book, keep the following in mind:

· The book can be read from beginning to end, but feel free to skip around if you like. If any topic interests you, start there. You can always return to the previous chapter, if necessary.

· At some point you will get stuck, and code you write will not work as intended. Do not fear! There are many resources to help you including support forums, others on the Internet, and me! Using Twitter, you can send me a public message at @nikhilgabraham with the hashtag#codingFD.

· Code in the book will appear in a monospaced font like this: <h1>Hi there!</h1>.

Foolish Assumptions

I do not make many assumptions about you, the reader, but I do make a few:

I assume you don’t have previous programming experience. To follow along, then, you only need to be able to read, type, and follow directions. I try to explain as many concepts as possible using examples and analogies you already know.

I assume you have a computer running the latest version of Google Chrome. The examples in the book have been tested and optimized for the Chrome browser, which is available for free from Google. Even so, the examples may also work in the latest version of Firefox. Using Internet Explorer for the examples in this book, however, is discouraged.

I assume you have access to an Internet connection. Some of the examples in the book can be done without an Internet connection, but most require one so you can access and complete the exercises on www.codecademy.com.

Icons Used in This Book

Here are the icons used in the book to flag text that should be given extra attention or can be skipped.

tip.eps This icon flags useful information or explains a shortcut to help you understand a concept.

technicalstuff.eps This icon explains technical details about the concept being explained. The details might be informative or interesting, but are not essential to your understanding of the concept at this stage.

remember.eps Try not to forget the material marked with this icon. It signals an important concept or process that you should keep in mind.

warning.eps Watch out! This icon flags common mistakes and problems that can be avoided if you heed the warning.

Beyond the Book

A lot of extra content that you won’t find in this book is available at www.dummies.com. Go online to find the following:

· The source code for the examples in this book and a link to the Codecademy exercises: You can find these at

www.dummies.com/go/codingfd

The source code is organized by chapter. The best way to work with a chapter is to download all the source code for it at one time.

· Cheat Sheet: You can find a list of common HTML, CSS, and JavaScript commands, among other useful information, at

www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/coding

· Extras: Additional articles with extra content are posted for roughly each section of the book. You can access these additional materials at

www.dummies.com/extras/coding

· Updates: Code and specifications are constantly changing, so the commands and syntax that work today may not work tomorrow. You can find any updates or corrections by visiting

www.dummies.com/extras/coding

Where to Go from Here

All right, now that all of the administrative stuff is out of the way, it’s time to get started. You can totally do this. Congratulations on taking your first step into the world of coding!