If you are reading this article, then you are either a programmer or aspiring to become one. But being a developer or programmer isn't exactly an easy feat. As a newbie developer, it is common to feel overwhelmed by the influx of information as everything is new and unfamiliar. Most times you'll find yourself asking yourself - "What the heck am I doing". This feeling is exacerbated by the sight of other programmers who are "good" at solving problems, implementing logic, and building sustainable software.
This feeling is understandable, everyone in the programming sphere is either facing or has faced this problem before. Every efficient programmer/developer today was a beginner/newbie yesterday.
But what is the best approach to becoming better? What steps should one take to become a skillful programmer? In this article, we'll go through the steps on how to become and feel like a professional developer in your field. This is the No B.S Guide to Thinking Like a Programmer
Build Problem Solving Skills.
Despite one's thoughts or beliefs, every efficient programmer today is only as good as he/she is because of the time and energy such an individual has dedicated to developing problem-solving as a skill. You can only solve problems quickly and efficiently if you have solved/seen the problem before. Now you're probably thinking "How can I solve every problem out there? That's not possible." This is true, you can never be able to solve every problem in the world (That's a job for superman 😎). What solving problems to become better basically entails, is to deeply understand the solution to the problems you've faced before, so that you can use the ideas to approach and ultimately solve more sophisticated problems. This is exactly why newbie developers should aspire to learn and have a good grasp of Algorithms and Data Structures. The concept gained from mastery of this skill can be applied to most problems one could face.
Sort Out Some Way To Solve Any Programming Challenge.
One thing you should keep in mind is that as a programmer, you are bound to face problems. Your passion to code should stem from the desire to effectively solve these problems. Some of these problems will be difficult, and as a beginner these problems will naturally take time to resolve, most newbie programmers give up on programming at this point. Instead of giving up, you should patiently take time to deliberately practice and hone your problem-solving skills. The more you practice, the better you become at approaching and solving problems efficiently.
Start Programming Like a Pro.
Once you've learned the basics of being a programmer, which is the ability to solve problems. You need to start coding. Don't Wait. Your ability to solve problems should propel you to solve more problems as you advance on your journey. Constantly keep learning, don't give up. Whether you are trying to land a developer job or to solve personal tech problems. Thinking like a programmer will help you get there.