Software Development and Programming Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Type Username Here]

am i wasting my time learning c++ brehs ?

fukk no

Here's a list of some programs written in C++. A lot of heavyweights.

http://www.stroustrup.com/applications.html
http://www.mycplus.com/featured-articles/top-10-applications-written-in-c-cplusplus/

Almost all (non-mobile) games and devkits are C++, or at least the engines are.

 

[kevm3]

am i wasting my time learning c++ brehs ?

Nah, you aren't wasting your time. Now if you ask me whether you are maximizing your time, it depends on what sort of programming you are planning on doing. C/C++ is a definite if you really want to get into game development.

 

[Quiet Magician]

Hello everyone!

I just joined the website (awesome btw) and this thread really calls out to me. I am interested in programming but I want to be able to do front end programming.

Should I start with HTML, CSS or Javascript? It all seems very confusing and so anyone here with some experience on any of these languages would be most helpful. Any books I should start with or should go with udemy? Any tips would be phenomenal.

Reason I want to learn these languages is precisely to learn to Ruby On Rail, who is supposedly the future.

 

[kevm3]

What

Hello everyone!

I just joined the website (awesome btw) and this thread really calls out to me. I am interested in programming but I want to be able to do front end programming.

Should I start with HTML, CSS or Javascript? It all seems very confusing and so anyone here with some experience on any of these languages would be most helpful. Any books I should start with or should go with udemy? Any tips would be phenomenal.

Reason I want to learn these languages is precisely to learn to Ruby On Rail, who is supposedly the future.

What you are looking into is 'web development', which, if you want to specialize, is divided into two areas-- "Front-end development and back end development". Front-end development is client-side, meaning it deals with the browser oriented side of development. Back-end development deals with server-side development. To elaborate on front-end development, it typically deals with how a page looks, interactivity on the page, etc., without referencing a server (back-end development). Front-end development deals with HTML, CSS and Javascript. HTML is used to give a page structure, CSS is used to give pages style and Javascript can be used to give a page behavior/interactivity.

Back-end development involves using languages like PHP or frameworks like Ruby on Rails (Ruby), Django (Python), asp.net, etc. In conjunction with knowing a 'server-side' language, you will also have to learn some sort of database, which will likely be an SQL variant of some sort.

If you are getting into web development, learning HTML and CSS is critical, since whatever language you choose afterwards will either be generating HTML or manipulating HTML elements. For example, with PHP or some other server side language, the user will do things like submit an html form, the results will be sent to a server on which your script is stored... your script will process the results and return the results to the user. With front-end development, which is Javascript, you will be manipulating HTML elements for some purpose or the other. For example, when the user clicks on a button, it will run some javascript code to react based on how you want it to react.

 

[kevm3]

Ruby on Rails is a back-end or server side framework based upon the Ruby language. Another competitor for a server-side language is PHP. If you are jumping into Ruby on Rails, you will be doing back-end development. Front-end development is javascript.

 

[kevm3]

Here are a few more basic observations that may help you when you are just starting:
Let's talk about operators and operands. An operand is what an operator performs an 'operation' upon. Some examples of operators are *, /, +, -. Here is an example of an operator operating upon operands: 5 + 4. In this case the 5 and the 4 are the operands and the + is the operator. Now, in programming, there are unary, binary, and ternary(trinary) operators. What this means is how many operands the operator is operating upon. Unary means the operator is only operating upon ONE operand. One example of a unary operator is the ! symbol. The ! is called the 'negation operator'. It essentially means "NOT"
For example, if you have an if statement:
if(x != 5)
This if statement will only evaluate to true if x does NOT = to 5.
A binary operator is what you typically see in everyday math. There are two operands, say a 5 and a 3, and then an operator between it such as a multiplication sign. 5*3. That operator is operating upon two operands.

I've just recently learned about a ternary operator. This is the structure of a 'conditional ternary operator' in Javascript. The syntax is (test) ? true condition: false condition;
for example
(5==x) ? "true":"false";
What this is essentially is saying is if 5 is equivalent to x, then the first statement will be returned. If it is false, then the second statement will be returned.


I'd like to hear some of you more advanced programmers pitch in on your programming observations as well. I'd like to see this thread become very active with discussion.

 

[Fujiman]

Does anyone know anyone that has attended a coding boot camp such as:
devbootcamp.com/
http://www.appacademy.io/#p-home
http://www.apprentice.io/
https://www.codefellows.org/
http://www.fullstackacademy.com/
http://flatironschool.com/
- This one can be free if you are a New York resident and meet the other requirements
http://hackreactor.com/

Here is a site that lists a lot of the boot camps:
http://www.skilledup.com/learn/prog...uide-to-coding-bootcamps-the-exhaustive-list/

Some can be a pricy, but there seam to be some hidden gems in which the tuition is greatly reduced or even free in the case of the
Flatiron school for NY residents. Some guarantee job placement also.

May be a good place to start to get your foot in the door if you can afford it.
May be a scam to get your cash

 

[Quiet Magician]

What

What you are looking into is 'web development', which, if you want to specialize, is divided into two areas-- "Front-end development and back end development". Front-end development is client-side, meaning it deals with the browser oriented side of development. Back-end development deals with server-side development. To elaborate on front-end development, it typically deals with how a page looks, interactivity on the page, etc., without referencing a server (back-end development). Front-end development deals with HTML, CSS and Javascript. HTML is used to give a page structure, CSS is used to give pages style and Javascript can be used to give a page behavior/interactivity.

Back-end development involves using languages like PHP or frameworks like Ruby on Rails (Ruby), Django (Python), asp.net, etc. In conjunction with knowing a 'server-side' language, you will also have to learn some sort of database, which will likely be an SQL variant of some sort.

If you are getting into web development, learning HTML and CSS is critical, since whatever language you choose afterwards will either be generating HTML or manipulating HTML elements. For example, with PHP or some other server side language, the user will do things like submit an html form, the results will be sent to a server on which your script is stored... your script will process the results and return the results to the user. With front-end development, which is Javascript, you will be manipulating HTML elements for some purpose or the other. For example, when the user clicks on a button, it will run some javascript code to react based on how you want it to react.

I want to be a ruby on rails developer because of how simple the syntax is. With Ruby on Rails I know I can't even jump into it with HTML/CSS/Javascript. If I want to get to the level where I am competent I need those languages in my back pocket.

So I guess I want to become a back end developer.

I read the thread and your posts always had the most detail. If you don't mind sharing, I would like to know the level of difficulty and how long it took you to become well versed in HTML/CSS/Javascript. Also how you got started would be a great help as well.

Ruby on Rails is a back-end or server side framework based upon the Ruby language. Another competitor for a server-side language is PHP. If you are jumping into Ruby on Rails, you will be doing back-end development. Front-end development is javascript.

Interesting. I never thought of PHP. I read a lot of news about how Ruby On Rails will be the future and how twitter uses it on its on search functions.

Will definitely check it out but alas I am a noob to all this. Lot of this stuff is very overwhelming.

Hey man, my friend told me to check out this reddit cheat sheet, tell your thoughts if it is worth memorizing. http://overapi.com/

 

[kevm3]

I want to be a ruby on rails developer because of how simple the syntax is. With Ruby on Rails I know I can't even jump into it with HTML/CSS/Javascript. If I want to get to the level where I am competent I need those languages in my back pocket.

So I guess I want to become a back end developer.

I read the thread and your posts always had the most detail. If you don't mind sharing, I would like to know the level of difficulty and how long it took you to become well versed in HTML/CSS/Javascript. Also how you got started would be a great help as well.



Interesting. I never thought of PHP. I read a lot of news about how Ruby On Rails will be the future and how twitter uses it on its on search functions.

Will definitely check it out but alas I am a noob to all this. Lot of this stuff is very overwhelming.

Hey man, my friend told me to check out this reddit cheat sheet, tell your thoughts if it is worth memorizing. http://overapi.com/

HTML/CSS isn't really a programming language. They are mark-up languages, and thus, relatively easy to learn. I would give HTML/CSS a month or two to learn in depth if you go hard with them. HTML is very easy to learn. CSS isn't particularly difficult either, but it can have a ton of details which can throw you off. If you want to get started learning HTML/CSS, go to codecademy.com and go through the HTML/CSS track. Then start working your way through some books.HeadFirst HTML/CSS is a great one for starting off. When you're ready to get advanced with the CSS, get CSS the Missing Manual.

Javascript is something I'm still in the process of really learning. The basic syntax and doing the basics like loops, conditionals, etc. are simple, but where Javascript gets difficult is understanding concepts like closures and the more advanced things. Learning a full language like Javascript or PHP will take several months to get the hang of and years to master, so don't rush the process. IF you're going to do back-end development and you like what you've done with Ruby on Rails, don't worry about using PHP, and stick with RoR.

 

[Takerstani]

HTML/CSS isn't really a programming language. They are mark-up languages, and thus, relatively easy to learn. I would give HTML/CSS a month or two to learn in depth if you go hard with them. HTML is very easy to learn. CSS isn't particularly difficult either, but it can have a ton of details which can throw you off. If you want to get started learning HTML/CSS, go to codecademy.com and go through the HTML/CSS track. Then start working your way through some books.HeadFirst HTML/CSS is a great one for starting off. When you're ready to get advanced with the CSS, get CSS the Missing Manual.

Javascript is something I'm still in the process of really learning. The basic syntax and doing the basics like loops, conditionals, etc. are simple, but where Javascript gets difficult is understanding concepts like closures and the more advanced things. Learning a full language like Javascript or PHP will take several months to get the hang of and years to master, so don't rush the process. IF you're going to do back-end development and you like what you've done with Ruby on Rails, don't worry about using PHP, and stick with RoR.

Co-sign. I finished the HTML/CSS Codecademy course. It was fun and pretty straight forward. I started designing a couple of pages while I was doing it. I'm working thru the Javascript course, right now and using a good Javascript book (a course, itself). Free to borrow if you have Amazon Prime:http://www.amazon.com/Javascript-Beginners-Mark-Lassoff-ebook/dp/B00CA5USBY/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395102277&sr=1-6&keywords=javascript Building more pages and going thru http://www.cssbasics.com/ now already knowing and having done all this before to learn additional options. I needed to know HTML, CSS and Javascript for the work I currently do but C++ is related to what I want to do in the future.

 

[kevm3]

A very important concept to get a hold

Co-sign. I finished the HTML/CSS Codecademy course. It was fun and pretty straight forward. I started designing a couple of pages while I was doing it. I'm working thru the Javascript course, right now and using a good Javascript book (a course, itself). Free to borrow if you have Amazon Prime:http://www.amazon.com/Javascript-Beginners-Mark-Lassoff-ebook/dp/B00CA5USBY/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395102277&sr=1-6&keywords=javascript Building more pages and going thru http://www.cssbasics.com/ now already knowing and having done all this before to learn additional options. I needed to know HTML, CSS and Javascript for the work I currently do but C++ is related to what I want to do in the future. Currently compiling resources for C++.

What is it that you are planning on doing with C++? I know C and C++ are great for game programming and other performance intensive applications. The Mark Lassoff book was a nice one for people starting off with Javascript and wanting to get the hang of programming elements. I'm working through the David Flannagan book Javascript: The Definitive Guide. It's not an easy read, but I'm learning all kinds of intricacies about the language such as 'short circuiting.' Here's an example.
If(a==b) console.log("true");
can also be stated as
a==b && console.log("true");

You can use the AND(&&) operator to act like an if. This works because when expressions with AND operators are evaluated, if the left side of the expression is false, then the right side isn't evaluated. If the left is true, then the right is evaluated... so in essence, it can be shorthand for a short if statement.

 

[Takerstani]

A very important concept to get a hold


What is it that you are planning on doing with C++? I know C and C++ are great for game programming and other performance intensive applications. The Mark Lassoff book was a nice one for people starting off with Javascript and wanting to get the hang of programming elements. I'm working through the David Flannagan book Javascript: The Definitive Guide. It's not an easy read, but I'm learning all kinds of intricacies about the language such as 'short circuiting.' Here's an example.
If(a==b) console.log("true");
can also be stated as
a==b && console.log("true");

You can use the AND(&&) operator to act like an if. This works because when expressions with AND operators are evaluated, if the left side of the expression is false, then the right side isn't evaluated. If the left is true, then the right is evaluated... so in essence, it can be shorthand for a short if statement.

Creating educational and language learning games/programs. I haven't gotten as far in Javascript, got sidetracked with a home repair project. I should be finished with this course next week, if nothing else goes wrong. I'll check that book out, thanks.

 

[Quiet Magician]

Just wanted to post a youtube page I thought was pretty good in terms of going over material. He covers a lot of languages and so I hope it will be helpful to all.

 

[Type Username Here]

I'm going to be interviewed this week for one of the big companies. It will be an initial interview so I don't expect it to be too crazy. For those getting into the game now, interviews for these fields are essentially tests where they'll ask you to provide the best code/algorithm to solve a problem(s) in the most time/space efficient manner. It's why you have to start understanding about running time of algorithms. Just coming up with a solution won't do most of time.

If anyone of are interested in preparing yourselves for a interview or to look at what employers are asking, these two sites are great:

http://www.careercup.com/
http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

 

[Lex218]

What are some good languages to learn? I plan on starting my associates in Information systems and I have the option of learning SQL(mandatory) and 2 other languages. The choices are java , JavaScript, php, c++, perl, and Visual Basic. I'm not interested in game programming. More leaning towards software and web development.