In the quest to learn programming and computer science in general, a lot of people get caught up in the argument of which is the best means to learn how to code. Whereas most people believe that going to college for a degree in programming is the best way to learn the ropes, the more conservative ones believe that self-teaching is the most practical and cheapest of learning how to program. Throwing a spanner into the works, are the few people who believe in bootcamps as the best technique of learning code.
This begs the question of which is the best way of teaching oneself code? Which is the best option between computer science course, self-taught and dev bootcamps? What are the perks of choosing each of the above mentioned options? Well, we talked to programming expert Tony Guo, who is the CEO of Runrex and here is what he had to say on the difference between computer science vs self-taught vs bootcamp;
The Difference between Computer Science vs Self-taught vs Bootcamp
Perks of learning coding through a course in computer science
One of the most reliable ways of learning how to code, is to enroll into online computer science courses offered by a number of institutions. A lot of people choose this option over enrolling for a major in college because of the flexibility it offers and it’s relatively low cost.
There are hundreds of online colleges which offer online courses and majority of the courses revolve around computer science. These courses last anything from 3 months to 1 year and they teach you fundamental coding skills cutting across a number of programming languages.
Some of these online computer courses are offered absolutely free while others require you to pay some sort of fee. The fee depends on the number of resources that the course providers will avail to you, the number of hours you spend learning and the level of education the course is being offered at.
Whether it’s free or paid, taking an online computer science course will afford you a lot of convenience as you will be remotely learning from home and it will be way cheaper than attending a college for a similar degree. Check out some of the available computer science online courses and choose one that suits your schedule, budget and interests.
Self-taught coding
Did you know that you can start from scratch and learn code without attending college or taking an online course? Well, if you are dedicated enough and know where to find the information you require, it is possible to learn the basics of code and ascend the rungs of the programming ladder to become a seasoned programmer.
From library books to online sites with information about coding, there are very many resources at your disposal that you can use to learn how to code. Depending on the language you want to learn, you can find information in libraries, online sites, on Youtube tutorials and many other areas.
This mechanism of learning code has a fair share of its shortcomings though. Without a mentor or a tutor, it can be very difficult to know where to start from, the best language to learn, where to get relevant information and so on. You will also need to dedicate very many hours into learning and trying out the code you learn before you can become successful.
Learning code through bootcamps
The other quick way to teach yourself how to code, is by attending developers’ bootcamps. Development bootcamps are a series of programs offered to people interested in learning coding and development of computer software and systems over a period of time. The training program can run for as long as 2 weeks.
In that period, novices interact with professional programmers with knowledge in the field and they compare notes on maters coding. Bootcamps are very ideal for newbies because they offer them a good chance to not only learn something new but to interact with seasoned programmers and get the mentorship they need.
What’s the best way to learn how to code?
So, what’s the most suitable means of learning how to code? Well, it depends on your preferences, your daily schedule, the amount of time you have on your hands and your budget. Each of the means of learning code has its perks as explained above and when choosing the most suitable, you should consider each option’s perks.
Talk to Tony Guo
Looking for an expert to help you navigate the murky waters of learning how to code? Well, look no further than Tony Guo’s way. Tony is a seasoned self-taught programmer with years of experience under his belt and will help you get started on the journey. Check out his profile and kick-start your journey towards future success in this field. The Difference between Computer Science vs Self-taught vs Bootcamp.docx