As all kinds of resources and reading materials become more accessible through technology, more and more people are picking up new skills on their own. For students with a lot of free time or employees looking to up their game, coding is one of the more useful skills to learn — and not as difficult to master as it’s made out to be. In fact, a HackerRank survey found that over 65% of new developers are actually self-taught, as companies are still fairly open to coders without university degrees. There are a ton of fun ways to learn the skill, too, with games like Robot Turtles or Harry Potter Kano Kit making coding entertaining.
What’s more, you don’t have to want to be a developer to learn how to code — knowing the basics of the skill has benefits that transcend many jobs or degrees.
Improve your cognition
Coding is all about constant learning and problem-solving, which both require brainpower. Being able to think critically and systematically are essential coding requirements to be able to break down commands into smaller parts that computers can understand. Learning how to code will help improve your brain function and problem-solving skills, which are both useful in real-life situations.
Bring your own ideas to life
Working with teams of developers or freelance coders can sometimes prove to be a tedious back-and-forth process, with both ends left unsatisfied. It’s difficult to work with someone who just can’t see the picture you have of the finished product in your mind. If you know how to use basic HTML and CSS, you can bring your own website ideas to life with minimal help or none at all. Your ideal landing page or website will be up and running, just as you or your boss envisioned it.
Coding is all about constant learning and problem-solving.
Get paid better
Whether you stick with a single career or decide to shift later in the future, it’s always useful to have some coding skills up your sleeve. Managers who find it challenging to hire developers will appreciate having people around who know the basics of coding and could potentially pay better rates for it.
Be ready for the future
Automation is on the rise, and the demand for people who can keep up with the emerging trends is similarly booming. In the future, coding will be just another skill on everyone’s CV, and learning it now means you get to stay ahead of the curve and secure your position.
For developers already in the industry, they understand that the above benefits are only a small part of the rewards they enjoy from knowing how to code. More specific advantages that come with coding jobs are high salaries, flexibility, and a constant stream of challenging projects available from around the world for every kind of developer. According to Yoss freelance Java developers are in-demand right now, as more and more companies across industries lean towards on-demand expertise. The need for this skill is so high that Computer Weekly reports how some companies are advertising bounties for people who can successfully recommend teams of Java developers. Building a career in the industry is possible with baby steps taken towards learning the most in-demand coding languages like Java — but of course, you should choose a coding discipline that best suits your interests, too.
Overall, coding is a great way to learn and enjoy practical and mental benefits, and it’s true that anyone can do it. Taking just a few minutes every day to learn how to code can go a long way to boost your personal and career growth, and will open up exciting opportunities for you in the future.
