Software development is an integral part of our daily activities. The browser or app you use in viewing this article, your favourite social media application and that game you enjoy are all products of hours and hours of software development.
To create the software that we use every day, software developers design, code, test, and deliver it. As such, becoming a developer is not an easy task. There is a process to follow that requires serious commitment and dedication.
Misconceptions about software development
There are many tutorials online claiming to make you a master in X language in a few days or some hours. Dear reader, please do not be deceived. Tutorials like that will not help you much. They only brush on topics and let you miss out on so many important aspects of the language. One thing I have realised since I started my tech journey is there is no quick way to master any language. You have to watch those long hours of videos, read books if you prefer reading and practice so many times all you have been learning.
Another misconception is that software development is a get-rich-quick scheme. This is false and it requires a lot of work and years of experience to become rich through software development. I know money is one of the reasons we choose it as our career but think about it when you have a year or two of experience in a language, you will be a junior-level developer and looking to intern in tech companies. If you are lucky to get a paid internship, the salary at that time won't make you rich. Even a freelance job will most likely not be a six-figure offer. So start learning with an open mind and don't set huge financial expectations initially.
Steps in becoming a software developer
The first thing to do is ask yourself why you want to become a developer. It may be because of the attractive salaries or you like to know how software work or you may just love coding. Knowing your reason before you start will reinforce you to pursue and achieve your goals.
There are various careers in software development such as mobile app developer, website developer, dev-ops engineer, machine learning etc. Make a thorough research on them and choose one. There are many in-depth articles on Google to help with your research. Researching will help you narrow your learning curve and avoid distractions.
Pick a language that relates to your chosen field. Even though a language can be used in different fields e.g Kotlin can be used in creating mobile apps and also for web development. You need to pick the core language required in your chosen career. To master this language, you will need to practise and keep practising. Only lots of practice can make one perfect.
The major tool you need is a computer be it a laptop or desktop. You don't need a $5000 setup to learn to code. A 4GB ram computer is good enough to start learning. Your priority should be the knowledge you are trying to have and not how fancy your gadget is.
Find a learning platform and stick to it. It is good to learn from different sources but have a major platform you follow then you can check others for supplementary knowledge. Some platforms are:
Summary
Software development is important in our daily activities.
Do not rush your learning process. Dedicate time to do the work.
Software development is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Know why you want to become a developer.
Make adequate research on various software development fields and choose one.
Pick the core language related to your field and master it.
For your learning, pick one platform and you don't need expensive gadgets to begin.
Conclusion
Good things don't come easy. Becoming an experienced developer takes time and requires serious commitment. So ensure you practise and keep practising. I know you can do it 😉 I hope you found this post interesting and useful.