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How long does it take to learn to code?

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How long does it take to learn to code?

If you’re just getting started on the path to learning to code, it can feel daunting. How long will it take until you know how to code?

Just like any complex topic that you want to learn about or master, you can break it down into smaller pieces and tackle each of those in turn. You just need to be realistic about how much time you have to spend on learning and where that will take you in the long run.

We’ll take a look at just how long it’ll take to learn to code and what the time commitment may look like for you. In addition to that, we’ll discuss the milestones you can expect to hit as you learn to code and the real-world applications of what you’re learning.

What are the different time frames for learning to code?

As you can imagine, the more time you spend practicing and learning, the quicker you’ll learn to code and put your skills to use solving problems. But each of us has a different amount of time to dedicate to our learning journey. So let’s start by identifying a few different types of learners and how long it will likely take each of them to learn to code.

Are you a casual learner?

Casual learners are looking to pick up skills one at a time. They aren’t in a rush, and they aren’t sure what they need to learn, so they just try new things. This type of learner will take the longest amount of time to learn to code, but that’s ok because they are approaching the task as a hobby or a long-term goal. For these learners, it’s likely to take a couple of years to learn to code.

Are you a career advancer?

Career advancers are learning to code because they know that it will help them do their job better. They already know where they need to start, and that means they can focus on learning what they need to know for a specific task. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact timeframe for learning to code, but for a career advancer, a year or so is a good estimate.

Are you a career changer?

The last type of learner is a career changer. These are people who want to learn to code so that they can do this as a career. They bring a focused effort to the task of learning what they need to, and their approach is similar to a gym; the more consistently they work on their skills and the more intensity they bring to their practice, the faster they’ll learn to code. These learners are likely to reach their end goal in under a year with dedicated focus to their career change of becoming a programmer.

If you’re thinking about a career in coding, we recommend checking out our Career Paths. Career Paths are designed to take you through everything you’ll need to learn to get an entry level job. There are four Career Paths to choose from: Data Scientist, Full-Stack Engineer, Front-End Engineer, and Back-End Engineer.

How to learn to code more quickly

As you’re starting out on your learning journey, regardless of the which type of learner you are, you want to set a realistic weekly time commitment for yourself. Now, everyone’s situation is different, so don’t put any extra pressure on yourself. Just put enough time into your pursuit so that you can make some decent progress each week. We’d recommend somewhere between five and 15 hours per week.

If your goal is “learn to code” in a general sense, it can feel overwhelming, and it’s almost impossible to know when you’ve succeeded. To get a better idea of how long it might take you to reach your goal of learning to code, here are a few tips to get clear on your path.

Figure out what type of work do you want to do

First, ask yourself this question. Once you know the type of work you want to do in this world, you can narrow in on the type of programming language you might need to learn as well as foundational skills and practice projects. You’ll also be much more clear about where to start and what tools are going to help you.

We’ve all been tempted to learn the latest and greatest thing when it comes to programming. But if you don’t know where it’ll apply in your work or daily life to make things easier, then it isn’t worth learning. Knowing what you want to do with code will allow you to hone in on the specific skills required for your specific work.

Start solving real-world problems as soon as possible

After you’ve learned some foundational skills and completed a couple of tutorials, start to put your skills into practice on problems you want to solve. Take your new skills on a test drive and try to solve a real-world problem. There really is no substitute for what you’ll learn when you start to take the training wheels off your learning-to-code journey.

Don’t waste time on memorization

Because of how many of us learned back in our grade school days, we think we need to memorize aspects of code to be a good programmer. But actually, being a good programmer isn’t about how much you know; it’s about how well you learn.

You might be surprised to hear that programmers often joke among themselves that their job is really just to be professional Googlers. There’s no need to get hung up on needing to know every last thing. Instead, most programmers are happy to keep moving forward with a task and look things up along the way.

Learning milestones you can look forward to reaching

While we’re all on our own timelines when it comes to learning to code, there are some common milestones to look forward to. Here are four main milestones that you’ll encounter on your way to learning to code:

  1. The first a-ha moment when something you’ve been struggling to learn finally clicks
  2. The first time your code runs without any bugs or errors
  3. The first time you figure out what’s wrong in the code and why
  4. The first time you’re no longer afraid of working in the terminal

If you’ve already reached some of these milestones, congratulations! You’re well on your way to learning to code. A few possible next milestones may be updating the styling on a website, learning HTML basics, or crafting an email campaign in HTML or CSS.

Don’t forget to celebrate each of these milestones along the way. You’re putting in real effort, carving out time to learn, and improving with every hour you set aside. With realistic and focused learning goals, you’ll reach the finish line in no time!

Our 6th Annual Student Review Contest

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Our 6th Annual Student Review Contest

But many of the things you once had to experience in person, you can now experience online, and you can review any of those that fit into the categories of expression outlined above. Stream a theatrical performance, visit a virtual art gallery, watch dance on YouTube or laugh at comedy on Zoom. Remember, your digital experience — good or bad — can be part of your review.

And, of course, consider the things you can do outside safely, like visiting a piece of architecture, watching an outdoor performance or checking out public art.

Is there anything I can’t write about?

We invite you to review anything that fits into a category of creative expression covered by The Times. For example, you could review BTS’s latest album because The Times reviews music; but you could not review Santa Cruz decks and wheels because The Times does not review skateboards.

In addition, keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

Can I have someone else check my work?

We understand that students will often revise their work based on feedback from teachers and peers. That is allowed for this contest. However, be sure that the final submission reflects the ideas, voice and writing ability of the student, not someone else.

Do I need a Works Cited page?

Our submission form does not allow for a separate Works Cited page for this contest. If you are quoting from another source or referencing someone else’s ideas, you should give appropriate credit in the review itself.

Here is an example of how to do so from one of last year’s winning reviews about New York City’s Penn Station:

As Vincent Scully, the late art critic, famously noted, “One entered the city like a god … One scuttles in now like a rat.” That blustery Friday afternoon, it wasn’t too hard to see Mr. Scully’s point.

_________

Questions About Judging

How will my review be judged?

Your work will be read by New York Times journalists as well as by Learning Network staff members and educators from around the United States. We will use this rubric to judge entries.

Word + Quiz: brio

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Word + Quiz: brio

: the quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous

_________

The word brio has appeared in 28 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 6 in the obituary “Eddie Van Halen, Virtuoso of the Rock Guitar, Dies at 65” by Jim Farber:

Mr. Van Halen structured his solos the way Macy’s choreographs its Independence Day fireworks shows: shooting off rockets of sound that seemed to explode in a shower of light and color. His outpouring of riffs, runs and solos was hyperactive and athletic, joyous and wry, making deeper or darker emotions feel irrelevant.

… Van Halen recorded its debut album for the label in just three weeks, employing few overdubs, the better to capture its in-concert brio. Released in early 1978, the album broke the Billboard Top 20 and, in the process, reasserted the power of hard rock at a time when disco, punk and new wave dominated.

_________

Benson Samuel: “Alison courses have the best curriculum.”

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Benson Samuel: “Alison courses have the best curriculum.”

“My name is Benson Samuel. I am from India and I am presently working in Kuwait as a safety officer. I have been studying with Alison for two years now.”

How did you learn about Alison?

I came across the website when I was searching for free online courses on Google.

What was your first course on Alison, and why did you choose it?

It was a safety course and I chose it as it was related to my job.

 

What’s your favourite way to relax from studying?

To take it easy on Friday and the weekend.

 

What’s next for you, in terms of education or work?

To enhance my career and to continue to learn new things about new subjects.

What would you say to someone if they asked you about Alison? Would you recommend it and why?

Alison is the best because it gives you full access to many subjects to study. I recommend Alison because their courses have the best curriculum.

Kelly Steinberg: “Alison has made me feel like I can complete any course with ease.”

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Kelly Steinberg: “Alison has made me feel like I can complete any course with ease.”

“My name is Kelly Steinberg. I worked as a general manager for McDonald’s for 37 years. McDonald’s was my first job and it taught me many life skills. People are my passion.”

How did you learn about Alison?

I came across Alison online.

What was your first course on Alison, and why did you choose it?

Human Resources. I picked this course because, though I have a lot of managerial skills, I wanted to dig deeper into the field of HR.

 

What’s your favourite way to relax from studying?

I like to read and to go to see live concerts.

Where are you working and what are you studying now?

I am not currently working due to Covid-19. I am reskilling and learning bookkeeping and accounting. Alison courses are helping me towards my next career.

 

What’s next for you, in terms of education or work?

As far as work goes, I will choose a job I can do from home, while continuing to further my knowledge through Alison courses.

If you could learn absolutely anything in the world from an Alison course, what would it be?

A sign language course.

What would you say to someone if they asked you about Alison? Would you recommend it and why?

Alison has a wide range of classes and I like you that you can get certified which is good for your profile. I have recently recommended Alison to my friends and four of them have already started classes. I recommended Alison to them because you can learn at your own pace. I haven’t taken any classes since high school and, with these classes, I found I felt confident about the learning process. Alison has made me feel like I can complete any course with ease.

Lesson of the Day: ‘How the Space Station Became a Base to Launch Humanity’s Future’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘How the Space Station Became a Base to Launch Humanity’s Future’

5. Mr. Chang writes that the space station has “turned into the linchpin for spurring capitalism in space.” What evidence does he provide to support that claim?

6. What is the future of the International Space Station? What will happen when it is retired? What role will private companies play?

7. The article concludes with the reflections of Michael T. Suffredini, who served as NASA’s space station program manager for a decade, from 2005 to 2015:

Mr. Suffredini said the current trajectory of life in orbit followed the path of previous exploration of new territories. “In any government exploration in the history of mankind, you send out a few people that are government funded to go do a relatively risky thing, just to see what’s there,” he said.

If there’s anything of value, the pioneers follow and eventually the settlers. “In order to establish low-Earth orbit,” Mr. Suffredini said, “we need to get to the pioneering stage, which is what we’re really doing.”

What does Mr. Suffredini mean by “pioneers” and “settlers”? How do you think the experiences at the International Space Station will help the future of space exploration and colonization? What do you think is the legacy of the I.S.S.?

Option 1: Share Your Thoughts.

  • What’s your reaction to the article? What was the most fascinating, intriguing or surprising thing you read? Does it make you more excited about the International Space Station or space travel and exploration in general?

  • In a 2018 Opinion essay, “Don’t Give Up on the International Space Station,” Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who has lived on the space station and the twin brother of Scott Kelly, writes:

It was the United States that led the international coalition of 16 nations to build the space station. Constructing this outpost in outer space took dozens of missions spanning well over a decade to complete, and considerable money. It is clearly one of the more complicated engineering projects humans have undertaken.

It’s not perfect and it’s not designed to last forever, but what the International Space Station offers humans and nations is remarkable: an important opportunity to collaborate on shared scientific goals, mostly free from politics and almost entirely free from the influences of our planet …

But all of this will come to a screeching halt (though you won’t hear the “screech” in the vacuum of space) if the Trump administration ends funding for the International Space Station program beyond 2024, a step it is considering. The reasons are unclear, though President Trump has said that he wants to prioritize human travel to the moon.

Whatever the priorities, this sort of trade-off is shortsighted. Cutting funding for the station, now between $3 billion and $4 billion a year, would be a step backward for the space agency and certainly not in the best interest of the country.

Should the United States government continue to fund the International Space Station? Or is it better to have private companies build and maintain this and new ones? What is the benefit of the International Space Station to humanity and our future?

  • Would you want to visit or spend time on the International Space Station? What do you think you would enjoy most? What do you think would be the hardest part of living there?

  • Make some predictions: Do you think ordinary people (those who are not astronauts) will be living on space stations like the International Space Station in the next 20 years? Do you think you will ever live in outer space in your lifetime?

Option 2: Write a Letter Home — From Aboard the International Space Station!

Imagine you live on the International Space Station: Write a letter home telling friends and loved ones about your life aboard an outpost 250 miles above the earth.

Describe your daily life and routines, such as sleeping, eating and exercising as you float weightlessly in a microgravity environment, the challenges you face, as well the discoveries, joys and beauty you are seeing and experiencing.

For help with your letter, you might start by taking a visual tour of the International Space Station in the Times photo essay “Home Sweet Home in Orbit.” Or, peruse the collection of reflections and thoughts by Times science writers to mark the anniversary in “The International Space Station: 20 Years of Promise, Peril and Fun.” You might also visit the NASA website for more details on the space station and its missions.

Nurture Your Plants and Your Kid’s Curiosity

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Nurture Your Plants and Your Kid’s Curiosity

Here is a sampling of the week’s events and how to tune in (all times are Eastern). Note that events are subject to change after publication.

Tune in to a concert celebrating art and art museums by the children’s performer Laurie Berkner, who is often called the ‘queen of Kindie rock.’ Dancing is encouraged, as is donating to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund.

When 11 a.m.
Where laurieberkner.com/concerts

Learn to care for your plants during “Making a Home for Houseplants,” a weekly virtual seminar led by the gardener Jocelyn Perez Blanco and hosted by the New York-based Society X.

Experience the “serendipitous discovery” of the X-ray and attend the virtual lecture, “X-rays at 125 Years,” hosted by the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. The German physicist and engineer Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen first observed the X-rayon Nov. 8, 1895 — he scanned his wife’s hand, among other objects — making Sunday the 125th anniversary. David J. Ballard, an expert in radiation technology, will also take audience questions.

When 5:30 p.m.
Where muttermuseum.org/events

Join in the adventures of The Super Secret Hive podcast with your child. The Hive features six episodes, each focused on a different part of the world around us. Your child will learn about immune systems, the role honeybees have in pollinating, and more. The episode posts include recommendations for further learning and printable activities.

When Anytime
Where kidsavetheworld.com/thesupersecrethive

Hear the “99% Invisible” podcast hosts Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt during a live-streamed interview at the Portland Book Festival. Mr. Mars and Mr. Kohlstedt will discuss their new book, “The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design,” with the writer Elena Passarello and the radio host Luke Burbank; the poet Shayla Lawson will also talk about a new essay collection.

When 2:30 p.m.
Where literary-arts.org/event

Be swept away by the San Francisco Symphony with the premiere of Nico Muhly’s “Throughline,” which was commissioned specifically as a virtual production. Filmed in locations around the world, the show includes solos from eight collaborators. The production, which Mr. Muhly described to The Times as “meaty” and “toothsome,” also happens to be Esa-Pekka Salonen’s debut presentation as the symphony’s music director. The show will remain on the orchestra’s site for on-demand viewing after the premiere.

When 10 p.m.
Where sfsymphony.org

Make a Sunday dinner to rival those of nonnas everywhere with the Gnocchi Quattro Modi cooking class. Laura Scheck, chef and founder of the Brooklyn-based Teaching Table, which offers cooking classes and workshops, guides you and your family on how to make the fluffy pasta with whatever produce you have — sweet and regular potatoes, squash and broccoli stems are all excellent options. No fancy equipment needed, but Ms. Scheck recommends baking or roasting the vegetables before the class begins. The class is $25 per household; registration required and the class costs $25 per household.

When 10:30 a.m.
Where teachingtable.net

An interview with Isabel Abonitalla: Chapter leader, student, and entrepreneur

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An interview with Isabel Abonitalla: Chapter leader, student, and entrepreneur

We couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to Isabel Abonitalla — a computer science and biology student, programmer, entrepreneur, and one of the leaders of Codecademy’s CUNY Tech chapter. CUNY Tech is the Codecademy Community chapter made up of the schools in the City University of New York school system, led by Isabel and a team of 4 other students.

In addition to helping to lead the CUNY Tech chapter, Isabel is active in various tech communities, and also the co-founder and Executive Director of HackGuild, a nonprofit that aims to increase access to tech education. We interviewed Isabel to learn more about her nonprofit, the CUNY Tech chapter — and the importance of community in general!

Check out the interview below and, if you’re inspired, head over to find a Codecademy Chapter in your area — or start your own!

Tell us about yourself!

I’m a junior studying computer science and biology at CUNY Hunter College. Outside of academics, I am very active in my community. I also run a nonprofit that aims to increase access to tech education. I am also a mentor to high school students, for technical projects, college applications, and general professional development. I am also a gamer and an anime fan. My favorite game is Breath of the Wild, and my favorite anime is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood!

Tell us about HackGuild!

I founded HackGuild, a nonprofit that aims to increase access to tech education. We plan on doing that by hosting hackathons, workshops, speaker series, and other events as well as providing 1:1 mentorship to high school students, especially those from underrepresented minorities and low-income communities.

We are currently a team of 20 high school and college students, and even though we’re fairly new (we officially started in May!) we’re all doing our best because we believe in our cause and enjoy working with our team.

We’re actually in the middle of a fundraiser to gain nonprofit status and tax exemption, as well as provide financial aid to our event organizers. You can learn more here.

What interested you about computer science?

My career interests actually started in biomedical research, but my second research internship involved data science so this introduced me to the world of technology. I was fascinated with the applications of tech in other industries and how much it was capable of doing. I was able to create graphs and build machine learning models within a few lines of code and that was exhilarating! Since then, I have been exploring the different tracks I could take within technology, particularly data science, front-end development, and product management.

What’s your favorite thing about coding?

I enjoy creating projects that solve real-world problems, and I have done that through my 21 hackathon experiences. I like knowing that what I create can make an actual difference. Coding itself is very rewarding, especially getting it to compile or render correctly after working at it for so long. It is such a satisfying feeling! I also love the fact that I can get results so quickly; I write the code and it can reflect changes almost instantaneously (in the case of React’s hot reloading).

What has your experience been with tech communities?

I am both a leader and a member of various communities. I am the founder and president of Hunter College’s Google Developer Student Club, the vice president of the Open Source Club, and the lead of the CUNY-wide Codecademy chapter. I also created a discord server of over a thousand students geared towards professional development. Even my nonprofit has a discord server for its students. I am also a member of the Purple Hydrangea Project, a nonprofit and community that aims to increase awareness of mental health in youths, Rewriting the Code, #BUILTBYGIRLS, NCWIT, Becoming Businesswomen, The Loop, as well as my school’s ACM, WiCS, and E-sports and Game Design clubs.

Communities are so important because they provide a safe space for people to connect with like-minded individuals, get support and guidance, and bond over shared interests. My communities have been so helpful to me in terms of my professional growth, but also just to have people to talk to despite being in isolation.

What has the CUNY Tech chapter been up to?

So far, we’ve been having weekly study hours for students to bring their projects, or Leetcode problems, or even just their homework, and we can work through them together in what counts as a social setting in this new normal.

We also had a blast during MLH’s Local Hack Day. We participated as one Guild and got really close to Top 10, going toe to toe against significantly larger and more technical schools. It brought out our competitive spirit, while still giving us a chance to learn a lot from the workshops offered at Local Hack Day: Learn. My chapter and I learned a lot from that week, and we grew closer as a chapter because of the activities that we participated in.

People coming into the chapter can look forward to a vibrant community, where we welcome all skill levels and tech interests. While our main focus is our collegiate audience, we welcome anyone who wants to join our community, regardless of educational background. You can expect that we are more than just our events, but we are a community that prioritizes your learning experience while socializing or sharing resources and memes.

Brands That ‘Spread Joy’

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Brands That ‘Spread Joy’

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Did you know that there is a fleet of Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles — automobiles that look like 27-foot-long frankfurters — that have been driving across America since 1987 to spread “brand awareness”?

Have you ever seen one? Do you think if you did it would make you smile — and associate those good feelings with the Oscar Mayer brand?

In your view, which other brands do a good job of bringing “surprise and joy” to customers? How do they do it? Is it their social media presence? Live events? Funny ads? Something else?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more about today’s Wienermobiles.

About Picture Prompts

• Find all our Picture Prompts in this column.
• Have an idea for a Picture Prompt? Tell us about it.
• Teachers, discover more ways to teach with our Picture Prompts and learn how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Word + Quiz: rarefied

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Word + Quiz: rarefied

1. of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

2. having low density

_________

The word rarefied has appeared in 99 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 27 in the book review “Shifting the Focus From Sylvia Plath’s Tragic Death to Her Brilliant Life” by Daphne Merkin:

What becomes a legend most? As suggested by the old black-and-white Blackglama fur ads, featuring Lena Horne, Diana Vreeland and Cher, among others, legends are people who have soared beyond fame or celebrity into a more rarefied, inaccessible stratosphere.

Today’s media-fixated, Kardashian-dominated world is filled with all sorts of legends, from the elevated to the base, but I can think of few poets who fit into this category. The exception is Sylvia Plath, who, with her perfect blond pageboy, wide smile and cinched-waist dresses, looked less like a proper poet and more like Doris Day.

_________

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