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What Is Coding? 15 Facts For Beginners

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Murali Mohan Reddy
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1K views

What Is Coding? 15 Facts For Beginners

Uploaded by

Murali Mohan Reddy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What Is Coding?

15 Facts For
Beginners

Note: this post originally appeared on "the old" version of DailyTekk.com (back when it was
mainly a blog). 

As I was looking over DailyTekk's analytics recently I noticed that a lot of people are landing
on our site after Googling "what is coding?" Most likely, these searchers end up on a popular
article I wrote awhile back called 7 Easy Ways to Learn Coding and Computer Science for Free
or The 10 Best Ways to Teach Kids How to Code. But neither of those articles explains what
coding is. So I've decided to put together a "skimpost" that breaks down exactly what coding
is for complete beginners.

1. Code is a set of instructions (or rules) that computers can understand; it might be
helpful to think of code as a recipe.
2. People write code, code powers computers and computers power many everyday
objects like phones, watches, microwaves and cars.
3. In fact, almost anything powered by electricity uses code.
4. There are many names for people who code: coders, programmers, developers,
computer scientists, software engineers, etc.
5. Computers run on binary code—written in 1s and 0s—which is very difficult for
humans to work with.
6. But just as people can understand different languages computers can understand
different languages (like Python, C, C++, Perl, Visual Basic, Java, Javascript, Ruby and
PHP, among others) which translate our instructions into binary.
7. There are "low-level" and "high-level" coding languages. Lower-level languages more
closely resemble binary code while higher-level languages are easier to code in.
8. So learning to code is literally like learning a new language (learning to construct
sentences, etc.).
9. Most popular programming languages  in use today are high-level languages.
10. C is a low-level programming language that is good for graphics-heavy applications,
like games.
11. Javascript is for for the web.
12. Perl is sometimes known as the "Swiss-Army knife" of programming languages because
of it's multi-functionality.
13. Many coding languages share similar basic features.
14. A text file written in a particular programming language is called a program (think a set
of instructions).
15. There are many ways to learn how to code for free or very cheap .

Source : https://www.dailytekk.com/blog/2018/4/12/what-is-coding-15-facts-for-beginners
What is coding?

Coding, in the simplest of terms, is telling a computer what you want it to do,
which involves typing in step-by-step commands for the computer to follow.

Computers are not clever things, however they are very obedient. They will do
exactly what you want them to do, so long as you tell them how to do it
correctly.

Learning to code has been likened to learning a foreign language, or perhaps


more specifically a family of foreign languages.

There are many different coding languages, each one designed with certain
things in mind. Examples include C, a 'low level' but fast programming language
that is good for anything graphically intensive like games; Javascript, which was
specifically designed for dealing with web content; and Perl, a multi-functional
language that is often referred to as the 'swiss army knife' of programming.

Why is coding important?

Code powers our digital world. Every website, smartphone app, computer
programme, calculator and even microwave relies on code in order to operate.
This makes coders the architects and builders of the digital age.

Over the next 10 years it is estimated that there will be 1.4 million jobs in
computer sciences and only around 400,000 graduates qualified to do them.

Jobs not directly linked to computer sciences - such as banking, medicine and
journalism - will also be affected by the need for at least an understanding of
programming and coding.

There are many different coding languages, each one designed with certain
things in mind. Examples include C, a 'low level' but fast programming language
that is good for anything graphically intensive like games; Javascript, which was
specifically designed for dealing with web content; and Perl, a multi-functional
language that is often referred to as the 'swiss army knife' of programming.

Coding and programming are becoming more and more popular amongst children
the world over. Programming is now a popular past time, with many kids being
introduced to coding through games and platforms such as Minecraft and Roblox.
Parents and schools are also increasing their attention on the subject, as coding is so
relevant to kids’ futures. With dedication and education, children can learn how to
code which still having fun. For example, FunTech offer a range of virtual
courses aimed at kids.
It’s the fun elements that make coding and programming appealing to kids.
Harnessing those elements is key to encouraging them.
With that in mind, we have compiled 14 cool facts about coding and programming
might be the spur to get your kids interested in learning more.

Fun facts about coding / programming


1. There are around 700 separate programming
languages
Amongst this list, some of the most popular languages are Javascript, Swift,
Scala, Python, PHP, Go, Rust, Ruby, and C#, with millions of users utilizing them in
both their careers and personal projects. However, new programming languages are
constantly being created.

2.  According to many online studies, the most disliked


programming languages are Perl, Delphi, and VBA
With PHP, Objective-C, Coffeescript, and Ruby following close behind them. Funnily
enough, two of the entries in this list, PHP and Ruby, are both still extremely popular
with users regardless of how the community views them as a whole.

3. Recent studies show that around 70% of coding jobs


have nothing to do with technology at all
That’s right, you or your child could learn to program and apply this knowledge to
topics completely separate from technology – like nature studies, geography
research, and film and design.

4. The world’s first computer programmer was a


renowned female mathematician
Born in London on December 10, 1815, Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous
poet Lord Byron, was an extremely talented mathematician. Later on in life, she
would work closely with Charles Babbage, a popular mechanical engineer
responsible for creating one of the earliest mechanical computers.
From there, she would write a theory about coding a machine to calculate Bernoulli
numbers. The subsequent code would eventually become the first algorithm carried
out by a machine, and in essence, was the first computer program.
5. Computer Programming was instrumental in helping
end World War II
Alan Turing was another incredibly famous mathematician who was also born in
England, on June 23, 1912. In the computer science community, he is predominantly
recognized as the father of modern-day computer science.
However, alongside this lofty title, he was also responsible for helping the allies
bring World War II to a close. During the height of the large-scale conflict, he would
use his skills to crack the Enigma machine, a cipher utilized by the Nazis to protect
their military communications.

6. The first computer virus was created in 1986


Given the moniker Brain, the virus was created by two brothers, Basit and Amjad
Farooq Alvi, in Pakistan. According to the siblings, who ran a popular computer
store, they created Brain to stop their customers from making copies of their
software without permission.
However, unlike traditional viruses, Brain only contained a hidden copyright message
and did not corrupt or delete any of the user’s files or information.

7. The first programming language was called FORTRAN


It was developed by a team lead by Mr. John Backus, an American computer
scientist. First appearing in 1964, FORTRAN is still in use today, predominantly
helping computer scientists to conduct complex tests in areas such as numerical
weather prediction, geophysics, crystallography, and computational chemistry.

10. Many owners of large tech companies loved video


games as kids
In one example, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, who co-founded Apple, first found
success by developing their own video game called Breakout. From there, they
would go on to become two of the most influential names in tech, earning billions of
dollars throughout the years.

11. There are 3 very different types of Hackers, one


being malicious, the other benevolent, and the last
somewhere in between the two
Black hats are the first type and specialize in breaking into computer networks with
malicious intent. Often, they will attempt to steal passwords, credit cards, and other
types of sensitive information, blackmailing internet users for money in the process.
On the flip side, White hats primarily choose to use their skills for good, regularly
being contracted by businesses to look for security holes in their online
infrastructures.
Grey hats are a mixture of both, helping people yet also commonly exploiting their
web-based vulnerabilities when not paid for their services.

12. The first-ever computer game made zero profit for


its team of creators
The game, titled Spacewar, was built from the ground up by Steve Russel, a young
computer programmer, and his passionate team of fellow developers. Incredibly,
Steve and his team chose not to charge people to play Spacewar, and instead,
happily shared their creation with anyone who wanted to try it out.

13. NASA still uses programs from the 70s in their


spacecraft
According to experts, NASA chooses not to write new code or design new programs
as it would be extremely expensive to carry this out. Alongside this, implementing
new programs requires a lot of testing to minimize the chance of a catastrophic
failure happening. Instead, they choose to stick to older tech that has proven to be
reliable, safe, and non-costly.
Amazingly, one of NASA’s flagship spacecraft, the Space Shuttle, runs on less code
than many of today’s cellphones and other gadgets.

14. The first computer “bug” was an actual real-life bug


In the programming world, a bug is an error that causes a program to crash or
behave in strange ways. First coined by Thomas Edison in 1878 (to refer to technical
errors of the period), the term “bug” would eventually find mainstream use in
modern computing.
However, it was in 1947 that the first case of a computer bug was recorded. Grace
Hopper, an admiral in the US Navy, was working on a Mark II computer when she
discovered a moth had become stuck in the relay, thus causing it to malfunction.
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