How to Code in 5 Steps
The Basics Are Easier Than You Think
For the first time ever we’re living more of our lives in the digital world than the physical world, and yet there’s so much we don’t know about this technology our lives depend on.
Quick Refresher on Computers
Computers are machines made of tiny electrical circuits. They’re complex, but programmable. They do as they’re instructed, and the challenge for developers is writing clear instructions to ensure programs work as expected.
There are dozens of popular programming languages, each with their own pros and cons, and what you use generally depends on the application. It could be an app, data analysis, enterprise software or even a satellite.
Developers almost never stick to a single language, and fortunately for us, there are several core concepts common between most languages.
1. Variables
var pizza = "Hawaiian"
Variables are how we store useful information. They generally change over time, hence they are variable.
If we’re writing a program for a pizza shop, we don’t know which pizza a customer will order. So we create a variable called pizza and just refer to that throughout our program — display the price of…