Ben Halpern

Posted on Sep 24, 2021

What was the first programming language that clicked for you?

#discuss #languages #codeland2021

Top comments (24)

I want to say Java but that is still a work in progress. However, I recently learned SQL and it clicked! Also if anyone else if learning SQL and wants some fun practice; I found this murder mystery SQL online game. It's a lot of fun and offers a step by step SQL code-along if needed. :)
Link to SQL game: mystery.knightlab.com/

Estelle Orr • Sep 24 '21 • Edited

oh thanks! I'm finding back end works better in my brain and it is harder to find classes training in those areas. Nothing against front end work but HTML/CSS doesn't light up my life LOL

Stephanie Back • Sep 24 '21

Estelle, I agree! I honestly started with the backend thinking it would be a good starting point. It's a lot to learn but it is so much fun. If you are learning SQL; you should check out MySQL Workbench. It is a visual database workbench and it is pretty user friendly. Also it is free!

Are you learning Java too? If so, I have some additional resources. :)

Estelle Orr • Sep 24 '21

Thanks! I'll check out MySQL I haven't start on Java/ Java script yet but I'm open to info :-) I'm really tying to find a path because if I'm gonna make a career jump I want to have a clue about direction. I don't expect to be an expert when I start but right now I feel so lost

Stephanie Back • Sep 24 '21

@eeyore8 of course! It is completely normal to feel lost at first. I felt the same way(and definitely cried more than I would like to admit when first starting out). It is very overwhelming to choose your first language especially with so many strong opinions regarding each language online.
I found it easiest to Google the most common languages used in backend development then try some out. I explored languages using Codecademy and FreeCodeCamp.
Java is difficult to learn but not impossible.

Yechiel (he/him) • Sep 24 '21

Definitely Ruby!

Ben Halpern • Sep 24 '21

Same :)

It wasn't the first language I learned, but definitely the first one that clicked.

Tyler V. (he/him) • Sep 24 '21

I never really struggled through the languages we used in my college classes (Python, Java, Bash Scripting) but I also wouldn't say I had a deep understanding of them.

My first job out of college was using a Low Code platform that introduced me to HTML/CSS - which again I didn't necessarily struggle with, but definitely wasn't using to the full potential 😅

And then at my next job JavaScript happened. I struggled so much through arrow functions and promises before they finally started to make sense and the feeling of power that unlocked was amazing 🥳

g-ashwin-shiva • Sep 24 '21

c++

Ben Halpern • Sep 24 '21

Were there any that didn't click before you learned c++?

g-ashwin-shiva • Sep 24 '21

actual this was the only language that was taught in our school and most of the schools in India , so..., but i never tried any other language, other than html and sql , which are not programming per se,

Steve Nyholm • Sep 24 '21

This is totally gonna date me... but my first language was Pascal. We had a high school AP class in Pascal and I took it for the GPA boost.

Luis Castillo • Sep 24 '21

I'm still learning I think the learning will never finish but I started with Ruby and I love Ruby.

Jelena • Sep 24 '21

I'm gonna go with Python. It's not like I'm experienced developer, I did started learning JavaScript as well, but Python is love. I don't know if it is because of the its syntax, possibility to use it basically in every industry, or just because it is the first language I started learning :)

Jessie Rohrer • Sep 24 '21

Ruby. I knew HTML/CSS prior to learning Ruby, and I had dabbled in JavaScript, C++, and a couple others. But Ruby is where all the concepts clicked for me.

JackMichael Ward • Sep 24 '21

In college I learned Java as it was the school had all new comp sci students learn right away. However, I did start programming when I was in high school and I started with HTML and CSS.