It seems almost impossible to imagine you can go from zero to hero in six months. Surely it takes longer than that to become a programmer? Not necessarily.

A Reddit thread about the success rate among self-taught programmers makes this clear. Interestingly, the success stories seem to fall into two categories:

• Those who are entirely self-taught: This group of people seems to have taught themselves a specific language, such as Python or Java.  85,5% of developers say that they taught themselves a new language, tool, or framework, according to 2019’s Stack Overflow Survey.
• People who have signed up for online courses: It seems that a Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp is a popular option for those who choose a more formal method of learning because you cover many languages. You would, for example, cover the basics like HTML and CSS and intermediate languages like Python, SQL, and Java.

Ways to Learn Coding

There are several ways to learn coding skills, so let’s take a look at each option and how much time it usually takes to learn coding with each.

Self-Teaching

Learning to code through self-teaching is a very popular option, as it’s usually the cheapest and most flexible. These days there are loads of online courses, books, websites, and apps for beginners to learn coding skills.

And there’s likely to be some kind of learning resource for just about every programming language out there–from Java to JavaScript. Of course, there are also tons of resources available to learn other web development tools like HTML and CSS.

 The downside to teaching yourself coding through these methods is that you have to be especially disciplined. Learning to code is an ongoing process, and if you don’t stick with it, you won’t make much progress.

College Computer Science Degree

There’s no doubt that pursuing a traditional college degree in computer science is an incredibly effective way to learn coding and other web development skills.

But there are certainly downsides.

One of these downsides is obvious: time. For many people–especially those wanting to change careers–it’s simply impractical to pursue a 4-year degree. Few of us are able to leave the workforce for that long, just to learn a new skill.

Another drawback to computer science degree programs is, of course, the cost. Higher education is more expensive than ever, and many people are unwilling to take out the massive amounts of student debt in order to finance their education this way.

Coding Bootcamps

Luckily, there’s another method of learning how to code–and one that takes considerably less time to do it!

Coding or programming bootcamps are short-term programs that teach you the fundamentals and everything you need to start a career as a coder. These coding courses range widely in terms of their durations, but most coding bootcamps last only 3 to 6 months.

Programming bootcamps are becoming one of the best ways to learn coding in a short amount of time, and you gain many of the benefits of a full computer science degree program, including access to instructors, projects, and other valuable learning resources.

Further, a programming Bootcamp usually offers access to mentors, job placement assistance, and other great tools. These resources not only help you learn to code fast but also help you get a job in the tech industry when you’re done!

Choose The First Programming Language

Type "which coding language to learn" into Google, and you'll be met with over 200 million results. Clearly, this is a popular question, and you'll find plenty of authorities with different opinions on the subject.

It could be illuminating and worthwhile for you to spend some time reading what various sites have to say on this topic, but if you want to streamline things a bit, first ask yourself this question:

What do I want to build?

Just like words in the English language are the means to the end of communicating thoughts and ideas, programming languages are useful because they help you accomplish certain things. So when you're deciding what coding language to learn, it's incredibly important to think about what you want to build.

Determining how long it will take to learn to code will largely be influenced by what skills and programs you want to learn. That’s why it’s important to get clear on your learning goals before you start the process of learning to code, especially if you’ll be learning through self-study. Do you want to learn Python? How about Java? What about Ruby on Rails? These are all questions to ask yourself before you get started on your coding journey. If you’re a complete beginner, we recommend starting with basic coding languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python.

Finding The First Resources

Some people are skeptical about learning online. The old-school thought is that you need 1:1 lessons, real-time feedback, and collaboration among peers.

But guess what? All of those core benefits are now online.

These websites deploy a similar set of experiences for users: you are forced to learn, practice, engage, actually code, see your mistakes, understand what you have done well, and track your progress.

Much like the Socratic method, these websites hone your critical thinking skills. And they are relentless in their focus on improving your general aptitude to see problems, recognize patterns, and ultimately improve.

Without further ado, here are the best free, most reliable, educational websites for learning how to code.

• freeCodeCamp
• Coursera
• Codecademy
• Udemy

When you learn online, you are empowered to move at your own pace, explore topics more deeply that you care about, and harness the power of virtual communities to accelerate your understanding of foundational topics.

Building a list of the top resources takes some digging and some guess work. You need to ask questions, poke around, and try the sites out. Use this list as your guide, but do your own digging as well.

These websites are not only educational resources - they are products unto themselves. That means that they have strengths and areas for improvement.

I hope these sites help with whatever you are building, be it technology to stream videos, building a web app for yourself, or using technology to cultivate communities around shared interests.

So, How Long Does It Take to Become a Coder?

Depending on your dedication, current knowledge of coding, and time available, you could learn to code in as little as 3 months at a coding Bootcamp.

No two people are the same, so the amount of time it takes you to learn coding might be different than the average.  That’s nothing to be ashamed of; coding is complicated, but you can master it with a little grit. Coding does have a learning curve, but most people report success within a few months. 

While we can’t tell you exactly how long it’ll take you to learn coding, we can tell you one thing for sure: Our 21-day challenge can get you on track to become a programmer– and it only takes twenty-one days!  It’s entirely free, so what do you have to lose? Give it a shot and see how long it will take you to learn to code.

Conclusion

The fact of the matter is, whether it takes you weeks, months, or years to become proficient at coding, there will always be more to learn. With the tech field progressing at breakneck speed, people at all levels – from those who just started learning to code to experts who have been coding for thirty years – have something they can improve. So, if you’ve found yourself wanting to learn how to code, there’s no time like the present.

Lastly, when people ask what you do, tell them you’re a programmer. Part of forming a new identity is convincing yourself.  You can become a programmer in 6 months; remember, others have done it before!

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