Recommended Tech/Coding Practices.

Being a coder for 3 years now, it took me a lot of time to establish my niche. I ended up wasting a lot of time. When I learned C and Python, I wanted to become a Software Engineer but then I bumped into Javascript and CSS and cut my niche here.

Tech is heavy and code can be bulky and tiresome. This often makes a lot of tech enthusiasts feel discouraged and even quit coding. The lot affected the most by this reality is the tech newbies.

Bootcamps? Yes, but wait…

To the newbies…

Well, the outstanding reality is, as much as I like them, some Bootcamps make it look way easier than it is. This is through the deployment of simpler projects and shortcode to drive the message of incentive home. The reality dawns on the person when one starts to deal with the real code, forcing one to quit.

When I started coding, I attended a month-long Bootcamp which impacted me very positively but negatively too. It created a basis for my journey into coding but left me short on some basics that l had to learn later and were very vital. I had to take a month-long break from code feeling so down on myself since I could not comprehend some very vital flow of code and I hadn't learned Shell. However, it really did usher me into the coding world so I’m forever grateful to it.

This study has established the following problems faced by coders.

1. Procrastination
2. Unclean code
3. Disorganization

i) Procrastination

This means unnecessarily delaying or postponing some projects or activities despite being cognitive of the consequences.

causes of procrastination in coding

1. Tough code
2. Lack of motivation
3. Lack of a coding squad/community
4. Time wastage

Solutions to the problems

a) Take a break

Meaningful code, which makes a real impact is tough code. Whenever you code for some and start feeling contrary to when you started,i.e

1. faded motivation
2. tired
3. sleepy
4. migraine
5. bored

then it’s best you take a break. At this moment, you’re not productive but sulking. The brain needs motivation, rest, and fresh ideas that can only be gotten by recollecting yourself, then coming back stronger. Say you’ve coded continuously for 3 hours and start feeling these symptoms, give yourself a 1-hour break then come back fresh and motivated.

Within this hour, the following activities are highly recommended:

1. Short nature walk
2. Eat your favorite snack
3. Watch your favorite short episode
4. Interact with pets
5. Drink a couple of glasses of water
6. Rest your body

b) Take a nap

Sleep is very good for the brain and body in general. In a study done by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, (NINDS), Sleep is vital to a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep. Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake.

Question: What amount of sleep do I require?

Answer: Getting enough sleep is good for your health. This can be done by setting a schedule based on a period when you felt the sleep was sufficient and that your brain worked sufficiently afterward.

Note: While excessive periods of sleep are not encouraged in the world of tech, insufficient sleep is highly discouraged.

c) Have an organized regimen and set goals.

Schedule your time well and have self-discipline. Spend your time wisely and follow the regimen to the latter. Don’t forget that time is essential. The clock is always ticking no matter what.

d) Learn good googling skills

This will help you avoid time wastage and find answers for you quicker, making it more convenient to find solutions to your coding problems. I recommend this article for learning good googling skills https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/googling-one-most-underestimated-skills-world-shubham-chakraborty.

e) Join/build a community

Back to the Bootcamp issue again. A good coder must have a community around oneself. Join Bootcamps around you in order to build a coding community that suits your needs. You can either build a community by creating a https://slack.com/ slack squad. Have an engaging Github account with a good following and follow those accounts you know you can learn a lot from. Join the social sites; Facebook and Twitter among others.

f) Look for a tech mentor

Joining these coding communities will present you with the opportunity to have a mentor. Identify your mentor and schedule one on one calls to learn and share.

Note: Procrastination affects the brain negatively. The brain needs to be fed with positivity and energy. Procrastination goes against the principles of brain functionality.

ii) Unclean code

solution

The best technique for solving the issue of unclean code is asking yourself the following questions:

1. Can a second party comprehend and edit my code?
2. Can a learner follow the flow of my code?
3. Can I present this as my portfolio project for a job I have always dreamt of?

Disorganization

I recommend the following practices:

1. Create your codes folder on the desktop folder for easier accessibility
2. Naming your files systemically
3. Ensuring your files have an organized family tree, i.e:

a) Grandparent file

b) Parent file

c) Child file etc.

4. Naming your files according to the coding language used, i.e: HTML folder for HTML files.