25 Tips for New Developers: Advice from a (Mostly) Self-Taught Software Engineer

3. Find a community
Another thing that will be really helpful is finding a community to support you as you start writing code. This community will be valuable because other people will be in the same place as you, offer resources that helped them, and offer encouragement. I would suggest finding a meetup in your area as the top solution here, even small cities tend to have a group somewhat nearby. If there isn't one, I would suggest dev.to and the CodeNewbie community as two excellent alternatives. CodeNewbie has a weekly Twitter chat, a Slack group, and podcasts to listen to. Dev.to has a bunch of blog posts and a #discuss tag where you can post your questions!

Want more advice on learning to code?
Download my free Ebook!
4. Break down problems into smaller ones
One of the most important parts of programming is taking a large problem and breaking it into smaller and smaller pieces until those pieces are solvable. If you are looking at a blank text editor not knowing where to start, it may be because you haven't broken down the problem enough!
5. Pseudocode
Related to the previous point, a lot of times it is beneficial to write down in detail what you are trying to do in plain words before even trying to write code. This process is called pseudocoding, and it can take whatever form you want it to. It can also be helpful to solve a problem really slowly on paper first, thinking about or even writing down the individual steps you are taking to solve that problem.
6. Embrace the cycle of learning
If you're learning to code as a second career, especially if you've been away from the classroom for a while, learning how to learn is going to be a big part of your process. There are lots of ups and downs involved, which is very natural! I would brace yourself for that rollercoaster before starting out.
7. Start with free resources
There are a million and one resources for learning how to code. Some are free, and some are paid. I would start with the free resources, make sure you like writing code, and then after that, you could think about moving onto paid resources or even a bootcamp. I have a post about my favorite free learn to code resources here.