5 reasons you should learn to code

If you're on the Packt Hub, it's likely that you already know how to code. But perhaps you don't - and if you don't, it's our job to let you know why you should learn to code. And even if you do know how, evangelizing and explaining to others why they should learn is incredibly important.

People often think of writing code as something very specialized and technically demanding. There’s sometimes even a perception of people that do write code as a certain kind of person. But this is, luckily, demonstrably untrue. Writing code is something that can be done by anyone.

While there are some incredibly specialized roles that require incredibly detailed levels of programming knowledge, in actual fact a huge number of roles today use software in creative and analytical ways. That’s why learning how to code is so essential.

Let’s take a look at 5 reasons why you should learn how to write code.

Learn to code to better understand how software works

Code is everywhere. Learning how to write it is a way of understanding how so much of the world works. Perhaps you’re a writer. Or maybe a designer. Maybe you work in marketing. Whatever you’re doing, it’s likely that you’re working in a digital environment. Understanding how these are built and how they work puts you at an advantage, in that you have an extra dimension of knowledge of how things work ‘under the hood’.

Learning to code will help you better manipulate and use data

The world runs on data. Code can help you better understand it and manage it. Excel is a sad part of business life. You don’t have to look had to finding someone complaining about spreadsheets. But if you’ve ever been impressed with someone’s dexterity with Excel, that’s really just a type of code. In the world of data today there are far more sophisticated systems for processing and managing data. But if you’re working with large datasets in any capacity, learning how to write SQL scripts, for example, is a great place to begin your coding adventure.

Learn to code simply to have fun

Coding is fun and creative! Before talk of spreadsheets and databases turns you off, it’s important to note that writing code and learning to program is fun. If you’re just starting out seeing the effect of your code as you build your first web page is a really neat experience. A lot of people think coding is purely technical - but the technical part is just a small aspect of it. Really, it’s about solving problems and being creative. Even if you’re not sure how learning to code might help you professionally right now, having a creative outlet might just inspire your future.

Coding isn't as hard as you think

It’s not actually that hard… Writing code isn’t really that hard. It might take some getting used to, but once you’re over those first steps you’ll feel like an expert. True, learning how to write code always involves some ups and downs, and if you’re getting deeper into more complex programming concepts and tasks, it will be challenging. But that doesn’t mean that it’s beyond you. It’s a valuable skill you can actually develop quickly.

You can learn to code without spending lots of money

It’s a valuable skill you can develop cheaply. Learning how to write code could increase your earning power. Even if it doesn’t transform your career, it could still give you a push to get to the next step. But while development often requires expensive training and certifications that your employer might pay for, learning the basics of coding is something you can do without spending very much money at all. There’s lots of free resources out there. And even the very best resources won’t put you out of pocket.