Best Coding Tools for Beginner Programmers
Tools that provide a good starting point make it easier to learn, and hence coding tools that work for beginners are not the most advanced.
This Guide on best coding tools for beginner programmers presents what starting tools are commonly used, but avoids an exhaustive list.
Table of Contents
- Code Editors Worth Starting With
- Tools for Running and Testing Code
- Learning Platforms and Practice Tools
- Building a Simple, Sustainable Setup
- Best Coding Tools for Beginner Programmers: Code Editors
Most of your time will be spent in a code editor, so if you don’t use the most expansive editor available, use one that is friendly to beginners. Some traits to look for in a first code editor:
- Most popular with a large user base to make help and tutorials easily accessible.
- Syntax highlighting to help spot errors in your code.
- Designed to have an intuitive interface so you do not get overwhelmed by a large dock or settings modules all at once.
- Ability to manage the extension editor, meaning you can add features at your own pace to extend your editor as you grow comfortable.
One example of modern editors to teach users how to navigate and run code to debug is the Visual Studio Code Tutorial.
Tools for Running and Testing Code
Finally, code needs to be run and tested. How your editor interacts with programming languages may be built-in or may be external tools. Built-in tools may include:
- Terminals: run scripts without switching out of your code editor.
- Online Code Playgrounds: write and execute code snippets in a web browser without the need for any local installation.
- Debuggers: step through code in a user-friendly way one line at a time allowing you to understand where problems occur.
The first time you input code, playgrounds are effective since they eliminate the need to install anything.
Learning and Practicing with Programming Tools
Writing code requires some tools, but beginners are benefited the most by tools that practice programming concepts. Some examples include:
- Interactive lessons with exercises to practice programming
- Challenge websites that contain short and focused problems
- Documentation written by programming language creators and much more accurate than unofficial sources.
Our how to learn Python from scratch guide walks through these tools in greater detail for the Python programming language.
A Simple Sustainable Setup
Having a simple and sustainable setup should be the focus when starting to learn programming. This is because you don’t want to become overwhelmed by the tools available. That doesn’t mean we can’t be practical. Some tips and tricks that might help:
- Be critical of what tools you have available, generally you end up saving time.
- Rely on natural language based programming languages first before moving on to others.
- Start small. Make sure to only add tools when you come across a hard blocker.
- Refrain from extensively customizing your editor. Wait to install hefty themes and plugins until you know the basics.
- Save the official documentation for your language to your bookmarks so you have easy access and don’t lose time searching the web.
- Periodically evaluate your tools to ensure you only have the tools you need, not tools that you don’t use just for collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a paid programmer’s text editor to start learning programming?
No. Very popular, free, text editors have all the features a beginner needs (syntax highlighting, debugging, extensions, etc.).
Should I use an online code playground or software that I need to install?
Either one is fine to start, and you can play in the online playgrounds, but if you install development tools, you will start to play in a more realistic programming environment.
How many tools should I start using in my programming that are not an editor?
Start with just an editor and the specific language tools. Adding too many tools just confuses a beginner that is just starting to code.
Should I learn all the keyboard shortcuts right away?
No. Not at first. You can learn them later, after you learn the programming fundamentals.
What’s the most user-friendly first programming tool?
An online coding playground is likely the most suitable. You don’t have to deal with program installation and can start coding right away.
Conclusion
The best starting point coding tools for learners are the ones that cut down on configuring and getting everything set. Start with something simple, an online tool with no install. Eventually, as you get more comfortable and adventurous, you can start adding more programming tools to your belt. The best way to get something you’ll actually use is the process of elimination: start simple, let things grow over time.