How long does it take to learn coding? A practical guide

Imagine someone who shoes horses for a living and has absolutely no prior coding experience. One day, he decides to switch careers and become a web developer and write code that powers websites and applications. As farfetched and impossible as it seems, he remembers hearing people say, “Anyone can learn to code.” But as he sits down, ready to tackle his first line of code, a nagging question arises—how long does it take to learn coding?

He makes a plan that combines self-study, structured learning, and sheer determination. After 8 months of consistent and strategic learning, he lands a job as a junior software developer! This may seem like an impossible leap, but it’s exactly what Josh Kemp did in less than a year.

In this blog, we’ll break down exactly how long it might take you (even if you’re balancing learning to code with a full-time job) based on your goals, learning style, and commitment. Ready to get started?

Short answer#

How long does it really take to go from a complete beginner to someone who can confidently build and deploy software? It depends. Your learning method, prior experience, intended career path, the time you allot for learning, and personal goals are all important factors that define the time it will actually take you to learn coding. 

Once you have answers to the following questions, you can have a fair estimate for yourself:

1. Are you learning independently (on your own), through a coding bootcamp, or a college/associate degree?

   1. Sample answer: Through a coding bootcamp

2. How much time are you willing to dedicate daily or weekly?

   1. Sample answer: 6 hours daily

3. What is the career path or job that you’re aiming for? Do you want to become a data scientist, a web developer, or a full-stack developer?

   1. Sample answer: Become a web developer

General time estimates #

Below is a rough estimate of how long it might take to become proficient in coding based on different learning mediums if you give approximately 6–8 hours daily.

Long answer #

So, while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this, we can give a good estimate (time breakdown for your study schedule) for various studying routes and goals along with practical insights to ace learning to code.

Read on to determine which learning path and time estimate would suit you better.

Let the practical guide begin!#

Your journey to learning coding will be unique, but it will typically fall into one of three main paths:

1. Choose your learning medium#

By learning medium, we mean that we typically can pursue a college degree (usually 4 years), associate degree (2 years), study online independently, or through a self-paced and guided coding boot camp.

• Self-study: Offers flexibility and allows you to learn at your own pace but requires strong discipline and access to quality resources. You have to choose the right learning medium. The timeline for self-study can vary greatly—from several months to a few years—depending on how much time you can commit.

• Coding bootcamps: Intensive, short-term, self-paced, typically 3–6 months. These programs often mimic real-world working environments, providing hands-on experience with coding, debugging, and project management.

• College degrees: Structured, comprehensive, usually 4 years. A college degree in computer science or software engineering is the most traditional path and ideal if you’re looking for a deep understanding of computer science principles, with the added benefit of a broader academic foundation.

Beyond the path you choose, several factors will influence how long you learn coding.

2. Choose your career goal#

You have to understand that different career paths (e.g., full-stack developer vs. data scientist vs. UI/UX designer) require varying levels of expertise and time. Similarly, your goal might be to learn a specific coding language. For example, learning Python from scratch.

The type of developer you want to become or the language you want to learn plays a big role in how long you’ll need to study. For example, a full-stack developer might need to learn both front-end and back-end technologies, which could take longer than specializing in one area, like UI/UX design.

3. Decide on the number of daily/weekly hours #

How often you study will directly impact your learning timeline.

Someone who can dedicate 4–6 hours a day will progress much faster than someone studying for a few hours on weekends. However, consistency is key—regular study sessions, even if shorter, can lead to steady progress.

So your learning method, intended career path, study frequency, and personal goals define the time it will actually take to learn coding.

Practical study plans#

To help you structure your learning, here are some practical study schedules for basic coding proficiency based on different levels of time commitment:

These timelines are general estimates and can vary based on the factors mentioned earlier. The key is to find a study plan that fits your lifestyle and stick with it consistently.

Recommended resources#

As mentioned earlier in the blog, it’s always preferable to have a guided learning path than to study independently. For instance, among hundreds of languages and various frameworks, determining which one to prioritize may become difficult on your own.

If you have some savings and university is not an option, then go for an EdTech platform to learn coding, one that offers hands-on learning and mentorship. One such platform is Educative, which offers paths for various coding jobs, some of which include becoming a Python software developer, a Java developer, or even a data scientist from scratch.

At Educative, you can even get a personalized path created just for you based on your interests. After you answer a couple of questions, it will make a personalized path based on your preferences.

Even if you have absolutely no prior coding experience, these paths take you from your first line of code to your first day on the job (yes, these include interview preparation as well!).

Study plan for a learning path—Become a Software Developer#

To give you an idea and explain one of the learning paths, we’ve divided the Become a Software Developer path into its respective modules.

This path is meticulously designed to be completed in 8 weeks if you study 6–8 hours daily. Refer to the table below to see how long it takes to learn Python.

Use the calculator belowEnter the number in the column titled, "Hours you want to study daily." to get an expected learning time for the path above based on the number of hours you allot daily for studying.

Practical study tips#

Whether you’re self-studying, attending a bootcamp, or pursuing a degree, below are some practical tips to make your learning more effective.

• Set clear goals: Define what you want to achieve and by when. Having specific, measurable goals will keep you motivated.

• Build projects: Apply what you learn by building real-world projects. This not only reinforces your knowledge but also creates a portfolio to showcase your skills to potential employers.

• Join a community: Engage with others who are learning to code. Online forums, local meetups, and study groups can provide support, answer questions, and keep you motivated.

• Stay consistent: Regular, consistent study sessions are more effective than sporadic bursts of learning. Even if you can only study for an hour a day, make it a habit.

Challenges and how to overcome them#

There are some challenges that you may face when learning to code like:

• Feeling burnout

  • Fix: Remember to take breaks when you’re feeling burned out.

• Feeling overwhelmed and falling into rabbit holes, trying to learn all there is to learn about a topic

  • Fix: There is an overwhelming amount of information and resources out there for you to study. You can’t learn everything. The fix is to stick to the plan and focus on your priorities.

• Despite the advantages of self-paced study, staying motivated can be challenging, and procrastination might creep in

  • Fix: As a tip, you can follow the Pomodoro technique when studying. In this technique, you study in focused chunks of 25 minutes and reward yourself with a 5-minute break. You can take a longer 15–30 minute break after 4 focused 25-minute chunks.

• You can use Pomofocus to time your tasks. These short, concentrated bursts of work can help you maintain momentum without feeling overwhelmed, keeping you on track with your learning goals.

• Struggling with complex concepts

  • Fix: Having a guide or a mentor when studying makes the learning experience much smoother and more efficient. But when learning to code on your own, you can’t always have a mentor along.

• Also, you can always seek help from online communities because there are a lot of people who have gone through what you’re going through. There are great developers out there who can guide and help you wherever you’re struggling.

To sum up#

Remember the farrierA skilled professional who specializes in the care of horses' hooves, including trimming, balancing, and fitting horseshoes. we mentioned above who transitioned into software development in less than a year? He’s not a fictional character—he’s a real person who transformed his life by learning to code and even published a book called No Degree, No Problem. This is just one example that proves that with the right approach and dedication, anyone can learn to code, regardless of their starting point. There are multiple other such examples. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking for a fast track to a new career, the important thing is to stay committed.

So, how long does it take to learn coding? The answer lies in your hands—but rest assured, the investment in time and effort is totally worth it!