Is programming hard?

The software industry’s boom has prompted almost everyone to consider a career in programming. Knowing how to code has become as vital as knowing how to toast bread. You may be guided by the promise of lucrative tech jobs, or you simply want to experience the thrill of debugging at 3 a.m. People are flocking to learn programming like it’s the new cafe in town, and everyone’s out here pretending they understand what a recursive function is. But the real question still looms over:

Is programming hard?

Let’s find out!

5 myths about programming#

If you’re new to the game, you might have heard some telltales about programmers' tortured souls eternally trapped in dark rooms fueled by Red Bull and existential crises. This is true to some extent, but this one is part of several myths encompassing the programming world. Here are five myths about programming that are far from true:

1. Programming is the same as coding

2. All programmers are math geniuses

3. Programmers can magically fix any tech problem

4. Learning one programming language means you know them all

5. You need a computer science degree

Programming is the same as coding#

While the two words are often synonymous, they refer to different aspects of creating software. Coding is writing specific instructions a machine can understand and execute, usually in a programming language. Programming, on the other hand, encompasses the broader process of designing a solution to a problem, planning, testing, debugging, and optimizing code to ensure it meets the desired outcome. In short, coding is a part of programming, but programming involves a much wider scope of activities beyond just writing code.

All programmers are math geniuses#

Are you someone who swore off programming because they thought they’d have to be masters of math when you despise even the thought of it? Well, you are not alone. Coding involves logic, and logic sounds like math’s cousin, but it is not. Many people shy away from programming because they believe it requires advanced mathematical skills. While math can be useful in certain specialized areas of programming like data science, or game development, one does not have to be a math whiz to be a programmer.

Programmers can magically fix any tech problem#

You’re probably confusing programmers with IT people if you believe this myth. No, programmers are not the ones who will tell you to refresh the page if you’re facing an issue. IT professionals handle hardware issues, network configurations, and troubleshooting problems like frozen screens or connectivity issues. 

Learning one language means you know them all#

Every coding language has its own syntax and unique rules, so learning one language doesn’t automatically make you an expert in all of them. However, switching between languages becomes easier once you’ve mastered the core programming concepts such as loops, conditionals, functions, and data structures. The logic behind programming remains the same across most languages, but how you express that logic (syntax) can vary widely.

You need a computer science degree#

It is 2024, and this myth should be out of the window by now. Formal education can provide a structured environment for good learning, but it is unnecessary to break into a programming career and succeed in one. You can absolutely start coding with no experience! Many online sources like Educative allow beginners to find courses to kickstart their programming learning from the very basics.

How hard is programming?#

Learning programming is a challenging feat in itself. Several factors determine how hard programming is, and they are as follows:

• Abstract thinking

• Complex syntax

• Logic and problem-solving

• Debugging 

Abstract thinking#

If you thought math was the hard part of programming, wait until you experience abstract thinking. There is no linear route in programming. You can’t just go from point A to point B in a straight line. Instead, you’re constantly stepping back, looking at the bigger picture, and figuring out how all the parts fit together. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle where you don’t have all the pieces and create them as you go. You’ll need to take a complex problem, break it into smaller tasks, and figure out how to make each piece work, often without a clear road map. One of the most challenging parts is that programming often involves finding multiple ways to solve a problem, and there’s rarely a single right answer. You might come up with three different solutions to the same issue, and then you have to figure out the most efficient one. 

Complex syntax#

Syntax is another obstacle that often trips up new coders. Every programming language has its syntax, rules, and structure for how you write the code. Syntax is the grammar of a programming language. Like different spoken languages have unique rules, programming languages do too. For example, in Python, you can write print("Hello World") to display text, while in Java, you need to write System.out.println("Hello World");. The differences might seem small, but even a missing semicolon or a misplaced bracket can cause your code to break. When you’re learning more than one language, this becomes even trickier because it’s easy to mix up their rules. One day, you’re writing Python, and the next, you’re in JavaScript or C++, and suddenly, you’re adding or missing things because your brain is trying to juggle different syntax rules. But as with any language, the more you practice, the more comfortable and natural it becomes to remember the syntax.

Logic and problem-solving#

Remember that staring at the screen for long hours? This keeps almost every programmer stuck in their seat for long hours. That’s because coding is much more than just writing lines of text. It’s about solving problems, sometimes in creative ways. You need to think logically and often step back to rework your approach. 

For example, the task is to write an algorithm that finds the shortest route between two cities. It sounds simple, but there are multiple ways to solve this problem.

Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s up to you to determine which is best for the job. You test your code, realize it’s not right, tweak it, test again, and repeat the cycle until everything falls into place. The trial, error, and decision-making process makes logic and problem-solving demanding and even more rewarding when you finally get it right.

Debugging #

We all have heard this one before. Every programmer rants over how frustrating this menace can be. Debugging is no fun and games. More often than not, debugging sucks the souls of the programmers. You’ve spent hours writing what you think is perfect code, only to run it and be greeted by a troop of errors. Even worse, sometimes the code runs but doesn’t do what it should. That’s when you know you’re in for a long haul. The smallest mistake can break everything, such as a missing semicolon, a misplaced bracket, or even a typo. Debugging is so maddening that these errors can be incredibly hard to spot, especially when buried deep in complex code. You can spend hours searching for a single error, scanning every line of code, trying to figure out where things went wrong, and still get it wrong.

3 tips to make programming fun#

You probably have never heard of programming and fun in the same sentence, but it doesn’t have to be all algorithms and debugging headaches. Here are three tips that you can try to savor the fun of programming:

1. Take breaks

2. Join a community

3. Don’t give up

Take breaks#

Most of a programmer’s life is just staring at a screen for hours. It may be tempting to push through, but regular breaks are essential to maintain focus, creativity, and overall well-being. Especially when you’re a beginner, it is important to step away from the screen, even for just a few minutes, so that you can process what you’ve been working on, prevent burnout, and often lead to fresh insights when you return. Breaks can be any form, whether a short walk, stretching, or grabbing a coffee. 

Join a community#

Programming can often feel like a solitary pursuit, but being part of a community can make a huge difference. Communities provide support when you’re stuck on tough challenges and motivation to keep learning. And maybe you’ll even find a friend who is just as eager to rant over debugging that elusive null pointer exception or dealing with those confusing merge conflicts in Git. Having someone who understands the pain of chasing down a bug for hours, only to realize it was a missing semicolon, makes the journey much more bearable and even a bit more fun! Just as Helen Keller famously said: 

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Don’t give up!#

The road to programming was never promised to be smooth. It’s a constant uphill battle with countless roadblocks. There will always be moments of frustration, whether it’s staring at code that refuses to work or spending hours trying to fix a bug that seems impossible to track down, and in the midst of all this, many may resort to the temptation of giving up. But for the love of all the late-night endless coding, don’t give up. The punch line: it does not get better any easier; you just get better at it.

Final word#

There it is, folks: programming is hard. It is a skill that only those fuelled by real passion and dedication can master. While everyone should learn to code, learning can be challenging, and several factors affect how difficult it is for each person. You may find programming easier with good logical thinking or strategy video games. If you are just starting, you may want to look at some of the courses offered here at Educative. These beginner-level courses lay down the foundation required to take up programming from the very basics.

Happy learning!