Coding is one of the most in-demand skills used in many professions. Most jobs involving coding are predicted to continue growing well above average job growth in the next decade. “Coding” refers to the ability to use a programming language, of which there are many, including Java, Python, and JavaScript. If you are unsure that learning coding is right for you, consider reading on to learn more about the myriad uses of coding tools and techniques. Not only will learning coding open up a number of new career opportunities, but it also has a lot of potential personal uses.

What is Coding?

Coding is one of the most in-demand skills dominating today’s job market. In simple terms, coding is the language that tech professionals use to tell devices how they should operate. There are several coding languages that are used for different purposes; some of the more common languages include Java, Python, and JavaScript.

Coding skills are required in many positions, including Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Cybersecurity Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, and many others. The main upside of coding is that it’s also adaptable to nearly any industry, including education, fashion, finance, medicine, entertainment, and marketing. While it may seem complicated to break into a coding career, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nowadays, anyone can become a coder and obtain an entry-level position after taking a coding bootcamp or two.

Read more about what coding is and why you should learn it.

Professional Uses for Coding

If you are interested in learning to code, you may wonder what professions use coding and how these skills apply. Professions that use coding skills include Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Machine Learning Engineer, and Cybersecurity Analyst. The following sections detail some of the ways these professions use coding.

Software Engineering

Software engineering, or software development, is the process by which software is created and built. Software Engineers use programming languages to build, improve, test, and maintain all kinds of software, from computer games to famous applications like Facebook or LinkedIn. Some typical responsibilities of a Software Engineer that involve the use of coding include: 

• Designing software systems
• Maintaining software systems
• Optimizing the speed and scalability of software
• Writing code
• Testing code

Software Engineers also consult with and present new features to stakeholders. While communication skills may not appear to be related to coding, it is a Software Engineer’s knowledge and expertise in coding uses and languages that allow them to understand how to deliver the functionality a client seeks. 

Software Engineers may know multiple programming languages, but most have a specific area of focus. The following job titles reflect a Software Engineer’s expertise in specific coding skills:

• Front-end Web Developer: codes with languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to build and modify websites and web-based applications. 
• Python Engineer: creates, builds, and deploys programs using Python. 
• React Developer: designs and implements user interface (UI) components using the JavaScript library React.

The good news for anyone interested in learning software development is that you don’t have to earn a four-year degree, nor do you have any programming experience to get started. You can learn software engineering skills through online and in-person classes that work with your schedule.

Full Stack Development

Coding skills also allow for full stack development, which refers to the development of both the front (user-facing) and back (server-side). Full Stack Developers are in high demand because of their ability to work on all parts of a software application. A Full Stack Developer may tackle tasks for both the front end and back end, or may focus on a specific side depending on how the team’s current needs and division of responsibilities. Full Stack Developers may code in C+, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, and more. Typically a Full Stack Developer will be an expert in one of these languages rather than working in multiple.

Learn more about becoming a Full Stack Developer. 

Machine Learning

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI). Machine Learning Engineers create and improve AI algorithms that learn and make predictions. Machine learning can be used to automate tasks, optimize processes, forecast future conditions or outcomes, detect patterns, and predict the likelihood of an event. You can find machine learning at work in almost any industry, from the medical field to stock exchange. Coding languages used in machine learning include: 

• R programming
• Python
• Java
• C++
• JavaScript

Learn more about developing your machine learning knowledge and skills.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity, also known as information technology (IT) security or computer security, protects networks, data, and devices from unauthorized use such as the use of malware to steal sensitive information. Cybersecurity protects against both internal and external threats and plays a vital role in protecting an organization, its information, and the information of its clients. 

Cybersecurity professions use some of the following programming languages:

• Java
• Python
• SQL
• C
• C++
• JavaScript
• Ruby on the Rails
• PHP

You can jumpstart your cybersecurity knowledge and skills with online and in-person training options such as a cybersecurity bootcamp.

Other Uses for Coding

Coding skills can not only help you launch a new career, but they can also advance your current career as well. You can also use coding skills to contribute to a community, develop your own website to enhance your personal brand, or start your own ecommerce store. 

Contribute to a Community

Want to put your coding knowledge to use for a community? Maybe you’d like to assist a nonprofit organization with enhancing their website or give back to the communities that maintain and improve open-source programming languages like Python. Volunteer organizations, professional groups, and online communities will gladly welcome your coding expertise. 

Build Your Own Website

By learning to code with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can learn how to build custom websites and web-based applications. Creating your own website allows for creative freedom, the chance to demonstrate your skills, and the opportunity to enhance your personal brand. You can use a website to generate leads, grow a following, or even start your own business. 

Launch an ecommerce Store

If you’ve ever wanted to sell physical or digital goods, learning to code can empower you to build your own ecommerce store. This store can be part of launching your own full-time business, used as a creative outlet or provide additional income on the side. Coding can be used to add ecommerce features to your website, optimize a website or application for a seamless shopping experience, or to customize ecommerce features.

Learn Coding Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop has a robust collection of coding classes and bootcamps that fit various learning needs. They offer in-person classes in Manhattan as well as live online classes internationally. All classes have relatively small class sizes and are taught by coding experts with practical knowledge. After completing your classes, you’ll have the option to retake those courses at no cost for up to one year, allowing you to practice, review subjects, and receive insights from instructors for free. 

If you’re eager to learn a collection of coding languages and applications, the Software Engineering Certificate will give you a taste of three notable ones. You’ll start with Front End Web Development, allowing you to create websites through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Once you understand these subjects, you’ll shift focus to JavaScript’s various frameworks and databases, including React, Node.js, and Express.js. Finally, you’ll learn Python Development with Django, which is helpful for server-side programming, among other topics. 

Anyone interested in algorithms and data collection should look into the Python for Data Science Bootcamp. It’ll show you the fundamentals of Python and everything that it entails. The possibilities of uses with Python are vast, and this bootcamp is the perfect segue into the Python Machine Learning Bootcamp. Companies such as Netflix and Amazon use machine learning programs to pull up suggested items for their users, and this bootcamp will teach you how to develop them yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Coding is used by many professions including Software Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Full Stack Developers, and Cybersecurity professionals.
• You can also use coding skills outside of a job to support social and online communities, start your own business, or enhance your personal brand.
• You can develop coding skills such as programming with Python, R, SQL, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through Noble Desktop’s online and in-person classes.

How Does Learning Coding Compare with Other Skills?

Those who want to learn how to code professionally will also want to consider the soft skills, also known as core skills, that coding positions often require. In addition to understanding a programming language, you will want to possess skills such as perseverance, problem solving, attention to detail, and more. An important factor that goes into deciding to learn a new skill is researching complementary and related skills. Doing so will help you make more informed decisions about what you want to learn, and it will help you decide whether or not learning a specific skill is the right decision for you. You will also learn what kind of skills you may want to learn to complement your training later on. The following sections highlight related skills that are especially important to aspiring Programmers, but which are also hugely beneficial to anyone learning to code. Read on to learn more about how to develop skills in planning, perseverance, problem-solving, and other skills that will help you succeed in your chosen career.

What is Coding?

Coding is one of the most in-demand skills dominating today’s job market. In simple terms, coding is the language that tech professionals use to tell devices how they should operate. There are several coding languages that are used for different purposes; some of the more common languages include Java, Python, and JavaScript.

Coding skills are required in many positions, including Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Cybersecurity Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, and many others. The main upside of coding is that it’s also adaptable to nearly any industry, including education, fashion, finance, medicine, entertainment, and marketing. While it may seem complicated to break into a coding career, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nowadays, anyone can become a coder and obtain an entry-level position after taking a coding bootcamp or two.

Read more about what coding is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Coding Skills?

Coding is an incredibly versatile field that covers a wide selection of topics. You’ll be able to create websites, algorithms, and programs that have uses in every industry on the market. Even if your chosen career operates primarily in-person, you’ll be able to take creative approaches to coding that will make everyone’s lives easier. 

You can make your own video game, build an online presence for your small business, or code simple programs that automate your mundane tasks. There’s no limit to what you can do with coding. This impressive skill will always serve you well if you have an imaginative mind and a willingness to learn more.

Skills Related to Coding

In addition to understanding how to code, Programmers need the skills to solve problems, pay attention to details, plan, have patience and persevere. These are the skills that make it possible for Programmers to work independently and collaboratively, propose solutions, and put those solutions into action. The following sections provide further information on the importance and uses of these soft skills, as well as tips for developing them.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is a crucial skill for Programmers and those who code professionally. Some people think that problem-solving is a skill that comes naturally, but there are ways to develop and sharpen your problem-solving skills. By familiarizing yourself with the scientific method, you can learn to formulate hypotheses and test them. 

Unlike careers where certain problems recur and become routine, coding can always present new challenges that you haven’t previously encountered. Developing and understanding your problem-solving routines helps to keep your mind sharp and allows you to handle challenges professionally when they arise. Understanding common problem-solving routines from the time you begin learning to code will help you to determine which work best for you. 

Attention to Detail

Being able to focus on details allows you to discover mistakes and prevent them. While some coding languages emphasize readability, others are complex, making it even more important to notice when something is amiss. 

Programmers must pay close attention to their code to make sure the formatting is correct. Even the smallest error can cause a major issue. The more familiar you become with your programming language’s syntax, the more easily you will spot mistakes. You will also be less likely to make errors when writing your code and will encounter fewer bugs in the code you create.

Planning

Once the objective of a project has been established, it’s time to break the goal down into actionable components. There are several methods designed specifically for development teams to plan the steps needed to reach an objective, determine the time and resources needed, and divide up the work. Four popular methodologies are: 

• Waterfall
• Agile
• Scrum 
• Kanban

The Waterfall method requires each step be completed in a linear fashion with no ability to loop back to a previous step. Waterfall breaks plans down into distinct phases. Revision requires restarting the entire project. This means that clear documentation from the beginning is essential. Because of its rigidity, Waterfall is not a preferred methodology among most Programmers. 

The Agile method was developed specifically for software development teams, making it very popular among those who code professionally. Agile is considered by many to be an umbrella term for multiple methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, that focus on simultaneous work and flexible/adaptive workflows.

The Kanban method divides work into categories of Work Not Yet Started, Work in Progress, and Work Completed. Each category is represented by a column on the Kanban board. As a task moves toward completion, it advances from one column to the next. It can, however, be moved back to a previous column when needed. Teams use this method to divide up work based on availability. It also permits teams to all track the same tasks and easily visualize the rate of progress.

Scrum is a type of Agile method that breaks projects down into phases called sprints. Scrum is designed to help teams get more done at a faster pace. The sprint begins with a backlog of tasks. Teams discuss sprint progress during daily meetings, addressing roadblocks and reviewing work from the day before, as well as work coming up the next day. 

Patience and Perseverance

Patience allows a programmer to calmly address challenges and think through solving problems that arise. The answer is rarely a quick and easy solution. Exercising patience can ultimately save both time and frustration by allowing you to correctly solve an issue or meet a challenge early in the process, as opposed to compounding frustration by making mistakes due to rushing through. Having the patience to persevere through a challenge will help to make you a successful Programmer.

Patience and perseverance are also key to learning coding skills. Programming languages are, as the term implies, often like learning a foreign language. It takes time to accumulate the vocabulary, understanding, and context necessary to code. Having an instructor or mentor to encourage you can go a long way toward helping you persevere. Leaning on a teacher’s guidance can also help you pace yourself through your training. 

Learn Coding Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop has a robust collection of coding classes and bootcamps that fit various learning needs. They offer in-person classes in Manhattan as well as live online classes internationally. All classes have relatively small class sizes and are taught by coding experts with practical knowledge. After completing your classes, you’ll have the option to retake those courses at no cost for up to one year, allowing you to practice, review subjects, and receive insights from instructors for free. 

If you’re eager to learn a collection of coding languages and applications, the Software Engineering Certificate will give you a taste of three notable ones. You’ll start with Front End Web Development, allowing you to create websites through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Once you understand these subjects, you’ll shift focus to JavaScript’s various frameworks and databases, including React, Node.js, and Express.js. Finally, you’ll learn Python Development with Django, which is helpful for server-side programming, among other topics. 

Anyone interested in algorithms and data collection should look into the Python for Data Science Bootcamp. It’ll show you the fundamentals of Python and everything that it entails. The possibilities of uses with Python are vast, and this bootcamp is the perfect segue into the Python Machine Learning Bootcamp. Companies such as Netflix and Amazon use machine learning programs to pull up suggested items for their users, and this bootcamp will teach you how to develop them yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Soft skills play an important role in becoming a successful Programmer. These skills go beyond simply learning to code.
• Key skills for aspiring Programmers include problem solving, attention to detail, planning, patience and perseverance
• You can develop coding and core skills through training at Noble Desktop