“You’re comparing apples to oranges,” Susan, a developer at my company, said when I asked her which programming language she preferred, C # or Python. “It’s like asking me if I prefer wrenches or hammers. One language is a compiled, statically typed language, the other is a ducktyped scripting language. Each is excellent in its correct context.” She was right, of course. Itβs no use asking which programming language is best.
Ah, the age-old question: which tech stack should I learn? Aspiring developers often get bogged down in this dilemma, and it’s not hard to see why. The tech industry is an ocean of opportunities, and the fear of diving into the wrong waters can be paralyzing. But here’s a little secret for you: it’s more important to be insatiably curious and willing to learn new things than to stress over learning exactly the right things.
You’re waiting at the front-desk of Google’s campus in Boulder, Colorado, waiting for your coding interview to start. Across from you in the lobby sit two other candidates: A charismatic airpods-flaunting developer who can charm the pants off of anyone in the room but requires an agonizing 8 hours to get a linked list working A programming prodigy who writes games in assembly, but is such a colossal jerk that nobody will play their game anyways Which of them will provide more fierce competition for the job spot?
Let’s be real here: we live in an age where everyone and their dog seems to think they need the latest, most expensive gadgets to get anything done. But when it comes to learning how to code, do you really need that shiny, wallet-draining powerhouse of a machine? Nope. Let’s chat about the hardware you need to get started with coding, and dispel the myth that you need to spend a fortune on your setup like a Macbook-toting soydev.
As the founder of Boot.dev, I’ve worked with countless students who are eager to break into the tech industry. And time and time again, I see the same question pop up: “Do I need to start a blog to get a coding job?” It’s a valid question. There’s a lot of buzz around personal branding and the importance of building an online presence. But as someone who worked (and I guess still works) as a hiring manager, I can tell you that blogs are mostly overrated.
This is one of those arguments where, outside of a few very specific examples, there’s a clear answer. Python is better than MATLAB in (almost) every situation. But you’re searching for the differences between MATLAB and Python, so clearly you’re not convinced. Let’s take a deeper look comparing Python vs MATLAB so you are finally persuaded. History and definitions π Before we dig into which language is best, it’s worth looking at some historical context.
We released more this last March than I think we’ve ever released in a single month before. I’ve been biting my nails waiting to share it all in this month’s newsletter. All the best, Lane Patch notes π 1. “Learn Web Servers” course released π This is our new flagship back-end programming course. If you’re following along the back-end career path, you’ll take this course after you learn the Go programming language.
Yes, computer science is hard, but you already know that. You don’t want to know if computer science is hard. You want to know if it’s too hard. You want to know if having to learn computer science is going to be a real obstacle in your way to achieving your goal. What’s your goal? Only you know. Maybe your goal is: Becoming a backend developer, game developer, or data engineer.
I talk to boatloads of students who are starting to learn to code, and invariably they are hyper-concerned about which programming languages and technologies they should be learning. Now, first of all, I don’t think it matters all that much. You don’t fail to break into tech because you learned JavaScript instead of Python, or Go instead of Rust. You fail for a bunch of other reasons, chief among them being a lack of dedication, time, and focus.
How to Get a Job as a Python Programmer π “How much Python do I need to know to get a job? Do I need a degree?” I asked Jo, a hiring manager I’d met at a Python networking event, nervously. “Personally, I don’t care about the formality of your education,” said Jo, casually blowing my mind with a single sentence. She and I had struck up a conversation about video games, and I’d taken the opportunity afterward to pick her brains on how to get a job as a Python programmer.