Why You Should Never Learn To Code
We’re constantly being told that learning to code is the key to success. That it will make us more employable, more productive, and more valuable employees.
There is certainly some truth to this. As more and more businesses move online and rely on technology, those with coding skills will be in high demand. Not to mention, coding can be a very rewarding skill to learn in terms of creativity and problem-solving. The money isn’t bad either.
However, coding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And while there are some good reasons to learn, there are also plenty of reasons not to, all of which we’ll discuss in this article.
10 reasons why you shouldn’t learn to code
1. Coding is hard
There’s no denying that coding is a complex skill. It requires serious brain power to understand the syntax and semantics of a programming language. Then you have to apply that knowledge to solve problems.
You’ll likely spend a lot of time banging your head against the wall before you start seeing any real results. If you’re not naturally a logical thinker, you’ll struggle to make sense of things.
2. Coding is time-consuming
Learning to code can take years. Even if you’re a fast learner, it’s going to take some time to get to a proficient level where you can actually build something useful.
And that’s just the basics. If you want to become a master programmer, be prepared to spend the rest of your life learning and keeping up with the latest trends.
3. Coding is boring
Some people find the repetition involved in coding tedious and boring. There’s a lot of trial and error, and you often have to do the same thing over and over again until you get it right.
Troubleshooting and checking for errors can also be frustrating, especially when you’re just starting out. All of this can make the learning process quite slow and tedious.
4. There are so many programming languages to choose from
Knowing which programming language to learn can be a daunting task in itself. There are dozens of popular languages, each with its own unique syntax and semantics.
If you don’t know what you want to build or what industry you want to work in, it’s going to be very difficult to choose a language. Do you want to learn a web development language like PHP or Javascript? Or a more scientific language like Java or Python?
And once you’ve chosen a language, you’re not done yet. Different languages have different frameworks and libraries, so you’ll also need to learn those in order to be effective.
5. Coding is frustrating and stressful
Coding can be extremely frustrating, no matter what level you’re at. You’ll constantly make mistakes, hit roadblocks, and have to start over from scratch many times.
This can be discouraging, especially when you’re first starting out. You might have to spend hours trying to figure out why your code isn’t working, only to find that it’s a simple typo. Yes, this actually happens!
So expect to feel stressed and frustrated all the time when learning to code. It’s part of the process.
6. You never stop learning
Technology is always changing, so even if you do manage to learn a coding language, you’ll never be done learning. New versions of existing languages are released all the time, and new frameworks and libraries are constantly being created.
To keep up, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time reading documentation, tutorials, blog posts, and browsing Stack Overflow. You’ll also need to experiment with new code in your own time to stay ahead of the curve.
7. There are plenty of other ways to build websites and apps
If you want to build websites or apps but don’t want to learn how to code, there are plenty of alternatives now. Platforms like WordPress and Squarespace make it easy to create professional-looking sites without any coding knowledge.
And if you want to build an app, either for the web or mobile, there are drag-and-drop, no-code platforms like Appy Pie and Bubble that let you do just that. While these do have their own learning curves, you’ll be able to get started much faster than if you were starting from scratch.
8. Not everyone needs to know how to code
Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you should too. Unless you have a specific reason for wanting (or needing) to learn how to code, there’s no need to put yourself through the stress and frustration of trying to learn something that isn’t a good fit for you.
Your particular set of skills and experiences will be better suited to some tasks than others. If coding isn’t your thing, that’s perfectly okay. There are plenty of other ways to contribute to the world of technology without learning to code.
9. You don’t need coding skills to get a job in tech
There are plenty of jobs in the tech industry that don’t require coding skills. From marketing and sales roles to customer support positions, there are all sorts of opportunities for people without coding skills.
10. Jobs aren’t as in demand or lucrative as they used to be
The job market for programmers is not as good as it once was. In the early days of the internet, there was a huge demand for coding jobs, and very few people knew how to do them.
Nowadays, though, there are many more people who know how to code, and the job market has become saturated. This does not mean that there are no jobs available, but the competition is much stiffer.
In addition, many of the jobs that do exist pay less than they once did. This is due to the abundance of coders and the fact that many companies are now outsourcing their coding needs to countries where labor is cheaper.
Conclusion
Nowadays, it’s easy for anyone to learn to code. Very affordable too, thanks to online resources like Codecademy and freeCodeCamp. But just because it’s accessible to all, doesn’t mean everyone should learn.
If you’re thinking about learning to code, ask yourself why you want to do it. If you don’t have a good reason, it might not be worth your time and effort. There are plenty of other ways to build websites and apps.
Think carefully about your motivations before diving in. It’s not an easy process, and it’s not for everyone. But if you’re sure you want to learn, then go for it! You might just surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.
Check out The Web Developer Bootcamp on Udemy for a cheap, interactive, and comprehensive coding course that will take you from zero to hero.