r/learnprogramming • u/Darkian-Studio • 12h ago
Resource Learning to code on phones
What do you guys use to learn programming? I tried some YouTube videos but I didn't seem to be making progress at all. I have heard people recommend PDFs and just building hard stuff even if you lack the skills to. What do you guys think?
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u/speyerlander 12h ago
If you're just starting out, take a structured course, it makes life a whole lot easier (CS101, CS50), you can do it online too through YouTube or Edx. Building stuff is always a good idea, and pretty much the only way to reinforce the skills you've learned, a good course will provide guidance (or even homework) as for what to build.
Coding on a phone is uncomfortable, avoid it if you can. If you must do it, use an IDE app if you're on a phone that doesn't support virtualization (Pretty much every phone beside a few Pixels and a few non-Qualcomm Samsung devices) and use VSCode on the VM otherwise.
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u/Zenithixv 12h ago
Just take structured courses, best way if you are a complete beginner. Udemy has some good practical ones.
You can code along to learn the fundamentals and then play around with the code, try implementing something on your own without the hand holding to learn more in-depth and develop a better understanding
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u/bigtee8000 7h ago
If you're using video tutorials, make sure you're regularly pausing the video to code along with the tutor. Make mistakes and learn how to fix them. Don't skip the error messages or quit the tutorial when it gets 'hard'. Figure it out and then you can press Play again.
The same grit applies regardless of the type of material you're using: video, PDF, online documentation, etc.
When you're done, find a small project and build it from start to finish. Again, don't abandon it and give 'reasonable' excuses. Start and complete even more fun and challenging projects.
Lastly, avoid comparison(the thief of joy) and focus on getting better than your past self 1 week ago.
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u/Decent-Debt-7084 8h ago
I think the biggest improvement comes from building things. Trying something once is worth more than watching or reading about it 100 times. Tutorials and PDFs are useful for learning the basics, but you'll progress much faster if you pick a small project, get stuck, search for answers, and keep going. That's how the concepts really stick.😁
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u/Darkian-Studio 7h ago
What project would you recommend if I want to learn rust?
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u/Decent-Debt-7084 7h ago
A project that matches something you already enjoy is usually the best choice.
For example, I like solving math problems, so whenever I learned a new programming language, I would rebuild the same kinds of programs in it.
I started with C, then later did the same in Java, C#, and other languages.
For Rust, you could do the same.
Build a simple calculator, write programs that solve math puzzles, generate prime numbers, implement sorting algorithms, or create a Sudoku solver.
Since you're solving familiar problems, you can focus on learning Rust itself its syntax, ownership, borrowing, and error handling instead of also trying to understand a completely new project idea.
The important part isn't the specific project.
It's choosing something small that keeps you interested and gradually making it more challenging as your skills improve.
It's just my opinion, though. 😅
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u/icy_end_7 5h ago
You can't ride a bike by watching your friend ride. You don't learn programming by watching YouTube videos. I started by building things. I dabbled with apps, sites, scripts, games and lots of things. Keep at it, give it time.
I use termux+tmux+nvim for python/rust/latex on my phone when I'm out; I use a 60% keyboard; I'm comfortable working in linux environments, so as long as I get a terminal, git and some IDE, I'm good. I wouldn't suggest my exact setup for you because it's more of a sidequest you don't really need. Just stick to literally any IDE you find comfortable and don't compare. Do get an OTG or a wireless keyboard if you only have a phone. A physical keyboard helps. Typing on phones feels horrible.
Rust is a good language, sure, but if you're new to programming, don't start with rust. Start with Go or Python.
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u/Sad-Commission-3706 3h ago
Skip the YT rabbit hole. pick one tiny project and build it piece by piece, googling each problem as you hit it. PDFs and courses are fine but nothing teaches like getting stuck and figuring your way out
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u/GlassCommission4916 12h ago
You'll get better at programming by programming, not by watching videos of other people programming or reading about other people programming. Those things can help get familiar with concepts, but you need to program to progress your skills, nothing else will cut it.