With the number of coders in the world sitting at 20 million and only expected to grow, it’s a skill that many people are taking on. It’s easy to see why — in a world that depends more and more on technology, coding is a valuable skill.

It’s also a daunting one.

Many people don’t want to sit down and learn a whole new language. Learning how to code takes time and patience, and the commitment required often seems too much for some people who aren’t yet sure if the effort outweighs the benefits.

The good news is, it doesn’t.

There are huge benefits to getting into software development by learning how to code. If you’ve been wondering how worth it learning is, it’s time to see just how great coding can be for you. 

Problem-Solving Skills and Critical Thinking

A general benefit of learning to code is that the problem-solving skills that emerge from the skill are very notable. Problem-solving and critical thinking is taught from a young age in school, but there can never be enough advancement in that area.

Coding is all about problem-solving and finding the path to the solution you want. There’s a lot of figuring things out (especially in the beginning), and a huge amount of trial-and-error that can feel frustrating before you’re well-versed in the language.

As you go on, you’ll notice that you start to find solutions to problems faster. It’s quicker to put the puzzle pieces together. 

This will translate to other things in your life! Coding is nothing if not a long lesson in critical thinking, and we could all use more of it. 

The Job Market is Rising

Programming jobs are growing 50% faster than the market. Many industries are becoming obsolete, leaving the people who work in them worried.

What skills do they have that will translate to a different market? Can they transition?

If you’re up for learning software development skills, including coding, you’ll never have to worry about that. Technology is only becoming more and more prominent in a world where most of us use various apps and websites every day — and there’s always demand for more. There’s always something more that can be done. 

If you’re looking for one of the most stable industries in the world to plant your professional roots and grow, you couldn’t do much better than coding. 

It Pays Well

If you learn developer skills, it will pay off. 

With a starting salary of around $50,000 (and an average of $63,000), computer programmer jobs will make sure you’re comfortable. After a few years in the career, you’re likely to grow in terms of salary — experienced programmers, on average, make around $85,000.

This career has the benefit of a good starting salary. Most jobs, when you’re just beginning, pay very little. Coding for beginners isn’t like that in the career world.

If you’re looking to jump into something that has a decent salary right away, this is the career for you. Of course, it takes some time to learn the language first, whether you’re self-taught or in education — but it’s worth it. 

It’s Beneficial in a Surprising Amount of Jobs

It’s not just computer programmers that benefit from knowing how to code.

Artists might want to create a website for their portfolio, whether they paint, make costumes, or write. If you know how to code, you’ll be able to create an attractive website to advertise yourself and therefore, make more money.

Most companies have a website to advertise themselves, in fact. Even if you work in a position that doesn’t directly require you to code, you might be interacting with someone who has that job.

If you have knowledge of the language, you’ll be able to work together with them to create the best possible result. 

Even if you don’t necessarily want to be a programmer, there are very few jobs where it wouldn’t benefit you to know a bit of code!

It Teaches Commitment

Software development for beginners is, unfortunately, hard. Coding can’t be learned in a week, which is why the job pays so well — it’s going to take you a while to learn. 

There are options though. You can learn through an education facility, take an online course, or teach yourself by looking at tutorials and breaking down coding. Everyone learns differently, so it’s important to figure out your own style of learning to get the best result.

While exploring coding, you are truly going to learn the art of commitment. It’s not going to be easy and even when you know coding inside out, finishing a project might take you a while. Coding is a whole string of characters to be figured out.

The benefit to this, however, is that you learn how to be committed to something. Through the frustration of characters that throw your whole code off and using your new problem-solving skills to figure it out, you’ll realize that seeing the end result is so worth it.

Like other skills that coding can teach, this will translate to other areas of your life and make great improvements. Not just professionally, but personally too! 

It Can Improve Your Social Life — Yes, Really! 

There’s a common misconception that computer programming takes so long that software developers live in a dark hole and can never be social. This is untrue, and there are two ways that learning how to code will help your social life!

The first is that it benefits your interests.

Love your dog, for example? You could create an app for dog-friendly spots and meet-ups in your area.

The second is that it will give you a healthy appreciation for a work/life balance. Although coding is very rewarding, it does require you to be on a computer working hard, and you’ll definitely appreciate the release of being social more when you step away.

Less sitting on the sofa gaming after work, more going outside to get away from a screen! 

You Can Help Out Loved Ones

Learning how to code can also give you the tools to help out loved ones as well as yourself. This is entirely at your discretion, and you shouldn’t burn yourself out trying to people-please, but you likely have friends and family that might appreciate help building a website to advertise themselves.

There’s no better feeling than being able to provide them with advice, or give them the necessary tools to succeed. 

Just make sure that people don’t end up taking advantage of your skills and good nature!

It Provides Stability

Whatever dreams you have in life, coding and software development provide stability.

If you want to start a family and have children, you know that your job will never become obsolete. Technology isn’t going away any time soon, and you’ll have money for years to come to support them, ensure they can go to college, and make sure they have everything they need.

Even if you don’t want children and are focused on yourself, that’s great too. Coding provides you with a salary to put money away for a comfortable retirement and assures you that it’s unlikely you’re ever going to find yourself in the position of not being able to find a job.

There are some people out there who have skills that they worry might not be relevant in a few years. Learn to code, and you can live in the comfort of knowing this absolutely does not apply to you. 

It’s Satisfying!

Coding is also, frankly, just satisfying.

When you finish that string of characters and are no longer on “programming for beginners” but at an advanced level and see that website or app come together, there’s no better feeling. The finished result will motivate you to keep going with your coding, and will make you feel great about what you’ve achieved.

After all, very few people have taken the time to learn how to code. You can do this, and it’ll give you a great advantage in life — as well as making you feel awesome. 

Software Development Is a Worthwhile Skill to Have

Software development is, ultimately, a very worthwhile skill to have. Not only does it provide you with a stable career and income, but it also gives you other life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and commitment.

The road to learn can be a bit of a long one, but the first time you see the results of your labor, it will be more than worth it.

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