03-009: How to Learn a New Programming Language

Over the years, I’ve been hired by organizations such as Learn.co and AppDev to write programming curriculum for:

• Ruby on Rails
• Ruby programming
• Python
• Java
• Several JavaScript frameworks

The only language that I really build applications in is Ruby, which means that I’ve been forced to become proficient in a number of languages that I didn’t have much experience with—sometimes in a very short period of time.

Over the years, I’ve developed a system for learning a new language or framework, and that’s what I’m going to walk through today.

📌 Steps to Learning a New Programming Language

1️⃣ Watch a Full Tutorial Series 🎥

• Don’t try to follow along—simply watch what the instructor does in the demos.
• This helps you get a high-level view of the syntax and flow of the language.

2️⃣ Create a "Hello World" Application 🌍

• Incorporate a few basics, such as:
• Running a loop.
• Creating and instantiating a class.
• Implementing high-level concepts you remember from the tutorial.

3️⃣ Implement a Sorting Algorithm 🔢

• Pick a sorting algorithm and implement it in the language.
• A basic one like selection sort or bubble sort is fine.
• Sorting algorithms force you to use:
• Data structures
• Loops
• Variables
• Functions
• Combining these elements will give you a good grasp of the language.

4️⃣ Follow an Advanced Tutorial 📚

• This time, code along with the instructor.
• Build the programs step-by-step to reinforce learning.

5️⃣ Solve Coding Interview Questions 💡

• Work through interview-style questions for the language.
• If you can confidently solve these, it’s a good sign that you have a solid understanding of the language.

🎯 The Key Takeaway

I’ve used these five steps for multiple languages, and I can tell you:

• Once you become proficient in one language, picking up new ones becomes easier.
• Most languages share common processes, so all you need to do is learn the syntax differences.