Is CodeAcademy a good way to learn how to code?

College Majors Math/Computer Science Majors
1

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I am a female looking into majoring in computer science or some area of engineering and I have been working through the CodeAcademy Python course in preparation for computer sciences courses next year. First of all, is python the right language to learn how to code in? And is code academy a good platform in which to actually learn how to code? I would really like to join a computational biology group in my first semester but I would feel uncomfortable if I really couldn't bring anything to the table...</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You should be able to read about the required courses in your program to see what languages will be required.</p>

<p>That said, Python is similar enough to other C-derived languages (most of the biggies) that making the switch should not be very painful.</p>

<p>Also, Python is available on the better WWW hosting plans (e.g., Godaddy) so it’s accessible almost anywhere. I LOVE having access to MY scripting platform from any computer on the Internet.</p>

<p>Bottom line, even if you don’t use it a lot for school, learning Python won’t be wasted time.</p>

3

<p>There’s not a “right language” to start with, but Python is a good one for beginners. It’s got very straightforward syntax, and it’s also used a lot in research, so you’re off to a good start! The fun thing about programming, too, is that once you learn the logic, learning a new language is MUCH easier. (I picked up Python in a few days after knowing Java, Matlab, and Racket.</p>

<p>Codecademy is a good place to start, but the real fun comes when you expand beyond that. It will teach you the basics and the logic, but once you finish that try making your own projects or try out Project Euler. I’d also recommend learning the NumPy/SciPy/MatPlotLib/Pandas libraries if you get a chance because they’re used a ton in research. (There are a bunch of tutorials online.)</p>

<p>If you get a chance, you could also look at Matlab (which is hard without having the program) and Java. But don’t stress yourself out too much! Enjoy Python’s simplicity. :)</p>

4

<p>I agree. Python’s simplicity is very useful for beginners and that you should start a project or something that uses the language so you get accustomed to it and can make things on your own. I used a free textbook that had exercises in it and that helped a lot when I learned python. I’ve personally made simple apps and a video game to brush up on my C++ and Java skills (I am a female CS major as well).</p>

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<p>Codecademy is very basic stuff, but it’s a good start, and Python is a great language for computation biology. Once you’ve finished the Python track, check out Project Euler for general programming problems and Rosalind for bioinformatics problems:
<a href=“ROSALIND | Problems | Locations”>http://rosalind.info/problems/locations/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;