Coding Lessons is a practical, self-paced series for people who know a little programming syntax but want to learn how working developers actually write, debug, test and ship code. Eight lessons cover breaking problems down, writing readable code, debugging systematically, using Git, writing tests, working with data and APIs, using the command line and finishing a portfolio-ready project. Examples use Python and JavaScript, and the habits apply to any language.
What you will learn
- Break a vague requirement into small, testable steps
- Write code that is readable, consistent and easy to change
- Debug methodically using error messages, logging and a debugger
- Track your work with Git and write useful commit messages
- Write automated tests and complete a small project end to end
Lessons
- From Requirement to Plan: Breaking Problems Down
- Writing Readable Code
- Debugging Systematically
- Version Control With Git
- Automated Testing
- Working With Data and APIs
- The Command Line and Developer Tools
- Finishing and Presenting a Project
Self-paced course from Tech Skills Library. Educational content only. Completing the course earns a Certificate of Completion, not an accredited qualification, licence or credential.
Lessons
From Requirement to Plan: Breaking Problems Down
Writing Readable Code
Code is read far more often than it is written, by teammates, by reviewers and by you six months later. Readable code is easier to debug, safer to change and faster to extend. Readability is not about clever tricks; it is about making intent obvious. Naming Good names are the single biggest improvement you can […]
Debugging Systematically
Every programmer spends a large share of their time debugging. The difference between beginners and experienced developers is not that experienced developers write fewer bugs, but that they find them faster by following a method rather than changing things at random and hoping. Read the error message When a program crashes, the error message is […]
Version Control With Git
Git is the standard tool for tracking changes to code. It records snapshots of your project over time, lets you experiment safely on branches, and makes collaboration possible. Employers expect developers to be comfortable with Git, and using it from your very first project is one of the best habits you can build. Core concepts […]
Automated Testing
Manually rerunning your program after every change is slow and easy to forget. Automated tests are small pieces of code that check your code, and they run in seconds. They catch regressions, where a change breaks something that used to work, and they give you the confidence to refactor. What a unit test looks like […]
Working With Data and APIs
Most useful programs read data from somewhere and send results somewhere else. Two of the most common sources are structured files, such as CSV and JSON, and web APIs, which let your code request data from services over the internet. Handling these confidently is a core professional skill. JSON everywhere JSON is a text format […]
The Command Line and Developer Tools
Professional developers spend much of their day in a terminal. The command line is faster than clicking for many tasks, it is how most developer tools are run, and it is the only interface available on many servers. Becoming comfortable with a handful of commands removes a major barrier between tutorials and real projects. Shells […]
Finishing and Presenting a Project
Finishing is a skill. Many learners start dozens of projects and complete none, which leaves them with nothing to show employers or clients. This final lesson covers how to take the project you planned in lesson one to a finished, presentable state, and how to keep improving after the course. Define done Write down what […]