Introduction: What Came After the Books
After working through all the coding books available at my local library, I found myself wanting more and needing to go beyond the fundamentals. The books gave me essential grounding in programming concepts, syntax, and the structure of code, but I now needed practical experience and a wider range of examples. With that in mind, my next step was to explore online learning platforms where I could practice writing code, learn interactively, and begin experimenting at my own pace.
Why I Chose Online Learning
Moving from books to digital platforms felt like the natural progression. Books are excellent for structured foundational knowledge, but online resources offer:
- interactive exercises and challenges
- real-time feedback through code editors
- broader topics that go beyond introductory material
- frequent updates as technologies evolve
- multiple perspectives and teaching styles
I also realised that programming requires consistent hands-on practice. Online learning allowed me to write code regularly rather than only read about how code works. This shift made the learning experience more active and engaging.
Websites That Supported My Learning
At this stage I did not want to commit to a formal qualification immediately, so I explored free and accessible platforms to strengthen my understanding. Some of the resources I used included:
- Khan Academy – Great free online learning and practice platform.
- Codecademy / free courses – Hands-on lessons that let me write code directly in the browser.
- W3Schools – A great reference site for learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript step by step.
- Scratch – A beginner visual programming language allowing you to create your own interactive stories and games.
Downloading Visual Studio Code
One of the most important steps in this phase was installing Visual Studio Code (VS Code). Up to this point, most of my learning took place in the browser or through reading, but VS Code allowed me to write and run code on my own machine. This helped me feel more like an actual developer rather than a student following tutorials.
I started by:
- downloading and installing VS Code
- experimenting with the built-in terminal
- running small practice scripts
- creating simple HTML files and viewing them in the browser
Even though these were small steps, using a real development environment made a huge difference in how I understood coding.
What I Learned During This Stage
This phase solidified several key concepts that began in the books but became more meaningful when applied practically:
- the importance of making mistakes and debugging
- how different files work together in a project
- understanding how code is executed in real time
- writing small experiments to test ideas
- applying theory to hands-on problem-solving
I began to see the connection between book-based theory and real programming workflows.
Preparing for the Next Step
By the time I felt comfortable writing short programs and navigating learning platforms, I knew I was ready for something more structured. The transition to online learning gave me confidence, consistency, and momentum, which ultimately encouraged me to enrol on an official course to take my skills further.
In my next post, I will share details of my early practice projects and how completing small challenges helped me apply what I had learned before starting a formal qualification.
