There are many factors that need to be considered when answering this question which will determine whether it’s a worthwhile endeavour for you. Many individuals today research the possibility of learning software development before deciding it’s better to invest in a developer to help them out. Let’s take a look at what you need to know before starting your software development journey.
Anyone can become a software developer
Thanks to the educational options on offer to individuals today online, almost anyone has access to become a software developer. However, it’s not going to happen overnight and will take a lot of effort and resources for you to get to the same level as a professional software developer. Two qualities that a potential software developer requires is a passion for coding and the perseverance to see it through when things become difficult, and they will become difficult!
You may be surprised to learn that many software developers are self-taught and don’t have any formal education in this industry. Just as you could learn how to use another online program, you can teach yourself the software development skills you need for your business. However, you will need to weigh up the vast amount of time it will take to learn, against the money it will save you in the long run.
There are many great online courses available to individuals who have the money and time to work through them. Of course, with so many elements to consider when learning software development, you’ll need to be ready to invest your time into this project.
Software development skills can’t be learnt overnight
While we do believe that most people (who have the interest, time and enthusiasm to see it through) could learn software development, it’s definitely not going to happen quickly. The months and years of training that professional software developers undergo can’t be learnt in a few hours online. If you are looking to design a piece of software for your company in the next few months, you’ll need to understand that you probably aren’t going to be able to master all of the skills you need to know in such a short period of time.
As with learning any new skill, we encourage you to have a little patience and spend the required time to properly learn everything you will need to know in the future. While it can be tempting to skip over certain aspects in online courses, avoid doing this as you may miss out on crucial pieces of information that you’ll need further down the line.
Potential cost of learning
Depending on why you are planning to learn software development skills, you will likely have to invest quite a bit of money in your education. While you may find some free courses online, they are unlikely to cover everything you need to know in order to build the software you need for your business.
If you are just looking to learn some new skills for fun, you may find enough resources online for this, but to take it one step further, you may need to enrol in an online or in-person course. Most people find that investing this money in a software developer to help with their project is a much better use of their funds, and coupled with the time you will save, it’s the obvious choice for most businesses.
Do I need to be good at maths?
One of the most frequently asked questions we hear from potential software developers is what educational background you need to have. If you are looking to learn software development, don’t stress about being the world’s best mathematician. You’ll need to know some basic algebra and also possess good problem-solving skills, but apart from that, you should be good to get started on your journey.
Depending on the type of project you work on in the future, you may need to use more or fewer maths skills. This is one of the most common misconceptions about software developers today, but it means that the industry is far more accessible to individuals without maths or science in their educational background.
Start with the basic fundamentals
When researching learning software development, it can become incredibly daunting to choose between various programming languages. To begin with, we recommend just experimenting with code to help you learn the fundamental skills you’ll need. If you have a larger project in mind for your company, consider setting up a smaller project for yourself to begin with to start learning the skills you’ll need for later on.
It’s important to understand that no one programming language is better than any others, but you may need to use different ones on various projects in the future.
It’s never too late to begin your software development journey
When you think of software developers, a certain age range of individuals may come to mind. People become curious about software development at any age, and online and in-person courses are filled with students spanning a wide range of ages. It’s never too late to begin learning more about software development.
Even if you decide just to learn a few basic skills and then hand the rest over to a professional software developer, you’ll increase your understanding of the work and effort that’s required in future projects. The only thing you need in order to learn software development is the determination, focus, and time to take on this project.
Where to from here?
If you decide to learn software development, you’ll want to consider whether this is something you are happy to tackle alone or with the guidance of a mentor. Depending on your personal learning style, you might find you learn better in one way, and it’s important to acknowledge this before researching your education options. If it’s something you are passionate about, it’s never too late to get started and further your skills and knowledge.
While learning software development is certainly a great option for many people, it does involve a lot of time, money, and commitment to get your knowledge to the required level for projects.
For that reason, many companies are still opting to use professional software developers for their work. This removes the pressure away from you, and you’ll know that your next software development project will be in good hands with someone who is experienced in this field.
To find out how we could help you with your custom business software, contact the BSPOKE Software team today.
