Hello Dev.to! I am excited to share with you my first post. I know how intimidating the field of computer programming can be when you are first starting out. In this post I will share my top 5 tips for beginners. If you read this post and find it helpful, please send it to your friends who are also learning. Let's get started with tip number one.

1. Set SMART Goals

You have probably hear of SMART goals but if not SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

What is it that you want to do? Just get started? Start with learning a specific language (JavaScript, C, Python, Java). Set how you are going to measure your learning. For example you might get a book or course. Your measurement could be the number of chapters or sections that you complete with doing all the exercises.

Make these goals attainable your SMART goal should not build the next Meta or Google. Those can be larger goals but not for learning. An attainable goal in our example would be that "I completed all the exercises in my book/course."

To make this goal relevant look at what job postings are out there even if you are not looking for a job. Companies will list out technologies/languages that they are using in their tech stack.

Finally, your goals should have an expiration date. Say to yourself "I want to learn xyz in 6 months.

2. Learn The Basics

This is the most important tip in my opinion. If you are an absolute beginner DO NOT jump into a framework. Look at what frameworks are popular and catch your attention, but if you don't know how to set a variable or write a for loop in the language the framework is useless to you.

Start learning the language. The skills that you learn in language learning will transfer other languages, not so much in learning frameworks.

3. Build, Build, Build

Once you have gone through the process of learning a language start building with it. Here is where I would then jump into frameworks. The question then be comes "What should I build?"

What you should build is ultimately up to you but here are some ideas:

• ToDo List App
• Tip Calculator App
• Date Reminder App

These are just a few examples of what you could build. Let me know below if you do build one of these. I would love to know

4. Find Awesome Resources

When learning anything find communities of learning to help you. In programming there are so many communities that you will find that will help speed up you learning. A few of my favorites is Dev.to, Wes Bos, and No Starch Press books

5. Start Tackling Imposter Syndrome Right Now

You may not know it but one of the hardest things to overcome in programming is imposter syndrome. What is imposter syndrome? Here's a definition.

The persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.

This feeling is common and many developers have had to go through the process of defeating imposter syndrome when they started their carriers. Here are three tips on punching imposter syndrome in the face.

• Start believing you are a developer before you start coding

I know this sounds like believe it and it will come stuff, because it actually is. I have seen many students use this tip and with it alone conquer imposter syndrome.

• Keep visual log of what you are building

This tip will help you remember how far you have come. When you look at this visual log you can say "Wow! look what I have accomplished!" My recommendation is to use instagram for a public log or notion for a private log.

• Surround yourself with other who are learning

This is also super important. Community is very important when starting to learn. You will find that you are not alone and together you will punch imposter syndrome in the face.

What Now?

Wow! You made it through my first post. I hope you have found this post helpful. If you took any of the tips I proposed let me know in the comments below. Also, If you have any other tips add them to the comments as well.