Coding is a relatively new subject that has risen to prominence over the last 30 years due to the rise of the internet. Coding underpins the technology behind all websites and apps and the options for its use are pretty much limitless. These days everyone picks up a little bit of coding at school or college and then some continue to learn how to code as a hobby or pastime well into adulthood.
Many people decide to take coding one step further and want to start and build their own project, so here we are going to take a look at how to undertake this process.
Choose Your Project
This is the first major decision that you will need to take as your project has to be for something that you are interested in and that you have reasonable knowledge about, otherwise you may find that it never gets off the ground as you become disinterested.
There are many different options, you could make an app or a website or a learning tool, basically anything that is based on coding. Maybe you’ve spotted a gap in the market or you have a hobby such as fishing and want to produce an app that can give tips on the best fishing sites in your area, it really doesn’t matter what you choose to base your project on, as long as you are passionate about it.
Start Planning
Once you have come up with your idea you need to start planning how you will build it in much the same way that you would build a house – from the ground up. If you jump straight in, you will make mistakes and this will cost you a lot of time in the long run, so get the details right from the start.
You will need to come up with a schedule for how you will spend your time between writing code and debugging and also you need to have a clear idea about what the finished product will look like. Break down the project onto easily manageable chunks and plan your code carefully so that you can focus on the important aspects individually and then the sum of the parts will be much more thorough, and you will achieve the end result you were hoping for.
Start Building
Once you have your plan clearly worked out it is time to start writing your code. This will be the most daunting part as it will probably be your first project so you are bound to make mistakes.
However, you need to make sure that you don’t panic as these teething problems are normal, and can be easily overcome. Georgie, an expert coder at Nerder implores that you are not too shy to ask for help if you need it because the best way of learning is understanding your mistakes and learning from other people. If you need the help of an agency to master those really tricky lines that never seem to work properly, then use them, as they are the experts after all.
Testing and Debugging
This is perhaps the most important step to your project because without testing that your code works, and then debugging where necessary, you won’t have a finished product that is appealing or useful in any way. Do not let yourself become demoralized at this stage, everyone has to go through this phase, even the most experienced coders.
In fact, you will probably learn more by fixing the bugs as you can carry this knowledge that you have gained into your next projects, becoming more efficient in the process. If you do become stuck, then there are plenty of forums online where you can share your code and have others suggest fixes, the community is extremely friendly so do not dismiss this option.
Once you have finished testing and debugging you are ready to launch your app or website to the wider world, by making your website live and releasing your app to the relevant store with Apple or Google. Market your app or website using your various social media platforms to drive traffic and your project will finally begin to pay off. This will be the culmination of all the hard work you have put into the planning, design, and build of your project.
All those long nights spent trying to fix bugging issue will seem worthwhile, and your friends that you used as guinea pigs at the beginning of your project will appreciate your final offering and can start to use your app or website for the purpose it was designed for. Good luck!
