My Road to Code

  The more I learn the more I'm aware of how much I have to learn! The start of week 6 sees us leaving Python behind and starting with Javascript (which incidentally is the first language I started learning back in March).  Whilst I am delighted to be learning more Javascript, I'm sad about 'leaving Python behind'.  Why?  Well firstly, it's a really great intuitive language, but also because the more I learn about programming the more I am aware of how much I have to learn!  I've only just scraped the surface with Python and I want more!  I want to be able to do it all! Yes ok, I know that's not realistic and that we never stop learning, but I now feel I'd like to work on a bigger project and learn from more people and sources, but I don't want to be a liability!  It's a fine line!  So I've joined a few facebook groups where people post up their code, which is exposing me to how others write their code and gives me the challenge of reading ot...

  Breadcrumbs This is one of the best pieces of advice so far on my Codeclan journey...follow the Breadcrumbs!  It is definitely one of the most used tools in my toolbox and one that has helped me debug countless errors!  If you're not sure where the bug is coming from follow the trail of breadcrumbs between the (countless) files and you will eventually find it!  The thing that I've realised about myself in doing this is that I LOVE solving bugs!  I love a puzzle and that's how I look at things when I get a bug, what clues is the error giving me, where should I look next?   Project Week So as I mentioned in last week's blog we have had a week long project.  It has been exciting and frustrating in equal measures.  Frustrating because there is so much that I want to be able to do but can't yet (I keep having to remind myself I'm only 5 weeks into this - I have learnt SO much already) and Exciting because LOOK WHAT I MADE!!!! I have written from...

Sanitising No, I'm not talking about handwashing here, we've heard enough about that Covid, thank you very much!  I'm talking databases and sanitising your input.  We are now at the point of creating full stack web apps. This means that we have a fully functioning 'back end' as well as a nice user interface at the front end!  We're learning all about relational databases and the importance of making sure that our inputs to the database are sanitised to prevent any sql injection attacks. RESTful routes Woo hoo!! Today we made our first fully functioning full stack web app!  Yep, I think it's fair to say we're all pretty happy with ourselves!  I've had so much advice in the 3.5 weeks, telling me not to worry, it will all fall into place...well today ladies and gentlemen was the day.  I finally have my head around routing, RESTful routes to be precise.  REST stands for Representational State Transfer.  There are 7 RESTful routes and they map between ...

  Week  3 I can't believe we're in week 3 already! The days are really flying by and we have learned so many new things this week.                                            Meet Bert - Bert was a present from CodeClan - he arrived just before the course started and lives under my monitor.  I was a bit bemused when he arrived - I had thoughts like, "well, it's always nice to get a present but a rubber duck is slightly random!"  Then the kids saw him and of course they wanted him! Well I'm glad that I held onto him as it was explained to us that 'rubber ducking' is a practice used by many developers to talk through their code when debugging.  I've already told you how lovely and patient my partner is when it comes to l istening to me talk through what I've learned each day....well...3 weeks in and that patience looks like its starting ...

  TDD - What a difference a week makes! So I'm finding out that CodeClan Instructors are pretty sneaky!  You think you've got everything straight in your head then they throw in something else that you've not seen before!  Today it was Testing.  Lesson learnt, don't let on that you've finished the lab with 40 minutes still to go - you'll get a made up on the spot extension (thanks Hannah!) Yep, go and write some more methods and then write your own code to test them to make sure they work!  Yep, no problem! The second last sentence that I wrote there actually brings me back to the title of this weeks blog.  For my non coding friends TDD stands for Test Driven Development.  What Hannah had actually asked us to do was write the test code first THEN write our methods. Why?  Good question!  And one that I was struggling to get my head round.  Surely I  should write my method first my brain was telling me - THEN check it works?  NO!...

  Day one and Christmas Morning It felt like being an 8 year old on Christmas morning this morning. Too excited to sleep but I wasn’t allowed to get up yet…Well ok, I have 2 kids and 2 dogs to look after so of course I could get up before my alarm and get on with my day but… my Codeclan course didn’t start until 9.30 - it felt like I would have to wait forever to open my presents.. I mean see my classmates! To give you a bit of background, I embarked on this journey in March 2020. I had previously had a career but for the past 5 years I have been mostly a full time mum (to my two kids and also two hairy babies!) interspersed with ‘bits and pieces’ jobs while I tried to figure out “what I want to be when I grown up!’ My partner works in the IT industry so I hear a bit about “our developers are doing this or that” from him and it got me thinking… firstly, this sounds pretty interesting and secondly.. I think I could do that?! So I decided to interrogate him for more information…...