In Reddit programming subreddits there are never ending questions about how to learn a programming language to get rich, or how to learn language XYZ because ‘I need to get a job next month’. If the people posting these questions did only a few minutes of research by reading previous similar questions (you don’t have to scroll back too far before you’ll find another similar question) they’d realize how unrealistic their expectations are.

Learning a programming language doesn’t make you a developer. The analogy I like to use to answer these questions is that learning to use a hammer by itself does not mean you can build a timber framed house. I summarized this before in this post:

I have another analogy that maybe is more relatable given that some people are attracted to the Gold Rush of software development. Doctors make a lot of money. If you learn how to slice open someone’s chest to do open heart surgery then you’ll be able to get a job as a surgeon right? If course not, that’s not how it works. Similarly, learning a programming language by itself will not help you get a job as a software developer.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.