I want to learn programming

Came here to recommend Python and Project Euler. Looked at the comments and saw that it seems to be the emerging consensus anyway.

Another nice road to programming is via Javascript. This way you don't have to install anything, just make an html file in your favorite editor, write some lines of script there, and view it with your favorite browser. You can try doing Project Euler exercises there, or you can get immediate gratification by coding up some graphical interactive stuff. It's really easy and fun. This also happens to be the way I originally learned programming (using qbasic instead of js because the web wasn't around yet). Can't imagine the other commenters learned programming by jumping into Scheme or Haskell, or reading SICP, or whatever it is they're recommending :-)

And one last piece of advice: don't get bogged reading stuff until you come across a specific problem that looks like it should be solved by reading. Most people read too much and do too little, and this skews their perception of what's good for you. For me, programming is much more similar to building model airplanes than it is to math.

I'm a student of computer science and a professional programmer, and I've learned from reading SICP among many other sources, but I don't recommend that route for a novice that does not actively seek out and enjoy reading mathy textbooks. I know that I prefer fun, interactive, and game-like learning, and you probably do to.

You: I want to learn to program...but I'm too lazy/shy to download anything, or even look at a book - even if its online. But I guess if the computer basically talks to me and walks me through things (interactively in the browser!)...then I might spare 20+ minutes.
Me: Great! You have 20 minutes? Stop reading this and tryruby.org.
You: Uh, first I want to see what else you have to say...and look at some other comments, and do my job or something.
Me: Nope. Stop what you are doing right now and click the link. Life can wait.

You: Wow. That wasn't that hard. I can actually code now! But I want more...fine, I'll look at a book...as long as it's online, and free, and it lets me test and experiment with what it's teaching me without leaving the page.
Me: eloquentjavascript.net

You: Ok, that's pretty amazing. I never knew it would by that easy to dive into this stuff - with just this knowledge I can already write a complete interactive website - I mean, ruby and javascript are all twitter had to work with and look at them now! But I feel like I'm still mostly just learning to program and I yearn for more. I want to grok the deep structure of procedures and computation. What should I do?
Me: SICP Tutor Now that you've gotten over your activation energy hurdle, it is time to unlock the sacred power of SICP - except with this site (made for the author's class) the slides talk to you and the problems check themselves. I also do highly recommend the actual book and lectures (available online for free). And for maximal learning you should download and play with a scheme interpreter outside of the site, even though you don't need to.

You: Ok, you win. I'm now well on the path to being the next Jeff Dean. Anything else I should know about?
Me: Since you asked so nicely...if you like zombies, railsforzombies.org is a decent video introduction to a web framework with videos and checked problems.
Scratch is a great way to play around with basic programming and make 'art', and if you give it to a kid they might figure it out before you do.
If you want to experiment in the browser with making very pretty moving things, check out sketchpad.cc. Anyway...I have to go program my computer to do my dishes for me. But let me know if you find anything else in this vein, and pass it along.

You: Thanks, will do! exit(0);

Professional programmer here.

Learn Python The Hard Way is a guide to programming that starts from the very basics. It's one of the very few guides that I've seen that appreciates the hardness of the subject. I would recommend it for anyone with minimal programming experience, because it will build rock-solid fundamentals.

A sensible piece of general advice: How to be a Programmer by Robert L. Read.

Practice contest programming (e.g. Project Euler to start, but look for other options) while/after studying Introduction to algorithms (CLRS). This will teach you basic "just do it" skills and give ability to solve deep algorithmic problems and feel the outline of computational complexity of any given solution.

After you get a bit of experience with getting things done, read Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP). It will teach you to represent complicated ideas in code and not get lost (which includes skills that subsume a lot of what's referred to by OOP, design patterns, etc., although it's useful to know that language as well). Together with CLRS it'll form the basis of theoretical side of your technical competence.

In the beginning, don't worry about programming languages or APIs. Don't waste time learning all the tiny details or system-specific coding advice, there is too much of low-hanging fruit in general flexible skills that would apply to any language or system. Just know enough to express whatever you want to express (but do look for standard ways of doing things before reinventing specific wheels), and get a lot of practice.

Work on a big project you didn't write, using APIs you didn't know. It'll teach you to figure out your way around originally unknown territory, and to modify the code in the way that doesn't disrupt its (always less than optimal) structure and conventions.

In time (but don't rush it), pick up more things from, for example, books on this list. Getting to that too early is a bit dangerous, since you won't be able to tell good advice from bad, will waste time and attention developing worthless skills, and the good advice can be over your head, impossible to correctly interpret and benefit from the way you'd be able to after having enough experience.

I'm retired now, but I programmed professionally in a half-dozen languages, played around with a dozen more, and briefly taught in four of them at the college level. My suggestion would be to start with something fun and easy to get started in. I enjoyed my recent first experience with NetLogo creating simple graphical simulations of ecological or astrophysical systems. I don't think I have ever seen a programming system in which learning how to construct a GUI for a program was so easy. And the language is rich enough so that you can also learn a bit about thinking like a programmer - "What algorithm generates the result I want?"

But NetLogo is just a toy language and it will satisfy you for only a month or two. Next, I would suggest moving on to an interpreted functional language - either Haskell or some variant of Scheme - for a few months of more serious play.

Only then would I move on to a more serious compiled object-oriented procedural language using an industrial-strength IDE. I would suggest picking two languages to learn well - one from column A (Java, C++, Python, Smalltalk, or Scala) and one from column B (Haskell, Scheme, 'R', Ruby, APL, Forth, or something totally exotic like a language associated with a proof assistant).

If you are not currently a Unix user, your biggest decision may be whether you want to become a Unix user. Because most of the programming language stuff (that you don't have to pay big bucks for) assumes that you work in a Unix-like environment. If saving money is important to you, and you don't currently know much Unix-speak, then you will find that learning Unix will be just as difficult and time consuming as learning a programming language. But also just as useful - maybe more so.

I recommend ProjectEuler, as it will complement your strengths.

It is a set of graded math/programming problems, each of which has a single unambiguous correct answer, and you can compare your solution to other people's once you have found the answer. I recommend doing the problems in order.

What operating system is installed on your computer?

let divides d n = mod n d == 0

let fizbuz n = (divides 3 n) || (divides 5 n)

filter fizbuz [1,3,5,7]

sum [1,3,5,7]

(Integer -> Bool) -> [Integer] -> [Integer]

let filterBy3or5 = (filter fizbuz)

let sumFilteredList = sum . filterBy3or5

let sumFilteredList = (sum . (filter fizbuz))

sumFilteredList [1..10]

As far as I can tell, the key to becoming good at programming — or one key, anyway — is to learn several different languages. Programmers who learn only Python or only Java or only C tend to see the whole computing world through the lens of their specific language. Since every language makes some tasks or ideas easy or obvious, and others hard or impractical, having a well-rounded view requires familiarity with several different languages. Which language to start with seems pretty much irrelevant, so long as you don't stop with just one language.

Think up a good project to work on. This is going to give you extra motivation, plus create synergy with your other goals. Let the choice of project guide your choice of initial language toolset.

A good intro project should be small, self-contained, and well-defined. For example, if you like boad games, trying writing an implementation of some game to you can play against your friends online.

For extra points, post a note to LW committing to the project, and setting a deadline to complete it.

For context, I've been teaching myself programming for about 10 years, and I'm currently a professional programmer.

The most important thing in programming is that you find something that you enjoy. There's enough variety in terms of languages and problems out there that you're bound to find something that works for you. Once you find something that's fun (and therefore easier) for you, it won't be too hard to bootstrap into more complicated languages and problems.

As far as problems go, start with something simple, and work your way up. An excellent way to do this is Project Euler, which many people here have recommended as well. I think it would fit particularly well in your case, since many of the problems on that site are mathematical. Another great thing about Euler is that it is language-independent. Make sure that after you solve a problem, you read the solutions other people have posted. You can find examples of a lot of different languages and styles.

As to language choice, I'd go through some tutorials online, and see what makes sense to you. One you might try is Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby. Maybe some other people have other good recommendations for other languages. Try the first few problems in several languages, and see what makes the most sense to you. I like Java and Python. Personally, I'd avoid LISP, Scheme, Haskell, and other more academic languages unless you're particularly ambitious, and/or you know people who use them.

An important skill in programming I think most people forget is this: Research skills. I've got a lot of experience programming, but I come across an enormous amount of things that I simply don't know how to do. Get used to using google to find answers. It's much faster than asking people or looking it up in a book.

It really depends on what exactly you want to achieve. If you want something theoretically interesting (<= math interest), maybe start out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheme_(programming_language) or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haskell_(programming_language)

I recommend just doing some tutorial which you will find via these pages or via Google. You will also find free compilers and interpreters.

This probably isn't the best place to ask that.

But you could just follow a Python totorial, Python is easy to download and play around with.

Let us know how this is progressing in next months What Are You Working On? thread.

One thing I'd emphasize is that absolute beginners are often intimidated by the tools themselves. Faced with the incomprehensibly obscure console commands or IDEs with myriads of mysterious-looking buttons and dialog boxes, it can be hard to figure out how to even start writing simple beginner-level programs, especially if the language itself requires that even the simplest programs must include some obscure-looking code for initialization, declarations, imports, etc. Thankfully, these days you can probably find good tutorials on the web that should make these initial steps less scary.

As for the beginning language, that strongly depends on what your goals are. To become a good generalist, I would recommend learning C and assembly (for whatever architecture; x86 is probably not a good choice for beginners compared to e.g. MIPS), and also studying the inner workings of compilers (i.e. how parsers, optimizers, and code generators work, and also how various high-level language constructs map onto the concrete memory layout and machine code patterns). When faced with a novel language, this should allow you to immediately figure out what's the rationale behind its various features that would otherwise look arbitrary and strange. Also, in my experience, moving from C to almost any imperative language, including object-oriented languages, is a fairly easy transition. (I have very little experience with functional languages, but these also have to run on top of virtual machines written in imperative ones.)

Of course, if you have more specific goals in mind, like focusing on web programming or numerical calculations, a different and less generalist approach is probably advisable.

Haskell, because it impinges upon math. And Python because it is popular, open source and closer to what one could call mainstream programming. At least that is what people told me to do when I asked the same question.

Here is all you need to get started. For Haskell just download The Haskell Platform or go to tryhaskell.org, an online, in-browser Haskell interpreter. Then go to Learn Haskell in 10 minutes.

ETA: If you are interested in a free PDF of the book The Haskell Road to Logic, Math and Programming...you know.

I'm a student of computer science and a professional programmer who has learned from reading SICP among many other sources, but I don't recommend that route for a novice that does not actively seek and enjoy reading mathy textbooks. I prefer fun, interactive, and game like learning, and you probably do to.

You: I want to learn to program...but I'm too lazy/shy to download anything, or even look at a book - even if its online. But I guess if the computer basically talks to me and walks me through things (interactively in the browser!)...then I might spare 20+ minutes. Me: http://tryruby.org/ Stop reading this and click it. You: Uh, first I want to see what else you have to say...and look at some other comments, and do my job or something. Me: Nope. Stop what you are doing right now and click the link. Life can wait.

You: Wow. That wasn't that bad. Ok, fine, I'll look at a book...as long as it's online, and free, and it lets me test and experiment with what it's teaching me without leaving the page. Me: http://eloquentjavascript.net/

You: Ok, that's pretty amazing. I never knew it would by that easy to dive into this stuff - with just this knowledge I can already write a complete interactive website - I mean, ruby and javascript are all twitter had to work with and look at them now! But I feel like I'm still mostly just learning to program and I yearn for more. I want to grok the deep structure of procedures and computation. What should I do? Me: http://icampus.mit.edu/xtutor/content/?6001publichints Now that you've gotten over your activation energy hurdle, it is time to unlock the sacred power of SICP - except with this site (made for the author's class) the slides talk to you and the problems check themselves. I also do highly recommend the actual book and lectures (available online for free). And for maximal learning you should download and play with a scheme interpreter outside of the site, even though you don't need to.

You: Ok, you win. I'm now well on the path to being the next Jeff Dean (http://www.quora.com/What-are-all-the-Jeff-Dean-facts). Anything else I should know about? Me: Since you asked so nicely...if you like zombies, here's a decent video introduction to a web framework with videos and checked problems http://railsforzombies.org/ And here's a great way to play around with basic programming, and if you give it to a kid they might figure it out before you do: http://scratch.mit.edu/ Let me know if you find anything else in this vein, and pass it along.

You: Thanks, will do! exit(0)

I suggest javascript. All you need to run it is a browser, which you clearly have. Also, if you want to put a program on the internet, if you use javascript people won't have to download it.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html That's by Eric Raymond, who at that time was a respected programmer (he's now a disrespected far-right-wing blogger).

To summarise his advice, first get an open-source UNIX on your computer (e.g. Debian GNU/Linux, which can be downloaded from http://debian.org ). UNIX is a much better programming platform than Windows, and you can install it so your system can switch between it and Windows (though personally I'd just drop Windows altogether).

Then start with Python. http://www.pythonlearn.com/ seems a very good resource (I found that yesterday via ciphergoth's twitter feed).

I second the recommendation of Project Euler. The problems there are simple enough that you can probably solve them very quickly, but still tricky enough to stretch your programming muscles.

Once you've learned Python, you really need to look at at least one of C or C++. These are the standard languages for low-level systems programming, but they're also the basis for a huge number of other languages - if you know even a little bit of C, then Java, C#, Perl and so on will all be trivial to pick up.

If you really don't want to switch operating systems (though I really, really urge you to do so if you ever want to do serious work), I recommend trying to learn one of Microsoft's proprietary languages using Visual Studio Express ( http://www.microsoft.com/express/Windows/ ). Visual Studio lets you knock together quick-and-dirty GUI apps for Windows in a matter of (sometimes literally) seconds. If you're sure you don't want to use another OS, then it's the only way forward, really. I'd recommend starting with Visual C# (which is very similar to Java, so you can switch to that with relative ease) - C++ is a bit hard as a beginner's language, and while I quite liked Visual Basic when I played with it, there's a consensus among programmers that learning Basic rots your brain.

Hope that helps.