Why is Learning to Code So Hard?

Because it should be.

That's actually not the correct answer. For most developers, it's not hard. Not only is it not hard, it's a joy to learn a language, or two, or eight. If this is a struggle, perhaps this is a barometer that you're on the wrong path.

I'm not saying coding should be limited to the elite. If you want to learn code because there's something burning inside of you, that's awesome. However, I'm thinking of the MBA founder who decided the startup thing was the ticket. They discover they need a developer, and that's expensive.

"Hey, this can't be that hard! I'll just learn to code!" I see this movement, and it's scary. Not scary because it's a threat to me. Scary because I'm a decent developer (been doing it sine 1998), and there's a lot of mean scary people who are smarter than me who want to break into code I've written. I can't imagine how insecure code from someone who wrote their first line 6 months ago. Learning is cool, we were all there. The idea that production apps are being launched based on this experience level definitely isn't cool. I might be totally off base here, but I feel like this is a rising trend. Crackers are going to have a field day with all the superduper.ly's out there.

It takes 3-5 years to get a marketing or management degree. Anyone who thinks they are going to learn to code in 3 months and build the next Instagram is so delusioned they make the most southern Baptist church look like a center for logical discourse.

Some people find it hard because they are not interested enough to really take the time to understand it.

Others just don't have the mind for it, like how some don't have the body to dance or play sports at a professional level.

There are, indeed, some concepts that come naturally to only a handful of people (kernel development is hard for me; interesting, but hard), but I think the fundamentals are pretty easy to grasp for most of the mainstream languages.

Some concepts are just plain

Either email address will be fine.

It's still hard, but it's getting easier. The open source movement and free resources like Github, EdX, Coursera, etc. are all making it much easier. The information is all out there on the internet and most of it is free. It's a matter of setting aside the time and digging into it.

I'm not a good programmer by anyone's standard yet, but I'm reaching the point where it's becoming a serious hobby for me. I audited my way through the first couple computer science courses (in Java) offered by my university, which posts all the lecture slides and homework online. Then I worked through the university's web programming course while I wrote an ad-hoc reporting web app for my employer in PHP. I just finished the two edX courses in Ruby on Rails and am writing a Rails app in my free time for practice. Now I am starting an iOS development course to learn Obj-C and the iOS SDK. Also planning to take online courses about databases, algorithms, and security soon. I have a LOT left to learn, but that's part of what motivates me.

Point is, though, if you want to learn programming, there has never been a better time. The availability of free and inexpensive learning resources is greater than it has ever been. As long as you invest the time and approach it with curiosity, determination, and patience, you will learn it.

Right!! Why do so many people think everything should be easy?

Oh, I know why - their "self-esteem" has been carefully protected from reality throughout the years they spent being indoctrinated in the state school system.