Technical Founders: Is 37 too old for a non-technical person to start learning to code? Where do I start?

[hand4christ]

@calpastor

OP should learn React + Node.js combined with either PostGres or FireBase and call it a day lol.

And that's assuming OP want to build a website. What if they are more into AI and marchine learning, video games or embedded software ?

 

[calpastor]

@hand4christ You got me partner

 

[teamo]

@calpastor Agree. How is php the standard at which one should “learn to code”

 

[demarcus507]

@eternallykeptbyjesus I learned at 35. Pretty close in age. Learned so I can build an mvp. Now I build daily and ship meaningful features.

No one is too old to learn

 

[monsignor]

@demarcus507 This is inspirational! Can you share how you got started and what languages / tech did you learn?

 

[demarcus507]

@monsignor Youtube. Javascript. Started with some node/react tutorials. Now I use chatgpt to help and do react native.

 

[eli4519]

@eternallykeptbyjesus Learning to code to the level to do most SaaS crud tasks is easy. That was me in my mid 30s! Harvards CS50 is the best intro imo!

However, Learning to actually build things, not code, is hard and requires much more investment. And the information is harder to come by. Ask on a forum how to host a website or what db to use or which language to use. Thousands of opinions and they change monthly. And even further, how to do things like structure your businesses data models, how to use design tools to model your apps business logic and then translate that to a working code base, how to handle errors, how to build a solid base so you don’t end up both vendor locked or with too much tech debt to scale. The actual code itself is pshhhh easy. Kinda like running a contracting business is not really about how to swing a hammer.

I’m working through all this now in my 30s. It’s fun and I love it but I’m also investing all of my free time. I suspect 10k hours to get there.

 

[christianonamission]

@eli4519 This is a very realistic outlook but at the same time just choosing 1 opinion and running it's course may be enough to get started.

You most likely will not choose the best tools at the start but the key takeaway is perfect is the enemy of good enough.

It's better to get something out first rather than sweat about inefficiencies, and then work on optomization afterward.

Premature optimization is the root of all evil