Tech
What New Programmers Need to Know
If you’ve been involved with programming communities, you’ve probably come across many myths that haunt both new and experienced coders. Some are funny, some are intimidating, and some quietly convince people they’re not “cut out” for coding long before they’ve even begun. So let’s take a closer look at the myths that refuse to die and why they don’t hold up.
Programming means just writing code
If you’re new to the field, it’s totally normal to think a programmer spends 90% of their day furiously hammering away at a keyboard, typing elegant lines of code for hours. Here’s the truth: professional programming is so much more than writing code, and sometimes writing code is the smallest part of the job.
A typical day as a developer can feel like you’re juggling an array (no pun intended) of tasks. You’re reading vague requirements, asking questions, reviewing designs, planning architecture, investigating bugs, reading someone else’s code, writing documentation, attending standups, and occasionally, you actually get to write code.
Why? Because software development is about problem-solving, not just code-producing. Real-world problems are messy. Users don’t always know what they want. Clients change their minds. Systems behave in mysterious ways. Before you even think about writing code, you often need to untangle the people-side and the process-side.
You need to be a genius to code
“I’m not much of a nerd. Will I make it as a programmer?” This is one of the most persistent myths I hear from newcomers, and honestly, I understand why it exists. From the outside, programming can look like something reserved for prodigies who grew up solving equations for fun or building apps before they learned to drive. But in reality, you don’t need to be a genius, a math prodigy, or some kind of born problem-solver to learn how to code.
Speaking from experience, I never saw myself as the “naturally gifted” type. When I first started, I struggled with concepts that others seemed to grasp instantly. I mixed up programming terminologies, I wrote code that absolutely did not work, and I reread certain explanations more times than I’d like to admit. None of that disqualified me from becoming a good developer. It just meant I was learning at my own pace.
The truth is that coding rewards persistence, curiosity, and willingness to improve far more than raw talent. Most developers I’ve worked with weren’t prodigies. They were people who kept showing up, kept asking questions, and kept refining their skills.
You need to memorize all coding syntax
This myth drives away more beginners than it should. The moment people first encounter something like this:
const result = arr.reduce((acc, [key, value]) => ({ ...acc, [key]: value }), {});Or worse, a C++ template declaration that looks like it was summoned from an ancient spellbook. It’s easy to assume that programming is just an endless exercise in memorizing cryptic symbols.
But that’s not what real development looks like. Every working developer, no matter how experienced, looks up syntax constantly. We search the docs, we skim examples, we peek at old code, we search for things we’ve forgotten. Nobody expects you to memorize every keyword, operator, or built-in function.
What matters in programming is the ability to break down a problem, think through the logic, and design a solution. Syntax is simply the tool you use to express that solution. It’s the grammar, not the message. So don’t make this programming mistake and myth waste your time.
Everything I Wish I Knew Before Taking My First Programming Class
Taking the class is only half the battle.
You need to know everything before starting a project
I fell for this myth harder than I’d like to admit. For a long time, I genuinely believed that before I wrote a single line of code for a new project, I needed to know everything: every tool I’d use, every library I’d need, every possible obstacle, and every detail of how the final system would work.
Since I didn’t know many things, the gaps in my knowledge felt like a giant red flag. This thought often prevented me from starting a good project. I had many ideas noted down that never passed the planning stage. Not because the projects were too big or too complex, but because I was convinced I wasn’t “ready” for them.
Looking back, I wish I had understood something simple: you’re not supposed to know everything before you begin. Most real projects evolve as you build them. You learn things you didn’t anticipate. You hit limitations you didn’t see coming. That’s not a failure. That’s the nature of software development.
If you’ve been holding back on a project because you feel like you don’t know enough yet, I get that. I’ve been there. But start anyway. Build something small. Let the project teach you what you need next.
One coder can build an entire app
This myth has grown a lot in the last few years, especially with the rise of AI tools, coding agents, and new shiny technologies coming out every week. Then there are social influencers making “I built a SaaS in 48 hours, and now I make passive income” videos. It creates the impression that building a full, successful product is something a single person can do over a long weekend. No team, no support, no real complexity involved.
While solo developers can build impressive things, most polished, secure, and scalable applications, especially anything resembling enterprise software, require many people working together. Designers, backend engineers, frontend engineers, QA testers, DevOps engineers, security specialists, product managers, and data folks. The list goes on.
But this isn’t meant to discourage you. You can build amazing projects solo and learn a ton on your own. Just keep in mind that big, production-level software is rarely a solo journey.
Developers are anti-social
There’s a persistent stereotype that developers don’t have friends, don’t go outside, don’t attend social events, and don’t know what sunlight looks like. According to this myth, we all live in dimly lit rooms surrounded by monitors, quietly typing away while ignoring the rest of the world. It’s a funny image, but fortunately, it’s not reality.
Developers are just as varied as any other group of professionals. Some are introverted (that’s me, by the way) some are extroverted, some love gaming with friends, some love hiking, some go to events, some post on social media more than influencers, and some really do enjoy long, focused sessions of quiet coding.
From my own experience, some of the best programmers I’ve worked with were also the most engaged outside of work. People with hobbies, families, communities, and social lives that enriched the way they approach problems.
With the myths busted, you should have a clear idea of what to expect as a programmer. Focus on learning core concepts, creating projects, and building good habits. These myths are some of the things you should know before learning to program.
