Is computer science all about coding in India? The short answer is no. It is a diverse field where you can learn about multiple subjects.
You would study about:
- How does the operating system of the computer work?
- How is data stored and managed in a database management system?
- What are concepts like RAM, ROM, cores, and processors in the subject of computer architecture?
- How does wireless technology work, and how is data transferred in the subject of computer networks?
Introduction
Are you someone who has just passed 12th grade and has stepped into computer science engineering for the glamourous IT career? But you don’t like coding or probably didn’t study computer science in 12th? Or you may be asking yourself, is computer science all about coding in India?
If your answer is “yes” to any of the questions above or a “yes” to all of them, as was my case almost 7 years ago, then congratulations! You have landed on the right blog!
This blog will help you familiarize yourself and build a basic understanding that will help you kickstart your journey in the field of computer science.
What are the fields that don’t need coding?
There are many fields in computer science that don’t require coding for example
1. IT Support Specialist: this is a role where you cater to different technical issues working with multiple departments
2. Data Analyst: this is a role where you analyse datasets and report findings to the shareholders
You can learn more about many other roles in the blog as explained by Birt Jamie, “21 Computer Science Jobs Without Coding” Indeed Blog,19 April 2024 https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/computer-science-jobs-without-coding .
Is coding important for a career in computer science?
This depends on what you dream to pursue as a career. In my view, coding is important if you are planning to pursue your career in software/mobile application development, creation of websites or if you are interested in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
What is coding in simple terms?
Writing a code is a way to tell the computer to perform certain actions to get desired results.
It is a set of instructions for the computer written in a programming language (for example, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, C, C++, C#, etc)
Can I learn coding if I have no background in IT?
Yes, you can learn to code even if you have no background in IT. I too was a complete novice and had no clue about coding. After following the steps mentioned below, I was able to crack multiple job offers during the placement season.
Is coding hard?
Coding at first glance may seem hard to learn, especially if you don’t have a background in IT, be it the fancy jargon your peers may use or the complex syntax. It is normal to feel overwhelmed with it; everyone does when they start to learn a new thing.
But with following the 4-step approach, you can easily master it.
4 step approach to learn coding
1. Learn the basics
- Start by researching a field (for instance, software, apps, or websites) you are interested in; this can help you choose a programming language to start with.
- After research, if you are unsure or have not decided the field yet, you can still learn how to code. Start with a language, for example, C or C++, which would be helpful for solving competitive coding problems while you are appearing for job interviews.
- Understand the basics of any coding language and try to find out the logic behind every line of code. There might be terms you do not understand in the beginning, which you will understand later once you get some experience.
- Refrain from using AI tools to write code while you are learning, since you would not develop the habit of thinking and applying the logic in a limited time, which is important, and this could have a negative impact during job interview rounds.
2.Practice Everyday
- Try to replicate classic problems like the Fibonacci series, star patterns, prime numbers, even odd number problems, etc. while referring to the code.
- Start problems on sites like HackerRank, Hacker Earth, code chef etc, once you have a solid foundation with the concepts, this will not only help you open up your mind but also provide exposure to new techniques to write the code efficiently.
- Move to more complex problems based on sorting and searching for example bubble sort, merge sort, linear and binary search.
- Gradually increase your scope with learning object-oriented concepts, data structures and other algorithms
3.Reward yourself for every win
- Rewarding yourself is the best way to provide motivation to solve the next problem. You can be innovative in deciding the reward for yourself, but it should motivate you to solve the next problem.
- Challenge yourself to solve bigger problems.
4.Don’t shy away from taking help
- If you just feel like you are stuck on an issue and can’t find a solution, reach out to people who are good at it, or you can use online forums.
- Remember you are not the first person to solve the problem you are stuck with, as there might be hundreds of others who might have faced the issue before and might have a solution.
- You could find solutions provided by other coders, which would help you to check out their approach too
Final Thoughts:
- Computer science is a vast field, and you can choose any skill with or without coding; it totally depends on what you like. Both ways, you have tons of opportunities
- Coding can be challenging at the beginning, but with following the 4-step approach, you can easily learn it.
- You can absolutely have a career in computer science with skills that don’t require coding
- It is possible to learn coding even if you have no previous background in IT