Become a Problem Solving Master with These Books and Tips for Aspiring Programmers

Learning to code can be an intimidating prospect, especially for those who struggle with learning like our original post. However, unlike traditional education, programming is more about problem-solving and concept grasping than actual rote learning. It's about learning to think like a programmer, and that's precisely what you'll learn in books like "Think Like A Programmer" by V. Anton Spraul. 

While the book can be daunting for beginners due to the insistence on knowing C++, it's important to remember that this is about mastering concepts, not learning the language itself. The thought process of problem-solving is what counts, making this book valuable to even those with only a basic understanding of programming languages like C#.

But books aren't just limited to "Think Like A Programmer," other resources like "The Pragmatic Programmer" by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas, "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" (SICP) by Ableton, Sussman, and Sussman, and "Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software" by Charles Petzold can also be extremely helpful.

The beauty of these books is that you can easily refer back to them whenever you need to refresh your understanding of a concept or methodology. However, note-taking is highly personal, so do whatever works best for you, whether that's writing everything down in your own words or visualizing the concepts in your mind.

But it's important to remember that programming is about problem-solving, not just thinking like a programmer. To become a coding master, you need to think like a master problem solver. One way to do that is by breaking up big problems into smaller ones until they're all small enough that you can tackle them. From there, think about solutions and the first way that comes to mind for each task. 

But don't forget to focus on optimization as well, both before and after coding. You want to be efficient, so keep an eye out for redundant work, redundant data, and tasks that can be slow for the computer but fast for your brain. And don't forget about documentation, as writing comments and docstrings for every bit of code will save you time in the long run when you need to remind yourself how another part of your program works.

With these books and techniques, becoming a coding master is achievable for anyone who puts the time and effort into learning to problem-solve like a true programmer.

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