Not-So-Enlightened Path to Coding Enlightenment

A comprehensive learning path for getting into the tech industry, from Linux fundamentals to modern web development and beyond.

A friend of mine is finishing up a BSCS and looking to get into the tech industry. Ready to code? Here’s the list I sent him…

Foundation

Pick a Linux distro (Fedora or Ubuntu). I would recommend Fedora if this is your first encounter with Linux.
Read How to Become a Hacker
Read The Art of Unix Programming

Tools and Environment

Master Vim (http://www.vim.org/)
- This is kind of a personal preference, as are all editors.
- I recommend mastering vim because it is ubiquitous. You can run it on all of your workstations (Linux / Win) and you can usually depend on it being installed on just about every Linux server you SSH to.
- Being able to use the same editor everywhere has its advantages.

Programming Languages

Read Learn Python the Hard Way
Read Pro Git

Web Development

Install Django, then run through the tutorial
Read Test Driven Development with Python

JavaScript Ecosystem

Learn JavaScript (fundamental language skills)
Learn modern JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue, or Angular)
Learn NodeJS for backend development
Explore full-stack frameworks

Additional Skills to Pick Up

Cryptography - Understanding security fundamentals
Web services and REST APIs - Modern application architecture
Security - Essential for any developer
Networking - Understanding how systems communicate

Database Technologies

Start with:

MySQL
PostgreSQL
MongoDB

Move up to:

DynamoDB (Amazon’s AWS)
Modern NoSQL databases
Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server if you have to

2024 Update Notes

Since writing this in 2016, the landscape has evolved significantly. Consider these modern additions:

Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, GCP fundamentals
Containerization: Docker and Kubernetes
Modern JavaScript: ES6+, TypeScript
CI/CD: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI
Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, AWS CDK

The fundamentals remain solid, but the tooling has advanced considerably. The core principle still applies: master the fundamentals, then build on them with modern tools and practices.