In this article, I want to briefly explain why, in my opinion, it is important to know how to program or at least have a basic understanding, in a century like ours where technology has forcefully entered our daily lives.
Learning to program can be a challenge, regardless of your age, because every moment can be the right time to study programming.
Becoming an expert is not necessary; even a simple understanding of the basics can facilitate aspects of our daily lives and make us somewhat autonomous.
Below, I will list the four reasons why, in 2024, it is important to have programming knowledge.
1. Fosters Creativity
Learning to program aids in developing creativity from various perspectives. Mastering programming provides the opportunity to understand the complexity behind a problem, offering a global view of the issue. It teaches how to find multiple solutions, all valid and distinct, to achieve a goal.
Having a programmer’s mindset means analyzing each problem from various angles, breaking it down into sub-parts, solving each sub-part to reach a solution. Solutions can be reached in different ways—some more direct, others more convoluted—but all are valid. It can be asserted that no reasoning can be considered wrong as long as it leads to a solution.
2. A New Way of Thinking
Learning to think in a non-linear manner by breaking down processes into sub-processes instills this attitude in all spheres, including personal ones. It teaches us to see things from multiple perspectives and evaluate more options, concretely applying this way of processing information to everyday life. Considering that organizing problems in this way undoubtedly helps in facing life’s challenges more effectively.
3. Better Understanding of Technology
Understanding how programming works indirectly helps in knowing the various devices that dominate daily life and becoming active users of technology.
Programming involves writing a series of instructions read by a machine. These instructions are nothing but commands necessary to tell the computer which operations to perform and how to do them.
The programming language, therefore, is a formal language designed to create instructions that the machine reads, producing output data. In practice, it converts abstract concepts of humans into code that the machine interprets.
4. Job Search Assistance
Knowing programming, whether superficially or more comprehensively, undoubtedly opens doors to the job market.
Having computer skills is an additional ability that can facilitate entry into various sectors.
Computer literacy is important in all professional fields nowadays. Experience teaches us that the study of computer science, like that of foreign languages, should be introduced in the early school years. Initially as a form of play to familiarize children with these tools, and later in a more professional form, to train each individual to handle technological tools spontaneously.
Conclusion
I reserve a final, purely personal remark to conclude my discourse: having computer or more generally, technological knowledge allows a better understanding of what is possible to achieve, how to do it, and in what timeframe. This stimulates the mind to develop new ideas. Everyone is curious to know what lies behind the simple act of sending an email or making an online purchase. It is only through the study of these languages, which I reiterate does not necessarily have to occur in a professional manner, that various curiosities and needs can be satisfied, all while training the mind and helping it open up to new perspectives.