I’m the type of person who judges a book by its cover. (I know, I’m a college English teacher, I should know better. But I can tell you from experience that there are some awesome books with awesome covers. Case in point: I’m reading the kids Arlo Finch right now.) When you’re learning to code, it can be difficult to understand what you’re actually doing. Like, what if I’m importing that object. What does it look like when I do that?!? Not everything will have a visual representation, but it’s helpful to think about how the pieces work together to create what you see.

WHAT IS CODING?

First of all, when you’re a real newbie, you have to know what coding is. Coding is using a set of rules to create computer programs, apps, games, etc. In many ways, looking at code is like looking at a set of complex building instructions. It requires equipment and precision. You need to gather your wood, nails, paint, wiring, and pipes. In construction, ¼ of an inch can cause expensive problems. In coding, an extra curly brace can cause the site to not compile.

CODING ARCHITECTURE

As you begin your coding journey, you become a type of architect. HTML, hypertext markup language, is like the frame, or the building bones of a house. You create rooms, floors, walls. In coding, this might be a div or paragraph tag. CSS, cascading style sheets, is the paint, wallpaper, and decoration. In coding, this might be colors, fonts, or images. JS, or Javascript, is like the electricity, lights, and appliances. I’m learning this one myself, but it’s the interactive parts of the website. On their own, they offer important pieces, but they need each other to complete the house.

The house that I built

I’m a really new architect. This blog is my starter house. It meets my needs, for now, but I’m really excited to grow, expand, redecorate, and to get this house wired!