Coding For Dummies

Book description

Coding For Dummies, (9781119293323) was previously published as Coding For Dummies, (9781118951309). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.


Hands-on exercises help you learn to code like a pro

No coding experience is required for Coding For Dummies, your one-stop guide to building a foundation of knowledge in writing computer code for web, application, and software development. It doesn't matter if you've dabbled in coding or never written a line of code, this book guides you through the basics. Using foundational web development languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, it explains in plain English how coding works and why it's needed.

Online exercises developed by Codecademy, a leading online code training site, help hone coding skills and demonstrate results as you practice.

The site provides an environment where you can try out tutorials built into the text and see the actual output from your coding. You'll also gain access to end-of-chapter challenges to apply newly acquired skills to a less-defined assignment. So what are you waiting for?

  • The current demand for workers with coding and computer science skills far exceeds the supply
  • Teaches the foundations of web development languages in an easy-to-understand format
  • Offers unprecedented opportunities to practice basic coding languages
  • Readers can access online hands-on exercises and end-of-chapter assessments that develop and test their new-found skills

If you're a student looking for an introduction to the basic concepts of coding or a professional looking to add new skills, Coding For Dummies has you covered.

Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Introduction
      1. About This Book
      2. Foolish Assumptions
      3. Icons Used in This Book
      4. Beyond the Book
      5. Where to Go from Here
    3. Part 1: Getting Started with Coding
      1. Chapter 1: What Is Coding?
        1. Defining What Code Is
        2. Understanding What Coding Can Do for You
        3. Surveying the Types of Programming Languages
        4. Taking a Tour of a Web App Built with Code
      2. Chapter 2: Programming for the Web
        1. Displaying Web Pages on Your Desktop and Mobile Device
        2. Coding Web Applications
        3. Coding Mobile Applications
      3. Chapter 3: Becoming a Programmer
        1. Writing Code Using a Process
        2. Picking Tools for the Job
    4. Part 2: Building the Silent and Interactive Web Page
      1. Chapter 4: Exploring Basic HTML
        1. What Does HTML Do?
        2. Understanding HTML Structure
        3. Getting Familiar with Common HTML Tasks and Tags
        4. Styling Me Pretty
        5. Building Your First Website Using HTML
      2. Chapter 5: Getting More Out of HTML
        1. Organizing Content on the Page
        2. Listing Data
        3. Putting Data in Tables
        4. Filling Out Forms
        5. Practicing More with HTML
      3. Chapter 6: Getting Stylish with CSS
        1. What Does CSS Do?
        2. CSS Structure
        3. Common CSS Tasks and Selectors
        4. Styling Me Pretty
      4. Chapter 7: Next Steps with CSS
        1. Styling (More) Elements on Your Page
        2. Selecting Elements to Style
        3. Aligning and Laying Out Your Elements
        4. Writing More Advanced CSS
      5. Chapter 8: Working Faster with Twitter Bootstrap
        1. Figuring Out What Bootstrap Does
        2. Installing Bootstrap
        3. Understanding the Layout Options
        4. Coding Basic Web Page Elements
        5. Build the Airbnb Home Page
      6. Chapter 9: Adding in JavaScript
        1. What Does JavaScript Do?
        2. Understanding JavaScript Structure
        3. Using Semicolons, Quotes, Parentheses, and Braces
        4. Coding Common JavaScript Tasks
        5. Writing Your First JavaScript Program
        6. Working with APIs
        7. Using JavaScript Libraries
        8. Searching for Videos with YouTube’s API
    5. Part 3: Putting Together a Web Application
      1. Chapter 10: Building Your Own App
        1. Building a Location-Based Offer App
        2. Following an App Development Process
        3. Planning Your First Web Application
        4. Exploring the Overall Process
        5. Meeting the People Who Bring a Web App to Life
      2. Chapter 11: Researching Your First Web Application
        1. Dividing the App into Steps
        2. Identifying Research Sources
        3. Researching the Steps in the McDuck’s Offer App
        4. Choosing a Solution for Each Step
      3. Chapter 12: Coding and Debugging Your First Web Application
        1. Getting Ready to Code
        2. Coding Your First Web Application
        3. Debugging Your App
    6. Part 4: Developing Your Coding Skills Further
      1. Chapter 13: Getting Familiar with Ruby
        1. What Does Ruby Do?
        2. Defining Ruby Structure
        3. Coding Common Ruby Tasks and Commands
        4. Shaping Your Strings
        5. Building a Simple Form-Text Formatter Using Ruby
      2. Chapter 14: Wrapping Your Head around Python
        1. What Does Python Do?
        2. Defining Python Structure
        3. Coding Common Python Tasks and Commands
        4. Shaping Your Strings
        5. Building a Simple Tip Calculator Using Python
    7. Part 5: The Part of Tens
      1. Chapter 15: Ten Free Resources for Coding and Coders
        1. Learning-to-Code Websites
        2. Coding-Reference Websites
        3. Tech News and Community Websites
      2. Chapter 16: Ten Tips for Novice Coders
        1. Pick a Language, Any Language
        2. Define a Goal
        3. Break Down Your Goal into Bite-Sized Steps
        4. Distinguish Cupcake from Frosting
        5. Google Is a Developer’s Best Friend
        6. Zap Those Bugs
        7. Just Ship It
        8. Collect Feedback
        9. Iterate on Your Code
        10. Share Your Success and Failure
    8. About the Author
    9. Advertisement Page
    10. Connect with Dummies
    11. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Coding For Dummies
  • Author(s): Nikhil Abraham
  • Release date: June 2016
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119293323