Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

C#

Posted by Michael Hampshire
Michael Hampshire
12,206 Points

I understand methods and objects in C#, but??

I'm going through the C# track and I think that I'm understanding everything fairly well. But for those with more experience than me, how long did it take you to really start to follow programs and how they work?

For example, in the C# objects course, we're building a tower defense games with a bunch of different classes and creating objects. I'm still really new to C# and I find myself stopping in between videos and reading through the code to figure out how it all connects and works.

How long did it take you to really understand C# and follow through code to see how it's all connected and how it works? I know I'm still new to C#, but is this something that will just get better and faster with time? If this makes any sense. Lol Any advice on ways to understand programs a little more? Just practice?

Thanks, Mike

1 Answer

Edward Ries
Edward Ries
7,388 Points

It's hard to recall how long it took because I grew up coding so I don't really remember but I think I this might help. I had a friend that's decent using computers but knew nothing about coding. He spent 7 years in Japan teaching English but other than using a computer he never tried coding. When he came back he wasn't sure what he wanted to do so I suggested he try to learn to code. He bought a couple books and took my advice. I started working with him on how things worked and he did a lot of self studying. After 3 months he was wondering if he was employable. The answer was yes and his junior developer position starting pay was $40. After just 1 year he jumped to $50. On his 2nd year they have him $60k with unlimited vacation/personal days.

The work is out there and employers are starving for applicants.

Back to your question again. I remember when I started learning C# which wasn't my first language. It took me a while to understand was a base class was and why I would want to use it. I had no idea what an interface did or an abstract class. I was totally confused with lamda statements. Each time I came across something new I would put some time aside to figure out what the feature did and why and suddenly a light bulb would light up in my head and I got it.

The usually develop from a junior developer to a developer to a senior developer is 1-2 years = junior, 2-5 developer, 5+ senior. Keep in mind that doesn't always mean that a 5+ year developer is going to write better code that then 1 year developer. What is typically means is that the senior developer has seem more technologies, frameworks, implementations, raw real life experiences all of which are nearly priceless and can't simply be taught. Somethings have to be experienced.

Go Forth and Code!