What are the most valuable sites a programmer should visit?

If you asked a programmer, software engineer, or product manager which website they use the most, almost all would say Google. Even the most experienced programmers use Google to find solutions to problems with their code. This is not cheating; it shows they are good at solving problems.

Aside from Google, a few other widely used tools will help you code and make you more efficient. Some of these tools are websites, apps, and applications. We asked Codecademy’s Curriculum Developers to name their favorite programs and tools to make their jobs easier.

Here are some resources to keep and use if you are new to coding or an experienced developer looking for new ways to improve your workflow.

Stack Exchange:

Tech pros can use this open forum to ask and answer questions about coding. Almost 100 million people use Stack Overflow, which might scare you if you’re new to computers. Still, it’s an important way for programmers and developers to talk about problems and find solutions.

Most people use Stack Overflow to figure out how to do something technical. People often want to ask, “How do I compare strings in Java?” Like how index-based algorithms are handled by purely functional languages or how more open-ended questions are asked. Before asking a question, I suggest setting aside some time on Stack Overflow because there are some rules to follow. They even show you how to ask a “good” question in a tutorial.

GitHub:

I need clarification on what a website with a cat logo is for. Developers and code fans can use the popular web app GitHub to host, study, and work on code with their teams and the broader developer community.

See our Learn Git & GitHub course for a quick look at how to use GitHub and Git, the command line software that tracks changes. (If you’re wondering, the cat in the GitHub logo is Mona the octocat.)

As a result:

Some computer users prefer to use the Terminal to move around on their computers instead of clicking on software icons to open programs with the mouse. You can run apps, type commands, and change directories in the Terminal. The terminal console is called Command Prompt on Windows computers, but it is called Terminal on Mac computers.

The blinking cursor on the computer screen was scary. By taking our Command Line course, you’ll learn how to use your computer’s file system to run built-in programs or scripts you’ve made yourself.

An IDE you already know:

If you want to write computer code, you’ll need an integrated software development program that can be used to generate, modify, and debug software to test your code. Because IDEs are made for coding, they have features like syntax highlighting and tools for fixing bugs. Alex Kuntz, in charge of curriculum at Codecademy, says that an IDE mixes a text editor and a terminal. He noted that an IDE lets you write and run code. This makes it different from an airport.

Pro Codecademy users can use Workspaces, a private IDE that can try 14 different programming languages. Popular code editors like IntelliJ IDEA, VSCode, Atom, and Sublime Text may also be available.

A book for keeping track of numbers:

Michelle McSweeney, the Data Science Domain Manager at Codecademy, says that many data scientists like the open-source computational notebook Jupyter because it “looks like a scientific lab notebook.” Its best feature, similar to lab notes, is that you can do quick experiments, write down the results, and share them with your colleagues.

You may have noticed that our data science courses now support Jupyter. Michelle suggests that students use our code as a guide, write down what they’ve learned, and do their experiments, so they keep the final result the same. She says you can even save your notebook and use it when you’re not online.

This is a great chance to use a computational notebook for the first time. For more details, see our Jupyter article.

How to set up a computer?

The curriculum manager at Codecademy, Mariel Frank, keeps the user manual for every device she uses nearby so she can look it up quickly. For example, she uses Go more often, so having this page on hand seems like a good idea.

Eva Sibinga, a Curriculum Developer at Codecademy, says that MDN has HTML, CSS, and JavaScript documentation that can be used for any purpose. She uses the manual when she questions grammar or needs more information. On the other hand, she uses Stack Overflow to fix a problem or find a bug.

See Docs, a collection of code documentation on Codecademy that was put together by the community and is great for beginners.

A test of a webhook:

If you use webhooks, also called web callbacks or HTTP push APIs, you’ll need a tester to ensure they work and have all the data you need in the correct JSON format.

Do you know what JSON is?

JavaScript Object Notation is what it stands for. Our course is Learn JavaScript if you’re serious about learning the basics.

You need the DevTools for Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to fix broken web applications. Because these things are right in the online browser, you can access them immediately. If you right-click this page in your browser and choose “Inspect,” DevTools will open in a new window.

Codecademy:

See this if you’re interested in learning more about getting a great job in technology or like to learn a new programming language; Codecademy is a great place to go. Yes, we are bragging about ourselves. If you want to change careers, our Pro Career Paths can help you get started in a new job. In addition to our hands-on classes, we also have a Codecademy forum where you can meet other students, ask questions, and get answers from them.