There are 5 posts tagged learning (this is page 1 of 1).
When you learn a new skill it’s import to have a clear understanding of the the vocabulary.
A recent learnprogramming sub-reddit post asked about which terms are important. (That question itself is superb for learning.)
One response mentioned this dictionary of computing terms – the Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing Terms. This is a very handy resource to have at your fingertips.
View all posts by James Jeffers
Published February 22, 2018February 1, 2019
If you want to become a test automation engineers but are still thinking about learning how to program you need to get moving.
You need to take the first step. You need to push a little rock that will start an avalanche of momentum.
You are going to write your first program right now.
Go to Python.org and follow along:
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This is an embedded Python interpreter. It’s probably not a tool you would use for anything beyond simple experimentation. You have to admit, it’s a very quick way to try your hand at some simple Python programs.
There are many courses available to help you learn how to program.
Here is a list of several available online, in no particular order. None of these courses assume you have previous programming experience.
DISCLAIMER: I receive no compensation for these summaries.
Cost: $10 for the Udemy video course if you go through the link at https://automatetheboringstuff.com/, otherwise $50.
Time to Complete: 9.5 hours
Summary: Comprehensive review of Python through video lectures. The author says the video course covers most of the same ground as the book, but the book’s probably a great alternative if you prefer that medium.
Cost: Free
Time to complete: a few hours.
Summary: No frills survey of programming concepts and tools. Course material is delivered by web content. There is no feedback or interaction with an instructor.
Cost: Free 7-day trial, $49/mo after trial ends.
Time to complete: 6 weeks, 2-4 hours/week.
Summary: Long distance entry level college course. Python is the language used to illustrate concepts with videos, web content, and proprietary courseware. Assignments are graded as pass/fail by a auto-grader process.
Cost: Free
Time to complete: 6 weeks.
Summary: Self-paced low-level programming course with video instruction, proprietary courseware, discussion forums. Also features quizes and forum interaction for feedback. “Nanodegree” offered for completion of a curriculum group. Favors lecture format with worked examples by the instructor over interactive application of Python by the student.
Cost: $194.00
Time to complete: 13 hours.
Summary: Comprehensive programming course that introduces C and Python. Relies on video lectures and a “Q&A” feature to review and search questions submitted by other students. Little opportunity to write programs and get feedback.
Cost: $29/mo, but some courses free
Time to complete: 2-3 hours
Summary: Self-paced entry level programming course focused on Python basics. Features videos, slide downloads, proprietary courseware, and an interactive Python emulator.
Cost: Free, optional upgrades ($19/mo and $199) for access to technical support, more lessons, and additional material.
Time to complete: 10 hours
Summary: Self-paced entry level programming course focused on Python basics. Features web content, proprietary courseware, and an interactive Python emulator.
Cost: Free
Time to complete: 20 minutes
Summary: Very quick “up and running” tutorial. Assumes you have already installed Ruby and are comfortable with the command line. Nothing fancy here – just enough to wet the appetite for the language.
Cost: Free
Time to complete: less than an hour
Summary: Similar to other Kahn Academy lessons, shows you the theory behind programs, and then begins to dig into some Javascript to manipulate images in an interactive emulator. A non-threatening introduction before getting into the deep end of the pool.
Cost: Free. Optional certificate for $49.00, accredited tuition rate of $300. Textbook (available from amazon.com) is not included in the cost.
Time to complete: 9 weeks, 15 hours/week.
Summary: Self-paced college level course featuring introductory computer science concepts. Designed for students not majoring in CS or EE degree programs. Features lectures, interactive assignments, problem sets, and quizes. A certificate of completion is available (see Cost section). Credit hours available for qualified students.
Previously I wrote what I thought about the best programming language to learn for test automation.
Spoilers: I picked Python.
I posted links to that article on a test automation discussion site. People also posted links to the article on social media.
A couple of reactions on Twitter:
I disagree as there are many characteristics to consider and all that was mentioned is that Python has an elegant syntax, and is an interactive language. Both these points are true. Python is also fast at runtime compared to Java, but that’s about it.
— Mark Raphael (@testevangelist) February 14, 2018
Nice, a short solid answer that is easily defensible. However, I’d ask why Python over Ruby? It seems to me you could give the same reasons for Ruby. My thing with recommending Python is the confusion I first experienced trying to remember whether to dot notate or wrap a function
— Brian D. Goad (@bbbco) February 14, 2018
Mark and Brian raise valid counterpoints. Of course, the real answer is always “It depends!”
An expert knows exactly the right tool to select because they have experience to inform that choice. A beginner has almost no experience and their choices are arbitrary.
Sometimes a beginner becomes so overwhelmed by the number of choices, they become paralyzed with indecision. For a beginner, it’s often far more important to get clear direction and get some small victories under their belt. It’s about gaining momentum.
For a beginner, any choice is perfectly fine as long it gets them started. Once a beginner learns one programming language, picking up the next one will be easier.
It’s kind of like the old saying about exercise: “Which exercise is the best? The one you will do.”
People ask this question in other ways, too.
How do you choose a programming language for software testing automation?
Does it matter that I am writing automation code in a different language to that used in development?
How would you rank [insert language here] and what is the most popular language used in building automated frameworks?
In the “real world”, the tool you use to build a test automation tool depends on a lot of things – who are you working with, how much experience do you have with the system under test, is the system a web application or an API, etc.
If you are just starting out then the first thing you must do is to learn how to program.
When you are just starting to learn about programming there are many choices. You are not sure which path is the right path. Everything looks like it is important. You are not sure which way to go or what to do.
You need a clear answer. You need an answer that pushes aside all of the doubt and stress about picking the right thing.
Python has a lot of advantages for someone learning how to program.
You can write short programs and run them to get quick feedback with Python. Fast feedback means you don’t spend time waiting to see if what you did was right or wrong. You learn and correct mistakes quickly.
Python’s syntax (the rules of how a program is structured) is similar to other programming languages such as Java, and C#. Once you learn the patterns of how a Python program is built, you’ll learn your second language much faster.
Python also enjoys a lot of help for the beginning programmer.
Here are some of the books I recommend:
There are many more out there, but this list should be a good starting point.
Let me know if this was helpful.
