So, interested in Computer Science? Or Software Engineering? They are different!
Computer Science is the study of how a computer deals with the information flowing in and out of it, and how we can best optimize that process. It focuses on three main tenants: Correctness, Efficiency, and Speed.
Software Engineering is generally the process by which we create or optimize applications to solve some problem, distribute information, or facilitate interactions. It focuses on the same main tenants, but they reside behind the scenes as users interact with a much more readable and interactable application.
Those that study Computer Science are almost universally intending to become a Software Engineer or work in tech. We study Computer Science and not Software Engineering because everything that you will build and show off will use your understandings from learning Computer Science as the fundamental building blocks.
The following list is just a suggestion on what do to get started in CS. It is not a requirement that you follow it exactly, but it has been made after many conversations with upperclassmen, Wes Alumni, and Software Engineers at major companies and startups.
- Learn your first langauge. I reccomend starting with Python because it is the most human-readable, but alternatives could be Java, C, C++, Javascript, or Go. These are good languages with strong userbases and many libraries to pull from. You can do this in a 100-level class or online.
- Understand how loops work. This is the basis of almost all computing. They will seem scary at first, but you will become comfortable with them quickly if you keep with it.
- Think about what you want your code to do. If you were the best coder who ever lived, programs load with no errors, and your computer was able to instantaneously compile and run, with no spatial restrictions, and your code always returned the correct response, what would you do? Enjoy the fantasy, and then read about the path taken by some coder that has worked in that field. Read about the complications that they ran into, read about the languages, libraries, and APIs they used, and research the words that they use to describe their process. Reading these prepares your brain to work with those ideas later, even if they make no sense now.
Thats it! If you want to start coding, the best way to start... is to start! Throw yourself into it, peel back the layers, and build your brain into a computer.