From Zero to Code

a computer screen with a bunch of code on it

This roadmap provides a structured approach for individuals looking to embark on a journey into the world of coding and software development, it doesn’t have everything you require, but definitely something to get you started on the journey! 🔥

Phase 1: Building Your Foundation (The Core Skills)

A laptop computer with a bunch of different screens on top of it

Choosing Your First Programming Language: Research and choose a language that aligns with your goals.
Setting Up Your Development Environment: Install a code editor/IDE and necessary tools.
Learning Basic Syntax and Concepts: Focus on variables, data types, operators, control flow, and functions.
Working Through Tutorials and Exercises: Practice is crucial.

Example: "Hello, World!" in Python

Python

print("Hello, World!")

a close up of a sign with the word hello, hello

Developer Resources (Essential Tools and Platforms):

Code Editors/IDEs: VS Code, Sublime Text, IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, Xcode
Online Coding Environments: Repl.it, CodeSandbox
Learning Platforms: FreeCodeCamp, Codecademy, Khan Academy, CodingBat

Phase 2: Building Small Projects (Applying Your Skills)

Choosing a Project: Start with simple, interesting projects.
Planning Your Project: Break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks.
Implementing Your Project: Write, test, and debug your code.
Version Control (Git): Use Git to track changes and manage your code.

Developer Resources (Collaboration and Project Management):

Project Management/Collaboration Tools: Trello, Jira, GitHub Projects
Version Control: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Phase 3: Expanding Your Knowledge (Specialization and Advanced Concepts)

Choosing a Specialization: Consider web development, mobile development, data science/machine learning, game development, etc.
Learning Advanced Concepts: Explore OOP, data structures and algorithms, databases, frameworks, and libraries.
Building More Complex Projects: Work on challenging projects and consider contributing to open-source.

Developer Resources (Advanced Tools and Platforms):

API Documentation and Testing: Postman, Swagger

UI/UX Design Tools: Figma, Adobe XD
Deployment Platforms: Netlify, Vercel, Heroku

Phase 4: Preparing for the Job Market (The Professional Developer)

Building a Portfolio: Showcase your projects on platforms like GitHub.
Practicing Technical Interviews: Practice coding challenges.
Behavioral Interview Preparation: Prepare for questions about teamwork, problem-solving, and career goals.
System Design: Learn about system design principles.
Networking and Job Searching: Attend meetups, conferences, and use online job boards.
Understanding Developer Roles and Salaries: Research different roles and salary ranges.

Developer Resources (Job Market Preparation):

Interview Preparation Platforms: LeetCode, HackerRank, Codewars, InterviewBit

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/resources/interviews by wallstreetoasis (all interview questions)
System Design Resources: Grokking the System Design Interview, Designing Data-Intensive Applications (book)
https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/resources/careers/salary (salary and compensation guides by wallstreetoasis)
Resumes and cover letters: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/resources/careers/resume by wallstreetoasis.
Job Boards and Networking: LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Stack Overflow Jobs
Open Source Contribution Platforms: GitHub (https://github.com)
Salary Information Websites: Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale

Wall Street Oasis is the largest online community focused on careers in finance with over 900,000 members. They have an extensive set of free corporate finance resources on various topics to help you break into your dream finance career and get promoted once you’re there. This includes articles, templates and guides on how to learn Excel, financial modeling, interview questions as well as career advice.

Another roadmap resource: roadmap.sh