Q&A for How to Start Learning to Program

You can, but it's going to be a long process. In my experience, a combination of mentorship, programming classes, and self-education is going to be the most effective. There are a ton of different resources out there if you want to get started on your own, though!

You don't need to start out as a programmer. One thing you can do is apply for a job with a software developer or programming firm at a position that doesn't have anything to do with programming. Once your foot is in the door, it will be a lot easier to work your way up to a programming gig.

It totally depends on what your interests are. Do you like puzzles? Do you enjoy problem solving? Are you a fan of computers? Your answers are going to be totally unique to you.

Follow the steps above and get learning. Try googling "Beginner Java Tutorial" to get started.

You learn programming languages by studying them. It's very helpful to do exercises and tests to help you practice your knowledge. Online services conveniently batch lessons and tests together, but learning from books and practicing by yourself becomes fundamental as your knowledge enters more professional territories. Learning programming languages is like learning speaking languages. If you can speak German, you can speak some Dutch. Programming languages work the same way. If you know one, you'll be able to easily learn all; just remember which syntax to use with what language.

Code Academy is really helpful; you choose what you want to learn and go from there.

There is no age restriction, but you should have proper training.

First, define the program objectives. Once you've done that, you can write the code, compile it, and run the program. After running the program, you'll need to test and de-bug it. From there it's just a matter of modifying and maintaining the program.

It's easiest to learn initially, and all languages build off of each other so learning this and moving to others isn't a terrible switch. So it's the most easy/effective.

There are plenty of applications for both iOS and Android which can help you to develop your skills in programming, but when it comes down to actual coding, I would invest in a notebook.

Python 3 is one of the easier languages.

Yes, you can. However, you can't download Python from the Python website for Android; you have to install an app from Google Play or a similar app store. There are many apps that can be installed without paying anything, so try some out until you find one you like.

Cyber security is put in place to protect against unauthorized intrusion on a computer network, and hackers are those who attempt to gain unauthorized access to a computer network.