Should I Learn to Code? A Values-Based Decision Framework
Coding seems like a superpower that could open doors to new careers and opportunities. But you're not sure if you have the aptitude, if it's too late to start, or if you should invest months of effort learning something you might not enjoy. The tech industry's promise beckons while imposter syndrome holds you back.
Key Takeaway
This decision is fundamentally about Career Opportunity vs. Problem-Solving Enjoyment. Your choice will also impact your time investment.
The Core Values at Stake
This decision touches on several fundamental values that may be in tension with each other:
Career Opportunity
Your desire to expand your professional options. Coding skills are valuable in many fields beyond just software development.
Problem-Solving Enjoyment
Your affinity for logical challenges and puzzles. Coding is fundamentally problem-solving—enjoyment of this matters for sustained learning.
Time Investment
Your available time and commitment for learning. Competence requires hundreds of hours; proficiency requires thousands.
Financial Goals
Your income aspirations. Coding can lead to high-paying careers, but not everyone who learns to code earns tech salaries.
Learning Style
Your approach to acquiring new skills. Coding requires comfort with frustration, self-direction, and continuous learning.
5 Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Before making this decision, work through these questions honestly:
- 1Do I enjoy logical puzzles and problem-solving, or do I find them frustrating?
- 2Am I prepared for the frustration of debugging and learning through failure?
- 3What specifically would I want to build or do with coding skills?
- 4Do I have realistic expectations about how long competence takes (months to years)?
- 5Am I drawn to coding itself or just to its outcomes (money, status)?
Key Considerations
As you weigh this decision, keep these important factors in mind:
Watch Out For: Survivor Bias in Tech
Stories of bootcamp graduates earning six figures create unrealistic expectations. For every success story, many others struggle to find jobs or discover they don't enjoy coding. The tech dream is real for some but not guaranteed. Evaluate based on your own aptitude and market reality.
Make This Decision With Clarity
Don't just guess. Use Dcider to calculate your alignment score and make decisions that truly reflect your values.
Download on the App StoreFrequently Asked Questions
Is it too late to learn to code?
How long does it take to learn to code?
Should I do a bootcamp or teach myself?
What programming language should I learn first?
Related Decisions
Should I Go to a Coding Bootcamp?
Coding bootcamps promise to transform you into a developer in just weeks or months, opening doors to high-paying tech careers. But they're expensive, the job placement claims seem too good to be true, and you're not sure if you're the right candidate or if the industry has become saturated.
Should I Change Careers?
The desire for a career change often builds gradually—a growing sense that you're in the wrong place, doing work that doesn't resonate. But the prospect of starting over, potentially at a lower level or salary, creates paralyzing fear. You wonder if the grass really is greener or if you're just restless.
Should I Take an Online Course?
An online course promises to teach you something valuable—a new skill, a new field, personal enrichment. But you've maybe started courses before and not finished. You're wondering if this investment of time and money will actually lead somewhere or just become another abandoned tab.
People Also Considered
Similar decisions in other areas of life:
Sources
- Lye, S. Y., & Koh, J. H. L. (2014). Review on teaching and learning of computational thinking through programming. Computers in Human Behavior.doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.09.012
- Robins, A., Rountree, J., & Rountree, N. (2003). Learning and teaching programming: A review and discussion. Computer Science Education.doi:10.1076/csed.13.2.137.14200