Everyone has heard of coding, but not everyone knows what it is. Coding is a way to write instructions for a computer to follow. You can use it to create websites, apps, games, and much more. If you're interested in learning coding basics, here are five important concepts to get started.

1. Syntax

This is the basic framework for everything you'll write in code.  It is essential that you have a strong understanding of syntax before moving on to more difficult concepts.

In programming, syntax refers to the rules that govern the structure of your code. It is the framework that everything is built upon and must be followed in order for your code to be valid.

Consider it like a language's grammar. In English, there are rules that dictate how a sentence must be constructed in order to be considered grammatically correct. The same is true for code. There must be a specific order and structure to the way you write your code, or it will not work.

There are a number of different programming languages, each with its own syntax. But they all share some basic commonalities. For example, most programming languages use what are called control structures. These are rules that dictate the flow of your code.

If you want to write code that does something specific, you'll need to use the correct control structure. Otherwise, your code will not work the way you want it to. 

You don't have to worry if this sounds confusing. There are coding basic courses that can help you better understand coding syntax and control structures.  Just remember that syntax is the foundation everything in coding is built on, so it's important to have a strong understanding of it.

2. Variables

Variables are like placeholders for information.  When you create a variable, you give it a name and value. The value can be anything: a number, a string of text, or even another variable.

You can think of variables as containers for information. Just as you would put your belongings in different containers to keep them organized, you can use variables to store different pieces of information in a program.

Creating a variable is called declaring a variable. In most programming languages, you must declare variables before you can use them. 

To declare a variable in Python, you use the keyword. You can declare variables using the following syntax:

variable_name = value

For example, if you wanted to create a variable called num that stored the value 10, you would write:

num = 10

It is also possible to declare multiple variables in one line. For example, the following code will create two variables, num1 and num2, and store the values 10 and 20 in them:

num1, num2 = 10, 20

Variables are important because they allow you to store information that you can use later in your program. Also, they make your code easier to read. 

3. Functions

Functions are like mini-programs within your code.  They allow you to group together related code and execute that code on demand. Functions can take input in the form of arguments and return output in the form of return values.

One of the most important aspects of functions is that they allow for code reuse. This means that you can write a function once and then use it over and over again without having to rewrite the code each time. This can save you a lot of time and effort, and it can also help to make your code more reliable and easier to maintain.

Functions are declared using the keyword function, followed by a name for the function, a set of parentheses (), and a block of code enclosed in curly braces {}. The code inside the function is executed when the function is called. 

Functions can take any number of arguments, which are just values that are passed into the function when it is called. The function can then use these arguments as if they were variables.

In addition to being able to take arguments and return values, functions can also be defined as anonymous functions. These are functions without names. Anonymous functions are often used when you want to create a function on the fly and don't need to use it again later.

Here's an example of a simple function that takes two arguments and returns the sum of those arguments:

function add(a, b) {

  return a + b;

}

This function can be called like this:

add(1, 2); // returns 3

add(10, 20); // returns 30

As you can see, functions can be very powerful and useful tools. They can help you to structure your code, reuse code, and make your code more reliable. So, if you're just getting started with coding, be sure to learn about functions and how to use them.

4. Conditionals

Conditionals are used to control the flow of your code.  They allow you to make decisions and execute certain blocks of code only if certain conditions are met. Conditionals are an important concept in coding and one that you need to understand before you can start writing more advanced code.

There are two types of conditionals in most programming languages: if statements and switch statements. If statements are the most common type of conditional, they are used to execute a certain block of code only if a certain condition is true. Switch statements are less common, but they can be used to execute different blocks of code depending on the value of a certain expression.

If statements are written like this:

if (condition) {

   // execute this code if the condition is true

}

In boolean expressions, the condition is the value of true or false. When the condition is true, the code from the if statement will be executed. If the condition is false, then the code inside the if statement will be skipped.

Here is an example of an if statement:

if (x > 10) {

   console.log("x is greater than 10");

}

In this example, the code inside the if statement will only be executed if the value of x is greater than 10. If the value of x is less than or equal to 10, then the code inside the if statement will be skipped.

You can also add an else clause to an if statement, which will execute a certain block of code if the condition is false:

if (x > 10) {

   console.log("x is greater than 10");

} else {

   console.log("x is less than or equal to 10");

}

In this example, the code inside the if statement will be executed if the value of x is greater than 10. If the value of x is less than or equal to 10, then the code inside the else clause will be executed.

You can also add an else if clause to an if statement, which will check for another condition if the first condition is false:

if (x > 10) {

   console.log("x is greater than 10");

} else if (x < 5) {

   console.log("x is less than 5");

} else {

   console.log("x is between 5 and 10");

}

In this example, the code inside the if statement will be executed if the value of x is greater than 10. If the value of x is less than 10, then the code inside the else if clause will be executed. If the value of x is between 5 and 10 (inclusive), then the code inside the else clause will be executed.

5. Loops

A loop repeats a block of code multiple times. In other words, they allow you to execute a certain set of code over and over again.

There are two main types of loops in programming: for loops and while loops.

For loops are often used when you know how many times you want to execute a certain set of code. While loops, on the other hand, are used when you want to execute a certain set of code an unknown number of times. 

Let's take a closer look at each type of loop.

For Loops

A for loop is a type of loop that allows you to repeat a certain set of code a specific number of times. For example, let's say you wanted to print out the numbers 1 through 10. This could be accomplished with for loops:

for (int i=1; i<=10; i++) {

  System.out.println(i);

}

This for loop will execute 10 times, and each time it executes, the value of i will be incremented by 1. So the first time the code runs, i will have a value of 1. The second time it runs, i will have a value of 2. And so on until the tenth time, when i will have a value of 10.

While Loops

A while loop is a type of loop that allows you to repeat a certain set of code an unknown number of times. While loops are often used when you don't know how many times you need to execute a certain set of code. 

For example, let's say you wanted to print out the numbers 1 through 10, but this time you didn't know how many numbers there would be ahead of time. You could use a while loop to do this:

int i = 1;

while (i <= 10) {

  System.out.println(i);

  i++;

}

This while loop will execute until the condition in the parentheses is no longer true. In this case, the condition is i <= 10, which means "while i is less than or equal to 10". So the code will run as long as the value of i is less than or equal to 10. 

Each time the code runs, the value of i will be incremented by 1. So the first time the code runs, i will have a value of 1. The second time it runs, i will have a value of 2. And so on until the tenth time, when i will have a value of 10. At that point, the condition in the parentheses will no longer be true (i will no longer be less than or equal to 10), and the code will stop running. 

Sum Up

These are just a few of the basic concepts you need to know in order to start coding. Of course, there's a lot more to learn, but these concepts will give you a solid foundation on which to build.

Don't be afraid to experiment with code and see what happens. And if you get stuck, there are plenty of resources available to help you out, including books, websites, and even people you know who can offer guidance.

So what are you waiting for? Start coding!