A programmer’s essential kit

Being an online coding school, we have an abundance of programmers here at Itgenio. Speaking to a few of them, we were able to come up with a list of essential items each programmer needs to be successful.

According to a survey done by CleanLink in 2018, 94% of employees recognized safety and hygiene as a key element of happiness in their job with 93% recognizing organization of their work environment as another key factor. Furthermore, 9 out of 10 manufacturing workers said quality cleaning tools affect their happiness and productivity.

Having a clean working space improves health, satisfaction and pride in one’s work. This often translates into increased productivity. Having a clean working environment also means having a well-organized desk. Employees with clean desks are able to concentrate 7.5 minutes longer while working. Using tools such as cable organizers and pen holders can go a long way to having an organized desk.

A study done by the Upjohn Research Institute, the University of Texas, York University and Health and Work Outcomes involving 300 participants found that an ergonomic chair increased productivity by 17.7%. A comfortable chair can support a good posture, reduce pain, increase blood circulation and reduce hip pressure. Be sure to test out different chairs to see which one is best for you.

Having a slow computer can be frustrating for any programmer. A computer is a programmer’s main tool, so having a slow computer would be like a runner having a rope that is connected to some weights tied around their waist - it holds them back and slows them down. Slow computers will most likely cause frustration, low motivation and morale, slow response, and minimal productivity. A fast computer can help a programmer focus, multitask, test apps better, debug codes better and be more efficient. A “fast computer” is usually one with a large RAM and fast processor. RAM 4GB and greater, as well as an Intel Core processor are recommended.

Online coding/programming communities and forums can help programmers get quick help and insight from fellow programmers from all around the world. Programmers can ask and answer questions, receive help with programs that have bugs in them, share and access multiple open-source codes, along with many more useful functions. Some of the best platforms include Stack Overflow, Stack Exchange, Quora, Code Project, Github, Code Ranch, Question2Answer and Scoold.

Now this last one is by no means essential but most programmers would agree that it is extremely helpful. Having 2 or 3 screens to work with is very useful for programmers as they often have to multitask, get information from sources, and switch between multiple tabs and applications. These screens are usually one or two medium or small-sized screens (13-17”) and a large monitor (21-34”).

Programmers and aspiring programmers can fall into the trap of spending too much time, energy and resources on things that can make them slightly better programmers but will not take them from good to great. Although all of these are very useful and important tools, the most important thing is to learn how to code.

At Itgenio we have multiple coding courses ranging from Scratch classes to C++. Before your child can even begin dreaming of using the essential tools listed in this article, they need to learn how to code. Enroll your child into one of our courses now and receive a complimentary free trial lesson!