From Zero to Programming
Created Tuesday 03 June 2025
In the beginning...
There must be ... a computer
(server, Linux, VM, VPS)
Again
Someone has installed a copy of
Linux on a computer.
Usually a "distro" of Linux
that comes with enough stuff to get started.
There is always...
A command line.
It may be hidden from YOU, but it's there
There are always
FILES
FOLDERS
and
PROGRAMS (which are a special type of file)
There are ALWAYS FILES*
In Linux, which is overwhelmingly
where the programming takes place..
EVERYTHING IS A FILE
All of the above
Is ALWAYS present.
Anything from here forward is "optional"
or "new"
etc.
Interfaces
TEXT (Command line)
and
GRAPHICAL (GUI) Windows, etc...
Interfaces deux
THE WEB
TECHNICALLY a sub of GRAPHICAL;
But now SO PREVALENT, can be its own thing.
The classic way of programming.
On a computer that has the language,
you make text files
(you sometimes compile them)
you run/execute them as "programs"
(all doable and native to the command line)
By default:
This is
C and the C's, Java
Python, Bash, Rust, Go etc etc
(and the weirdos e.g. javascript and php
etc usually CAN do this, but secondarily)
IDEs and such are useful..
But ALL TECHNICALLY OPTIONAL.
And then the web, sigh
The above still holds:
Write HTML, then a browser "runs" it
Write HTML + CSS, then a browser "runs" it
PHP and Javascript
Are so "web" oriented, that the above gets weird
PHP
The web server gets a page with HTML
and does the normal thing UNTIL
there is a PHP block.
Executes that code and replaces itself inline
Javascript
The web BROWSER gets a page with html
sees a chunk of javascript
and runs it
(said chunk can do ANYTHING
including talk to a remote server)
Javascript Again
A little oddness here may be the "DOM"
Where PHP "rewrites" the framework of the html page...
Javascript (more) "works within it"
Recursion and Ourborosy things
I've named just about literally
every way to make any program ever.
As programming democratizes,
so do the tools.
Recursion and Ourborosy things
Thus, in programming, we have GUIs and Web tools
and AI
etc etc etc
Recursion and Ourborosy things
They are all *optional*
What is needed and fundamental
is still typically text and text based.
To remember
There is no cloud ☺
There are just computers.
With files and folders on them.
This is why
Things like, Canvas, Wix
Mysql Workbench, sometimes even VS Code
can be confusing.
Perhaps the hardest thing:
Many of these tools, even good ones
have an incentive to "hide the truth"
from you, sometimes unwittingly
Platforms
React, Angular, Unity, Unreal, etc etc
Flypaper analogy?
If it's not Free/Open Source
You just have to do your homework to
determine how much to trust it.
Still might be just fine.
e.g. Docker
Backlinks: FSU Courses:LIS5367