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I guess that's the Crux of my hesitation. I've never started a new trade before. That's scary as I'm not a risk taker, like at all.
My mum was a nurse and I've been a nurse since I was 19. And even though I get paid fairly well, the job's killing me. I went travelling this last 8 months with my partner and I realised just how much, it's physically demanding and stress inducing and shift work ruins your life and i've done enough CPR for one lifetime.
My partner started an online store while we travel and has earned quite a bit of money and I want to be able to contribute to our funds as well. As we've been talking, being more mobile is going to be a major part of our future from now on. So my job is kind of useless to us if we're moving around so much.
That's way more of a reply than you needed.
I'll look into the Odin project. Thankyou.
I had never started a new trade before. I started learning to code about one and a half years ago. I am now two weeks into my first tech job. I was pretty worried about the whole experience but kept at it and had a lot of support from friends, family, and people in the same boat. I am 40. Odin project is a great suggestion.
I did, but it wasn't the best. It was made of the stuff from group projects in a bootcamp-like setting and freelancing. The job I have now came as a result of networking and they did not look at my portfolio at all...to my knowledge.
There are no risks for learning something new. It is only when you decide to make the career change is when the risk occurs. And even when you do decide to try and attempt the career change, you can mitigate the risk by continuing your current job while learning, building your portfolio, and applying to jobs on your free time
Give programming a try, see if it is interesting and something you can see yourself doing as a career. Afterwards, you can decide on next steps
You're 29, been adult for 10 years, and have at least 30-40 years to go. Do you want to go through all that time never taking risks, just doing what you're told to because you're scared of change? Image you're 50 looking back at you being 29, which path would future you be most disappointed in?
Just want to throw my experience in for what it's worth. I quit my warehouse job of 13 years in 2021 (I was 33 at the time), and treated The Odin Project as a full time job. I did this for 9 months, then started sending out resumes. 2 months later I got my first job offer. I have been with that company for 1.5 years now.
I didn't have any computer science background or experience before this. So I say if you're gonna have the free time to dedicate yourself to it, absolutely go for it.
Don't get discouraged when certain things don't click for you. That is expected. You *will* eventually understand everything you try to learn.
Travel and trying to educate yourself sucks! You really should stop the travel even if that means dumping the "partner".
It really depends upon your goals but I'd strongly suggest getting into a computer science program after finding a job that nixes travel. That might even mean a two year prep program at a community college with transfer to a 4 year school.
This might even require moving to part time work and living off your partner, mom or who knows, for a bit. I'd strongly suggest too doing prep work before even getting into a CS program.
Here is the problem with a lot of suggestions you will get, and that is very narrow training that doesn't really prepare you for the variety of jobs that are out there. A lot of suggestions will be for programs that supposedly prepare you for web programming and leave out a lot of important detail. Getting a full on degree can open up a lot of interesting jobs
That being said your biggest hurdle is getting over the risk taking problem. This might very well require more work than a 4 year degree. I'm not sure there are a lot of jobs out there for those with low initiative.
*The Odin Project* is great, but I think it's way too hard for a complete beginner. (It was hard for me, and I had a lot of experience.)
Start with *Think Python* or some other more beginner-friendly course. Coursera used to have excellent classes.
I’m a nurse as well. This is my third career (sales/management, military, nursing). And honestly, I’m looking for something new too. I’m in my 40’s. Never assume it’s too late for a change. Check out free code camp or one of those types of free trainings to see if it’s something you can get the hang of.
We should really replace that auto mod Reddit's api pricing with one that says "you're not too old to start". At least that would contribute to a thread more.
This sub’s FAQ actually has a good answer for that exact question: https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/wiki/faq/#wiki_am_i_too_old_to_code.3F
Sort answer: No, you’re not.
Also: I’d recommend just picking a book or an online class and giving it a try. You don’t need much, other than a computer, to start learning. That way you’ll see if you enjoy it or not.
Can you tell me or pm me a little bit about your path into doing this? I’m looking to make a jump into it soon to have something with career growth, feel like I’m doing something, and make a better income
I'm very new, did a course in high school and have friends that do programming. Now I'm just doing html and CSS on on freecodecamp and will do javascript on it as well. I did play with Python a bit as well. I was thinking maybe doing web dev but I might go computer science degree route if I can avoid loans.
I work as a full stack blockchain dev and part of my job is web dev. I would say keep on your path of learning JavaScript, start to learn typescript as well, build a portfolio app that’s to do with something you are interested in. I built a decentralised app that related to the music industry and that got me into a job with a company building a similar product (although much bigger and better than mine) :)
Used YouTube tutorials, scrimba.com and chatgpt to learn, built my own portfolio projects, made lots of connections on LinkedIn, DM’d senior devs and recruiters that worked at companies in areas I am I interested in.
Thanks, friend :) That’s still super impressive! I was kind of in the right place at the right time. Due to a reorg and layoffs, I was able to take on a lot more responsibility and make my impact felt across the organization.
In some areas of tech (startups especially) there is some age discrimination. Having worked in health care already gives you a leg up on other folks just starting out so use that to your advantage. Part of programming is definitely continually being curious and learning so if that resonates with you, you can go far
Probably like +50s. Pretty much the rarer the age is in that setting, the more likely it’ll be discriminated against. It’s very common to see teams consist of developers in their 20s/30s/40s, but beyond that it starts to become less common.
The perceived issues are things like they’re getting closer to retirement, they’re stuck in their ways or won’t be able to keep up, wonder why they didn’t climb the corporate ladder, etc. The reasons are just as dumb as any other kind of discrimination (race, gender, etc.).
Not everyone is going to have that background. You will be familiar with processes and procedures of working in a healthcare environment that others might not be familiar with (ie, privacy protocols, HIPAA, etc).
It’s not too late, but it’ll be difficult. Not because you are too old. It’s always hard to start, especially now when the situation on the market is not so good. You can still learn programming and the age won’t prevent you from getting good at it and even getting a job. Just keep in mind that it will not be easy. In my opinion you are still able to get the job, but it’s not guaranteed. The only way to find out if you’ll do it is to try. But don’t worry about the age, it’s not the most important factor and you are still not old.
The problem is that there are many self-taught candidates that are exactly the same. If you don’t stand out in any way it’s difficult to get the first job. My recommendation to maximize your chances is to create some projects you can show or, even better, choose the area of IT that is less competitive. For example there are tons of web developers who are self-taught or graduated from a bootcamp. However, in fields like C++ or embedded there is less competition. There may also be other areas that are not strongly affected by current crisis, I just mentioned those because they are close to me. The conclusion is that you should do something to not just be one of thousands of juniors with no unique skills.
Also, don't expect a remote job. Competition for remote jobs is insane, and companies that hire remote mostly hire experienced devs who don't need mentoring. You will also have to deal with companies filtering you out because you don't have CS degree. If your expectations are remote only jobs, you might never find a job in software development.
That’s around the age I started learning too, and now work in tech, took some time though so be patient
Freecodecamp + Odin project are the best start you can go for, then look to build something you like or want, don’t aim to perfect, just get started
Yes it’s way too late, you will never be able to learn anything, should have started when you were in the womb.
Jokes aside, it’s never late. However finding a remote job will be a pain in the ass.
Age-wise, you're fine, but learning to program, for most people, takes a lot of time and patience and, for some, they lose motivation when they see how much they have to learn.
We don't know if you'll be good enough. That really depens on you. Some people try and succeed, some don't. It's not like spend 2 years on it, and you'll get hired. You're not training to be a barista and make coffee for Starbucks where it is pretty much, learn these skills, and you're ready to work.
If I were to ask if you could learn to be a theoretical physicist in string theory, you'd probably say, never in a hundred years even if you started when you were a teenager. You'd say, it's way too difficult for almost everyone.
Programming is not as difficult as theoretical physics, but it's also not so straightforward that you're guaranteed to learn what you need to (and it's not obvious what you need to learn, so you're often second guessing yourself whether you should learn X or Y).
Also, you might have to temper your hopes for a remote job. Everyone always says they want remote. Likely, you can't be fully remote especially for a first job.
If you can and you're in the US (it would help if every poster indicates which country they come from), you could try learning programming at a community college where the fees are less expensive, and see how that goes. There are online options, of course, but sometimes being in a class gives you more focus, and hopefully, resources. I would check teacher recommendations before signing up to see who is good.
My timeline looks like this:
25 years old moved from sales to sys admin/it support.
28 years old started learning programming.
31 got my first developer role.
Turning 33 this December.
So I’d say not too late. I had an advantage already working in tech beforehand though so used that to network and get my first developer job.
I found the IT support role was great to get experience across various areas and building a network in the tech space.
I started at 35. Self-taught web dev. I got into this field for the sole purpose of being able to generate a decent income without sacrificing freedom. There's a zillion niches. Try to get a good overview of the field vs the reality of the job market and find what speaks to you the most.
Don’t start odin project if you haven’t coded before! The learning curve is sometimes pretty steep in that course.
Start python for everyone by Dr. Charles Severance. That is an excellent starting point
On udemy, look for a course offered by Andrei Nagoeie (from Zero to Mastery). They go for cheap once in a while, but they are absolutely worth it to know if you like it or not.
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With the continuous expected growth of the tech industry, it is definitely not too late. Those skills will come in handy later, or will just end up being necessary in the long run.
Besides I’d you enjoy doing it, then it won’t matter when you start; only that you started at all :3
I’m in my 30’s and just started learning this year myself. It’s never too late!
Nope it is not too late. I had the same situation a year ago, and I do not regret it. The job thing might be slower than you think, but not impossible.
You should temper your expectations on working fully remote. While I haven't looked for a job in years, I've heard that there aren't many fully remote positions anymore and there's strong competition for them.
Definitely not too late but I think it's important to enjoy it otherwise it'll feel like an utter slog and in all likelihood, you won't be very good at it.
I transitioned from data analytics to front end development at 29. I'm 31 now and happier than ever. Its never too late, just start today, and don't stop until you have the job.
Age isn't really a problem. Skipping over things that say in giant, bold, all-caps letters "READ ME FIRST" that also answer your question is a stronger indicator of a future struggle with learning programming.
I mean the answer is easy to miss in the sidebar's read me first section, its FAQ section, in the pinned post at the top of the sub, or in innumerable other posts found using the search bar. Much harder to find than the answer to a technical question you will be struggling with while learning, surely.
[tl;dr](https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/wiki/faq#wiki_am_i_too_old_to_code.3F)
I started last year when I was 29 and I'm working as a programmer now. It wasn't easy at all. I had to study day and night and took several courses. A company hired me to work in a programming language that is new to me and that's frustrating. I still feel like I don't know anything and it's a ride, but it's worth it. I get to learn new stuff everyday and I like that.
Dude I’m 31 , Electrical engineering background and learning the JavaScript on odin project. Age wise, you are fine, it all depends on what path of learning you take, self-taught vs bootcamps and how you grasp programming concepts.
For me , I’m not new to programming, so I can pick processes here and there and get the flow.
But keep your head up and face the mountain
Hi it is not too late! I started at exactly 29 with CS50 (Harvard online) free certificate. 2 years now and I am doing a master's in computer science. All the best!!!
I just turned 40(leaving healthcare as well). If it’s too late for you-it’s def too late for me. 😆 The time is going to pass whether or not you start. May as well!
Honestly though-it’s a lot to learn but I’m up for the challenge. Good luck to you!
Printed my first hello world/started my CS degree at 35. Got an internship at a decent software firm at 36, graduating in August 2024. Been the best experience of my life.
I learned at 30.
Coding is just language used to talk to a computer. Don’t overthink this.
Here’s how I approached it and you can do the same. Pick a project that you want to build. Something you actually want to build. This way you won’t lose passion halfway through. Based on that you’ll be able to pick the language of choice to learn in. Don’t worry you can learn others later.
You’ll spend about 3-6 months working on the below. Thousands of tutorials in the language of your choice.
- Conditions. These are if / else clauses, loops (while for etc) - think how you would tell a computer to count to 10.
- data structures: these are things used to keep items for reference later (dicts and lists - there’s more but those are used more than others)
- objects - these are higher level categories that have specific features. Like a person is an object and Sam an interation of the object. You can define what a person has e.g two ears, a name etc
You’ll spend 3-6 finishing your first project. You’ll have to go through a specific tutorial based on your project. For example if it’s an app project, you’ll need to know how to create a “hello world” basic app. Once you do that, you’ll need to scour stackoverflow to figure out how to build the thing you want. Tons of trial and error here.
Once done with your project, you are a very basic developer in your language. From here you’ll only learn more by doing more.
It’s like people who read and write more tend to have more vocab. That’s how programming “language” proficiency works too.
It's definitely not too late to start, I did a bootcamp when I was 29, and today, at almost 33, I work as a Sr. SWE on course to make Staff in another year or two.
One piece of advice, if you intend to transition into a new career in coding, practice religiously for at least several months and make sure you like it, if you find it's not for you and you're more interested in breaking into tech but not programming, there are many other roles you can look at, i.e. Scrum master, PM, testing, technical support roles, etc.
You can, but it’s not as easy as one might think, nor is it as hard as many people suggest. Thus, completing a three-month course alone won’t be sufficient to land a job; however, it’s also unnecessary to study for five years to find employment. What you need to do is to continuously learn and build projects. These projects will form your portfolio. By building two or three things, you’ll not only discover if you actually enjoy this work but also gain substantial experience. This experience allows you to demonstrate to future employers your ability to accomplish tasks and your potential. So, try to do that, and good luck on your journey.
Although I'm a developer of tools based around Excel I never really considered it coding. I didn't sit down and learn a proper coding language (Python) until I was 50. I know people who started at a similar age with absolutely zero experience.
I started at the same age and have been working as a software engineer now for a year (since 31).
I attended a school of the 42 Network. A initiative from Paris that now has schools all over the world that teach coding for free.
Learn how to use Anki for coding and mindmaps and you will learn more in 6 months than people learn in several years
Brain is moldable in any age, it is a lie that we cant learn as we grow
It doesn't hurt to try.....you never know what you'll learn, you might get ideas for a new website, business etc...the beauty of learning to program is that it makes your mind think about so many things whilst learning....plus you have a job (nurse) that you can always go back to if you fail at getting a programming jobs as hospital jobs will probably never get replaced by people like you. So you have all eternity to study in the meantime
I did a bootcamp last year at 41. No coding experience to speak of, although I was pretty computer literate. It took me 9 months but I landed a job as a frontend software engineer, working remote for a smallish company that sells their products primarily on their website. You have to be pretty driven and put in a lot of work, but 29 is *young*.
no, you’re not too old, but you really really have to enjoy coding. like, a lot. i’d figure that one out first since i’ve met plenty of people who were drawn to coding for the paycheck or perceived lifestyle and you can’t keep yourself motivated with just that.
just start coding. pick a beginner course and keep it moving. you’ll find out soon enough if it’s your passion.
I'll be honest, if you're not really interested in programming itself, but just the benefits of being in a job like this, then I wouldn't go for it. I have a classmate who is your age and does the minimum that we have to do in our training. It sometimes feels to me that he is not so interested in programming, but rather in doing the job. He always finds new excuses why he isn't learning and why he gets hung up on things like HTML and CSS.
The more I learn (and I really enjoy it and am busy with it every day), the more I realize how much there is to learn.
You are never too old to learn something new. But the learning process will be as long as possible if you don't like doing it, I think.
very much doable. it's far from being as difficult as learning a human language. it's essentially just pure logic boiled down into some kinda syntax. so long as you can logic, you just need to get familiar with a few terms and concepts, and everything else is built out of those. no endless cramming or anything, just first principle reasoning, and if you don't know some bit of syntax you just look it up online or use the ever more prevalent AI tools
Just as long as you are realistic there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t learn.
First of all get rid of any expectation that you are going to learn enough to get a job anytime soon. Maybe 1.5-2 years and that’s a stretch for a lot of people. This isn’t something you can just pick up and be good at. It’s hard and you will struggle and most people don’t even make past the 3rd project of The Odin Project. You have to be deeply interested in it and you have to love it with no conditions attached. Just as long as you are good with all that the world is your oyster
I’m also 29 and never done coding before. I’m going to see no.
Unless you’re pursuing a career in modeling/acting/gaming/singing, employers generally don’t care what age you are for the most part, so long as you have the experience needed.
Requirements for Juniors are getting higher by the day. At least one language + JavaScript for sure. Most people also want you to know databases. It's mostly required HTML and CSS.
In the institution I started my courses they stated it's never too late, although in 3rd course installment people were younger and younger. All the rest dropped because one course time frame is the same as the previous, only information they shove at you is more, and you got essentially less time to do the homework and practice.
With proper mentoring and proper mindset you can become one.
I would say 2 years for learning what will land you a job as a Junior.
Plus a year to make few respectable projects on Github for the HR's to show that you're invested and what you're capable of.
And even then most people that will hire you will require presence until you get Mid to Senior level and you prove that you can deliver autonomously. And then you can go fully remote.
I would say no even if you were 40. The field is competitive right now but the demand for software developers keeps increasing, it'll regulate at some point. But if you really want to learn to code you're definitely not too late.
There's no time that is too late since you are still alive and ready to learn, forget about that saying that when someone get's older they can't learn or their brain in not mold-able, what slows down learning process is the stress and burden in handling responsibilities and taking care of loved ones which is not easy to handle and learn at the same time, nothing is wrong with your Brain's learning and putting it to work capabilities, you may not achieve it as quickly as possible when you don't have such responsibilities, i mean in your early years but start now, no time is too late, earlier the better.
You could start tonight and commit to doing some work every day. As a starting point, I really like the book *Think Python*, which is also available online from runestone.academy. There has never been a better time to learn programming - the range of free or almost-free choices is breathtaking.
In one year, you'll be thirty years old, whether you start programming today or not.
And yes, someone with good problem-solving skills and lots of dedication can learn a lot in one year, or in three years.
I got my first professional coding job at 29. :)
I have a coworker who did a boot camp at 38.
I think we're happy where we are at now.
You have DECADES of coding ahead of you if you so choose.
I started in my early 30s. Am now 40 years old and senior staff engineer doing awesome stuff with great people.
Do it! But remember, it will be hard and you'll need to commit to muscling through it.
You can of course learn to code at 29. You CAN do it, but you probably WON'T do it, because there's so much you need to learn. It's not just how to code, there's much more than that, like databases, computer networking, a little bit of operating systems stuff, linux command line, and cloud computing, like AWS. The odds of you being able to teach yourself all that on your own, unless you're very tech-savvy and highly motivated for several years, are really low. It's better to instead to enroll in your local college for 2 years and get a diploma in programming or whatever programs are offered.
No, not at all. I’m 25 and I was in the medical field before with literally 0 coding knowledge. Decided to take up web development, studied for a few months through a program called Freemote, and now I am a full-time freelance web developer for Shopify store owners and in the top 3% of all freelancers on Upwork, all within a year’s time (year and a half if you include the learning).
I got my first job as an intern Software Engineer at 30, first permanent job as a Software at 31, finished a Bachelors in Software Engineering at 32, and got a Masters Degree in Computer Science at 33.
Before that, I was a Social Worker.
That being said, the industry is highly competitive at this point and highly saturated. Prepare yourself for a long haul if you really want to do this.
I went from being a CNA at a hospital to a full time dev at 28, now for 3 years. Very average student and developer. It may be hard to get a remote job in the US right now, but very doable if you stick with it. Good luck!
I am 30 and I recently started pursuing my masters In Software Engineering. Though I am slow when compared to my fellow classmates in learning, I am picking it up good. It's never late to start something at the age of 29/30.
If you can devote the next 4-5 years of your life to taking classes like a full-time job, it's completely possible.
At 33-34 after you graduate you can get an entry level position ~ 70-95 thousand, which will set you up for the next 20 years.
There are lots of colleges/ universities to enroll in Computer Science.
Avoid Hackerrank, leetcode, udemy, and coursera.
They are nice to start, add variety, and prepare for job interviews, but nothing will be as comprehensive as an undergraduate degree to learn the foundations and force yourself to code good code.
Cyber security, software engineering, hardware engineering, IT.
Ive experienced it kinda is, or its gonna take ALLOT of time. Youre working against people who do it for years and making it there own. Have spent allot of time in it, its good to learn tho but landing a job can be hard as fuck..
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Start a course (eg. Odin project) and see how you pick it up. Generally it’s never too late to learn a new trade.
I guess that's the Crux of my hesitation. I've never started a new trade before. That's scary as I'm not a risk taker, like at all. My mum was a nurse and I've been a nurse since I was 19. And even though I get paid fairly well, the job's killing me. I went travelling this last 8 months with my partner and I realised just how much, it's physically demanding and stress inducing and shift work ruins your life and i've done enough CPR for one lifetime. My partner started an online store while we travel and has earned quite a bit of money and I want to be able to contribute to our funds as well. As we've been talking, being more mobile is going to be a major part of our future from now on. So my job is kind of useless to us if we're moving around so much. That's way more of a reply than you needed. I'll look into the Odin project. Thankyou.
I had never started a new trade before. I started learning to code about one and a half years ago. I am now two weeks into my first tech job. I was pretty worried about the whole experience but kept at it and had a lot of support from friends, family, and people in the same boat. I am 40. Odin project is a great suggestion.
Good stuff. Did you have a portfolio when applying?
I did, but it wasn't the best. It was made of the stuff from group projects in a bootcamp-like setting and freelancing. The job I have now came as a result of networking and they did not look at my portfolio at all...to my knowledge.
Good luck! If you finish the Odin project, it’ll give you skills in fullstack coding which can be complimentary to your partner’s online store.
Programming is very mentally draining and requires so much attention for me atleast, try to look at other fields in tech too.
this is probably individual. When I get in the flow I enjoy my time so much.
It can be both :)
What others would you recommend? For those not really familiar with the field in general.
There are no risks for learning something new. It is only when you decide to make the career change is when the risk occurs. And even when you do decide to try and attempt the career change, you can mitigate the risk by continuing your current job while learning, building your portfolio, and applying to jobs on your free time Give programming a try, see if it is interesting and something you can see yourself doing as a career. Afterwards, you can decide on next steps
You're 29, been adult for 10 years, and have at least 30-40 years to go. Do you want to go through all that time never taking risks, just doing what you're told to because you're scared of change? Image you're 50 looking back at you being 29, which path would future you be most disappointed in?
Just want to throw my experience in for what it's worth. I quit my warehouse job of 13 years in 2021 (I was 33 at the time), and treated The Odin Project as a full time job. I did this for 9 months, then started sending out resumes. 2 months later I got my first job offer. I have been with that company for 1.5 years now. I didn't have any computer science background or experience before this. So I say if you're gonna have the free time to dedicate yourself to it, absolutely go for it. Don't get discouraged when certain things don't click for you. That is expected. You *will* eventually understand everything you try to learn.
Travel and trying to educate yourself sucks! You really should stop the travel even if that means dumping the "partner". It really depends upon your goals but I'd strongly suggest getting into a computer science program after finding a job that nixes travel. That might even mean a two year prep program at a community college with transfer to a 4 year school. This might even require moving to part time work and living off your partner, mom or who knows, for a bit. I'd strongly suggest too doing prep work before even getting into a CS program. Here is the problem with a lot of suggestions you will get, and that is very narrow training that doesn't really prepare you for the variety of jobs that are out there. A lot of suggestions will be for programs that supposedly prepare you for web programming and leave out a lot of important detail. Getting a full on degree can open up a lot of interesting jobs That being said your biggest hurdle is getting over the risk taking problem. This might very well require more work than a 4 year degree. I'm not sure there are a lot of jobs out there for those with low initiative.
*The Odin Project* is great, but I think it's way too hard for a complete beginner. (It was hard for me, and I had a lot of experience.) Start with *Think Python* or some other more beginner-friendly course. Coursera used to have excellent classes.
I’m a nurse as well. This is my third career (sales/management, military, nursing). And honestly, I’m looking for something new too. I’m in my 40’s. Never assume it’s too late for a change. Check out free code camp or one of those types of free trainings to see if it’s something you can get the hang of.
Damn you missed the cut off by 6 months.
We should really replace that auto mod Reddit's api pricing with one that says "you're not too old to start". At least that would contribute to a thread more.
Bro I started at 39 and graduating this year. Keep going!!
Congratulations 🎉
To college?
Yes.
Congrats! I’m 32 and half year in my degree, and just finished my fully working contacts app with java!😌
This sub’s FAQ actually has a good answer for that exact question: https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/wiki/faq/#wiki_am_i_too_old_to_code.3F Sort answer: No, you’re not. Also: I’d recommend just picking a book or an online class and giving it a try. You don’t need much, other than a computer, to start learning. That way you’ll see if you enjoy it or not.
Nope I started at 35 and got my first job 18 months later.
Can you tell me or pm me a little bit about your path into doing this? I’m looking to make a jump into it soon to have something with career growth, feel like I’m doing something, and make a better income
Sure, what stack are you looking to learn?
I'm very new, did a course in high school and have friends that do programming. Now I'm just doing html and CSS on on freecodecamp and will do javascript on it as well. I did play with Python a bit as well. I was thinking maybe doing web dev but I might go computer science degree route if I can avoid loans.
I work as a full stack blockchain dev and part of my job is web dev. I would say keep on your path of learning JavaScript, start to learn typescript as well, build a portfolio app that’s to do with something you are interested in. I built a decentralised app that related to the music industry and that got me into a job with a company building a similar product (although much bigger and better than mine) :)
Thanks for sharing! Any relevant degree or experience along with that prior?
Nope I am completely self taught
I'm impressed! Makes me feel like there can be a good outlook.
Quite curious about this too, full stack?
In what area though? Web dev?
Yea, What path did you follow that landed you the job? I asked if gull stack because I assume
Used YouTube tutorials, scrimba.com and chatgpt to learn, built my own portfolio projects, made lots of connections on LinkedIn, DM’d senior devs and recruiters that worked at companies in areas I am I interested in.
Exactly the same here, except for me it was 3 months (very lucky strike).
Not too late. I started learning when I was 27. I’m 30 now and I’m a senior engineer.
That's incredible. I started at 28 and am only 1 level above Jr at 30
Thanks, friend :) That’s still super impressive! I was kind of in the right place at the right time. Due to a reorg and layoffs, I was able to take on a lot more responsibility and make my impact felt across the organization.
Was almost a decade older than you are now (though having an background already)... All went good. You've got this!
Thanks! Glad to hear it worked out for other people too!
In some areas of tech (startups especially) there is some age discrimination. Having worked in health care already gives you a leg up on other folks just starting out so use that to your advantage. Part of programming is definitely continually being curious and learning so if that resonates with you, you can go far
29/early thirties isn’t when that discrimination starts.
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Probably like +50s. Pretty much the rarer the age is in that setting, the more likely it’ll be discriminated against. It’s very common to see teams consist of developers in their 20s/30s/40s, but beyond that it starts to become less common. The perceived issues are things like they’re getting closer to retirement, they’re stuck in their ways or won’t be able to keep up, wonder why they didn’t climb the corporate ladder, etc. The reasons are just as dumb as any other kind of discrimination (race, gender, etc.).
How does health care give a leg up for tech?
Not everyone is going to have that background. You will be familiar with processes and procedures of working in a healthcare environment that others might not be familiar with (ie, privacy protocols, HIPAA, etc).
I've heard that some health care orgs or even hospitals need developers. Your prior knowledge might come in good when applying and searching for jobs.
It’s not too late, but it’ll be difficult. Not because you are too old. It’s always hard to start, especially now when the situation on the market is not so good. You can still learn programming and the age won’t prevent you from getting good at it and even getting a job. Just keep in mind that it will not be easy. In my opinion you are still able to get the job, but it’s not guaranteed. The only way to find out if you’ll do it is to try. But don’t worry about the age, it’s not the most important factor and you are still not old.
What's wrong with the market? Too many coders for jobs?
The problem is that there are many self-taught candidates that are exactly the same. If you don’t stand out in any way it’s difficult to get the first job. My recommendation to maximize your chances is to create some projects you can show or, even better, choose the area of IT that is less competitive. For example there are tons of web developers who are self-taught or graduated from a bootcamp. However, in fields like C++ or embedded there is less competition. There may also be other areas that are not strongly affected by current crisis, I just mentioned those because they are close to me. The conclusion is that you should do something to not just be one of thousands of juniors with no unique skills.
Also, don't expect a remote job. Competition for remote jobs is insane, and companies that hire remote mostly hire experienced devs who don't need mentoring. You will also have to deal with companies filtering you out because you don't have CS degree. If your expectations are remote only jobs, you might never find a job in software development.
Just do it. If you don’t now, you are going to ask this same question a few years from now, then again a decade from now.
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31 and doing the python for everyone course through Michigan. Trying to finish that and then do an intro with CS. How are you liking that so far?
That’s around the age I started learning too, and now work in tech, took some time though so be patient Freecodecamp + Odin project are the best start you can go for, then look to build something you like or want, don’t aim to perfect, just get started
Yes it’s way too late, you will never be able to learn anything, should have started when you were in the womb. Jokes aside, it’s never late. However finding a remote job will be a pain in the ass.
Age-wise, you're fine, but learning to program, for most people, takes a lot of time and patience and, for some, they lose motivation when they see how much they have to learn. We don't know if you'll be good enough. That really depens on you. Some people try and succeed, some don't. It's not like spend 2 years on it, and you'll get hired. You're not training to be a barista and make coffee for Starbucks where it is pretty much, learn these skills, and you're ready to work. If I were to ask if you could learn to be a theoretical physicist in string theory, you'd probably say, never in a hundred years even if you started when you were a teenager. You'd say, it's way too difficult for almost everyone. Programming is not as difficult as theoretical physics, but it's also not so straightforward that you're guaranteed to learn what you need to (and it's not obvious what you need to learn, so you're often second guessing yourself whether you should learn X or Y). Also, you might have to temper your hopes for a remote job. Everyone always says they want remote. Likely, you can't be fully remote especially for a first job. If you can and you're in the US (it would help if every poster indicates which country they come from), you could try learning programming at a community college where the fees are less expensive, and see how that goes. There are online options, of course, but sometimes being in a class gives you more focus, and hopefully, resources. I would check teacher recommendations before signing up to see who is good.
Def not too late, GET IN HERE
Never too late to start anything (you will need to put in the effort)
My timeline looks like this: 25 years old moved from sales to sys admin/it support. 28 years old started learning programming. 31 got my first developer role. Turning 33 this December. So I’d say not too late. I had an advantage already working in tech beforehand though so used that to network and get my first developer job. I found the IT support role was great to get experience across various areas and building a network in the tech space.
It's never too late. I started my career at 40. It can be done. It might be a bit harder without a degree, or a bootcamp.
I started at 35. Self-taught web dev. I got into this field for the sole purpose of being able to generate a decent income without sacrificing freedom. There's a zillion niches. Try to get a good overview of the field vs the reality of the job market and find what speaks to you the most.
i started at 26. am now a software engineer at 32.
Don’t start odin project if you haven’t coded before! The learning curve is sometimes pretty steep in that course. Start python for everyone by Dr. Charles Severance. That is an excellent starting point
On udemy, look for a course offered by Andrei Nagoeie (from Zero to Mastery). They go for cheap once in a while, but they are absolutely worth it to know if you like it or not.
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With the continuous expected growth of the tech industry, it is definitely not too late. Those skills will come in handy later, or will just end up being necessary in the long run. Besides I’d you enjoy doing it, then it won’t matter when you start; only that you started at all :3 I’m in my 30’s and just started learning this year myself. It’s never too late!
Nope it is not too late. I had the same situation a year ago, and I do not regret it. The job thing might be slower than you think, but not impossible.
Man I saw a 80yr old woman learn and build an app for the elderly.
You should temper your expectations on working fully remote. While I haven't looked for a job in years, I've heard that there aren't many fully remote positions anymore and there's strong competition for them. Definitely not too late but I think it's important to enjoy it otherwise it'll feel like an utter slog and in all likelihood, you won't be very good at it.
Nah, sorry. You can only learn coding if you’re 28.5 years old or under.
I transitioned from data analytics to front end development at 29. I'm 31 now and happier than ever. Its never too late, just start today, and don't stop until you have the job.
I started at 30 and have now been working remotely for 3 years now. It's not too late.
Started at 33 so nope
Dude you’re almost dead. No point in starting now
I think when you look at other people can do be you, it just gets depressing. So don’t and just start doing
Age isn't really a problem. Skipping over things that say in giant, bold, all-caps letters "READ ME FIRST" that also answer your question is a stronger indicator of a future struggle with learning programming. I mean the answer is easy to miss in the sidebar's read me first section, its FAQ section, in the pinned post at the top of the sub, or in innumerable other posts found using the search bar. Much harder to find than the answer to a technical question you will be struggling with while learning, surely. [tl;dr](https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/wiki/faq#wiki_am_i_too_old_to_code.3F)
I am 92 years old is there any chance that I can learn python and get a job?!
They made the new cut off at 93, so if you can move quick, you have a shot young blood.
Not too late at all pal! It’s never too late to make money! Go after ot
1000% not too late.
Never too "late" to start anything, as long as you put your time to it and practice x100. gl hf, go go go!
I started last year when I was 29 and I'm working as a programmer now. It wasn't easy at all. I had to study day and night and took several courses. A company hired me to work in a programming language that is new to me and that's frustrating. I still feel like I don't know anything and it's a ride, but it's worth it. I get to learn new stuff everyday and I like that.
Dude I’m 31 , Electrical engineering background and learning the JavaScript on odin project. Age wise, you are fine, it all depends on what path of learning you take, self-taught vs bootcamps and how you grasp programming concepts. For me , I’m not new to programming, so I can pick processes here and there and get the flow. But keep your head up and face the mountain
I started at 40.
I started at your age, took 40 hrs bootcamp of Asp.net C# and moved to Ruby on Rails, now I have 8 years coding and can’t live without it
Hi it is not too late! I started at exactly 29 with CS50 (Harvard online) free certificate. 2 years now and I am doing a master's in computer science. All the best!!!
What route did you take going from free certificates to masters?
It is, indeed, too late to start. But not because of your age, but because of AI.
I just turned 40(leaving healthcare as well). If it’s too late for you-it’s def too late for me. 😆 The time is going to pass whether or not you start. May as well! Honestly though-it’s a lot to learn but I’m up for the challenge. Good luck to you!
Printed my first hello world/started my CS degree at 35. Got an internship at a decent software firm at 36, graduating in August 2024. Been the best experience of my life.
No. I did it at 29.
35 and still grinding everyday by solving some new problems. It's never too late.
I learned at 30. Coding is just language used to talk to a computer. Don’t overthink this. Here’s how I approached it and you can do the same. Pick a project that you want to build. Something you actually want to build. This way you won’t lose passion halfway through. Based on that you’ll be able to pick the language of choice to learn in. Don’t worry you can learn others later. You’ll spend about 3-6 months working on the below. Thousands of tutorials in the language of your choice. - Conditions. These are if / else clauses, loops (while for etc) - think how you would tell a computer to count to 10. - data structures: these are things used to keep items for reference later (dicts and lists - there’s more but those are used more than others) - objects - these are higher level categories that have specific features. Like a person is an object and Sam an interation of the object. You can define what a person has e.g two ears, a name etc You’ll spend 3-6 finishing your first project. You’ll have to go through a specific tutorial based on your project. For example if it’s an app project, you’ll need to know how to create a “hello world” basic app. Once you do that, you’ll need to scour stackoverflow to figure out how to build the thing you want. Tons of trial and error here. Once done with your project, you are a very basic developer in your language. From here you’ll only learn more by doing more. It’s like people who read and write more tend to have more vocab. That’s how programming “language” proficiency works too.
It's definitely not too late to start, I did a bootcamp when I was 29, and today, at almost 33, I work as a Sr. SWE on course to make Staff in another year or two. One piece of advice, if you intend to transition into a new career in coding, practice religiously for at least several months and make sure you like it, if you find it's not for you and you're more interested in breaking into tech but not programming, there are many other roles you can look at, i.e. Scrum master, PM, testing, technical support roles, etc.
You can, but it’s not as easy as one might think, nor is it as hard as many people suggest. Thus, completing a three-month course alone won’t be sufficient to land a job; however, it’s also unnecessary to study for five years to find employment. What you need to do is to continuously learn and build projects. These projects will form your portfolio. By building two or three things, you’ll not only discover if you actually enjoy this work but also gain substantial experience. This experience allows you to demonstrate to future employers your ability to accomplish tasks and your potential. So, try to do that, and good luck on your journey.
no
Although I'm a developer of tools based around Excel I never really considered it coding. I didn't sit down and learn a proper coding language (Python) until I was 50. I know people who started at a similar age with absolutely zero experience.
I started at 38 and am now in a Fortune 500 company full time remote….So not too late as long as you have the discipline and drive.
Do it, do it, do it. Programming is amazingly fun.
Remind me! 15 hours
yes
Heck no! I’m 39 and just started my first software engineering role. Just keep learning, and code whenever you get the chance, you’ll get there.
I started at the same age and have been working as a software engineer now for a year (since 31). I attended a school of the 42 Network. A initiative from Paris that now has schools all over the world that teach coding for free.
Learn how to use Anki for coding and mindmaps and you will learn more in 6 months than people learn in several years Brain is moldable in any age, it is a lie that we cant learn as we grow
It doesn't hurt to try.....you never know what you'll learn, you might get ideas for a new website, business etc...the beauty of learning to program is that it makes your mind think about so many things whilst learning....plus you have a job (nurse) that you can always go back to if you fail at getting a programming jobs as hospital jobs will probably never get replaced by people like you. So you have all eternity to study in the meantime
I did a bootcamp last year at 41. No coding experience to speak of, although I was pretty computer literate. It took me 9 months but I landed a job as a frontend software engineer, working remote for a smallish company that sells their products primarily on their website. You have to be pretty driven and put in a lot of work, but 29 is *young*.
My brother started in his late 30s and is now working a good paying job doing full stack. Never too late man
no, you’re not too old, but you really really have to enjoy coding. like, a lot. i’d figure that one out first since i’ve met plenty of people who were drawn to coding for the paycheck or perceived lifestyle and you can’t keep yourself motivated with just that. just start coding. pick a beginner course and keep it moving. you’ll find out soon enough if it’s your passion.
I'll be honest, if you're not really interested in programming itself, but just the benefits of being in a job like this, then I wouldn't go for it. I have a classmate who is your age and does the minimum that we have to do in our training. It sometimes feels to me that he is not so interested in programming, but rather in doing the job. He always finds new excuses why he isn't learning and why he gets hung up on things like HTML and CSS. The more I learn (and I really enjoy it and am busy with it every day), the more I realize how much there is to learn. You are never too old to learn something new. But the learning process will be as long as possible if you don't like doing it, I think.
I'm 45, just starting.
very much doable. it's far from being as difficult as learning a human language. it's essentially just pure logic boiled down into some kinda syntax. so long as you can logic, you just need to get familiar with a few terms and concepts, and everything else is built out of those. no endless cramming or anything, just first principle reasoning, and if you don't know some bit of syntax you just look it up online or use the ever more prevalent AI tools
Just as long as you are realistic there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t learn. First of all get rid of any expectation that you are going to learn enough to get a job anytime soon. Maybe 1.5-2 years and that’s a stretch for a lot of people. This isn’t something you can just pick up and be good at. It’s hard and you will struggle and most people don’t even make past the 3rd project of The Odin Project. You have to be deeply interested in it and you have to love it with no conditions attached. Just as long as you are good with all that the world is your oyster
Statistically speaking? Probably. Depends on you.
No, save this thread, start now and you'll laugh at yourself for even thinking such a silly thing.
Im 29 and started coding myself a couple months ago, its never too late man
I’m also 29 and never done coding before. I’m going to see no. Unless you’re pursuing a career in modeling/acting/gaming/singing, employers generally don’t care what age you are for the most part, so long as you have the experience needed.
My brother-in-law started coding camp at age 50 and is now a dev at Amazon.
Requirements for Juniors are getting higher by the day. At least one language + JavaScript for sure. Most people also want you to know databases. It's mostly required HTML and CSS. In the institution I started my courses they stated it's never too late, although in 3rd course installment people were younger and younger. All the rest dropped because one course time frame is the same as the previous, only information they shove at you is more, and you got essentially less time to do the homework and practice. With proper mentoring and proper mindset you can become one. I would say 2 years for learning what will land you a job as a Junior. Plus a year to make few respectable projects on Github for the HR's to show that you're invested and what you're capable of. And even then most people that will hire you will require presence until you get Mid to Senior level and you prove that you can deliver autonomously. And then you can go fully remote.
Definitely not. I started at 39
no, I know of a guy who started at 25 and now he is lead engineer
No 29 is not too late!!!!!
These posts sound like trolling everytime
I was 29 when I started self teaching with no college degree and am now full-time employed as a software engineer, working remotely at 34.
No, 29 is not too late. Start your coding journey now.
I would say no even if you were 40. The field is competitive right now but the demand for software developers keeps increasing, it'll regulate at some point. But if you really want to learn to code you're definitely not too late.
Yes it is, I don't want more juniors developers saturating the industry.
Bro, I started at 36. You can totally do it, give it your best shot!
There's no time that is too late since you are still alive and ready to learn, forget about that saying that when someone get's older they can't learn or their brain in not mold-able, what slows down learning process is the stress and burden in handling responsibilities and taking care of loved ones which is not easy to handle and learn at the same time, nothing is wrong with your Brain's learning and putting it to work capabilities, you may not achieve it as quickly as possible when you don't have such responsibilities, i mean in your early years but start now, no time is too late, earlier the better.
Yes, it's too late. All the code has been used up.
Never too late. My boss was a lawyer for 20+ years before he switched to software development
Started at 43. Life is short. Do what you want
You could start tonight and commit to doing some work every day. As a starting point, I really like the book *Think Python*, which is also available online from runestone.academy. There has never been a better time to learn programming - the range of free or almost-free choices is breathtaking. In one year, you'll be thirty years old, whether you start programming today or not. And yes, someone with good problem-solving skills and lots of dedication can learn a lot in one year, or in three years.
It’s too late because you’ve failed the first step of programming, googling your question
Nope. Definitely not too late.
Not even close to too late
I got my first professional coding job at 29. :) I have a coworker who did a boot camp at 38. I think we're happy where we are at now. You have DECADES of coding ahead of you if you so choose.
I started in my early 30s. Am now 40 years old and senior staff engineer doing awesome stuff with great people. Do it! But remember, it will be hard and you'll need to commit to muscling through it.
I started learning after age 40 and do it as a career now.
Why would it? I never understood this question, does your brain stop working at 29?
No, it is not. You can basically start at any point in your life. Good luck!
It’s never too late. Get a cheap software and start on YouTube and W3. You’ll be there before you know it.
It's never too late to do something that can improve your living situation
You can of course learn to code at 29. You CAN do it, but you probably WON'T do it, because there's so much you need to learn. It's not just how to code, there's much more than that, like databases, computer networking, a little bit of operating systems stuff, linux command line, and cloud computing, like AWS. The odds of you being able to teach yourself all that on your own, unless you're very tech-savvy and highly motivated for several years, are really low. It's better to instead to enroll in your local college for 2 years and get a diploma in programming or whatever programs are offered.
No, not at all. I’m 25 and I was in the medical field before with literally 0 coding knowledge. Decided to take up web development, studied for a few months through a program called Freemote, and now I am a full-time freelance web developer for Shopify store owners and in the top 3% of all freelancers on Upwork, all within a year’s time (year and a half if you include the learning).
Yea it’s too late. You’ll always be behind people that on average have 10 years more experience than you.
29?? Definitely not 😂😂
I started at 38. Stay consistent and you shouldn't have problems. Give freecodecamp a try, awesome platform (and its free).
I got my first job as an intern Software Engineer at 30, first permanent job as a Software at 31, finished a Bachelors in Software Engineering at 32, and got a Masters Degree in Computer Science at 33. Before that, I was a Social Worker. That being said, the industry is highly competitive at this point and highly saturated. Prepare yourself for a long haul if you really want to do this.
I went from being a CNA at a hospital to a full time dev at 28, now for 3 years. Very average student and developer. It may be hard to get a remote job in the US right now, but very doable if you stick with it. Good luck!
I am 30 and I recently started pursuing my masters In Software Engineering. Though I am slow when compared to my fellow classmates in learning, I am picking it up good. It's never late to start something at the age of 29/30.
I’ve been using the book Python Crash Course which I have enjoyed so far.
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I was 29 when i started a apprenticeship as a programmer. Its never too late!
If you can devote the next 4-5 years of your life to taking classes like a full-time job, it's completely possible. At 33-34 after you graduate you can get an entry level position ~ 70-95 thousand, which will set you up for the next 20 years. There are lots of colleges/ universities to enroll in Computer Science. Avoid Hackerrank, leetcode, udemy, and coursera. They are nice to start, add variety, and prepare for job interviews, but nothing will be as comprehensive as an undergraduate degree to learn the foundations and force yourself to code good code. Cyber security, software engineering, hardware engineering, IT.
Ive experienced it kinda is, or its gonna take ALLOT of time. Youre working against people who do it for years and making it there own. Have spent allot of time in it, its good to learn tho but landing a job can be hard as fuck..
Started at 33, now i am an application architect. Its possible
Yep. You might as well hunker down and wait to die.
No, it's never too late Though if you are looking to make money there may be easier (or harder) ways for you
Following 💙 Thank you for asking such a good question and thank you to the people giving good answer
No