Programming Basics: A Beginner's Guide
github.com/kristofer july 2025, v3
What are these?
Each of these basic guides are pre-reading for you to consider BEFORE you come to a lecture/session on the topics. They are designed to give you a basic understanding of the topic so that you can get the most out of the session. You will not understand all of them, but that is okay. You need to see these concepts before you have a session discussing them.
Basic Guides
- Shell/Terminal - A command-line interface for interacting with your computer.
- Git - A version control system that helps you track changes in your code over time.
- Java - A programming language that is widely used for building business applications.
- Python - A programming language that is widely used for building business applications.
- Zsh - A shell that enhances the functionality of the default Terminal.
Please note: zsh is a specific kind of shell (there are many others) and Terminal is the
application that you use to interact with your computer using the command line.
Why are these important?
These are the tools that you will be using in your day-to-day work as a software developer. Understanding how to use these tools effectively will make you more productive and efficient.
Command Line?
The command line is a text-based interface for interacting with your computer. It allows you to perform tasks that would be difficult or impossible to do using a graphical user interface.
In spite of the fact that the commandline is not as user-friendly as a GUI, it is much more powerful and efficient once you get the hang of it. and it has been around for a very long time and is still used by developers today.
What is a Shell?
A shell is a program that interprets commands and acts as an intermediary between the user and the operating system. It allows you to interact with the operating system using text commands.
There are many different shells available, but the most common ones are bash, zsh, and fish.
What is Zsh?
Zsh is a shell designed for interactive use, although it is also a powerful scripting language.
It is an extended version of the bash shell with many improvements and additional features.
What it Git?
Git is a version control system that helps you track changes in your code over time. It was designed to let professional developers collaborate on large projects and is used by many open-source projects.
What is Java?
Java is a programming language that is widely used for building business applications. It is known for its portability, meaning that you can write a Java program on one platform and run it on any other platform without modification.
Java is also known for its performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for enterprise applications.
What is Python?
Python is a programming language that is widely used for building business applications, web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more. It is known for its simple and readable syntax, which makes it a great choice for beginners.
Python is also highly versatile and has a large ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, allowing developers to build a wide variety of applications efficiently.