Is 34 too late to start coding? Also, is it better to learn Ruby, or to learn to make apps (iOS?)


  • Nobody is too old to start coding. I would suggest picking up PHP as its the most accessible language. There are tons of install scripts to get it working on your Mac or Windows pc.

    Learn Ruby if you want to belong in a “cult”. It’s not for me but you might enjoy the camaraderie.

  • I did a little coding in High School but didn’t formally start learning until I was 32. I’m 50 now. Ruby’s cool. I started coding by learning Python. Go for it!

    • Thank you for the answers, they’re really helpful! If i1 start coding (learning full time) how long do you think it will take to start getting work?

      • Start getting work as in getting paid to code? It really varies. Coding is something some people have a knack for and some don’t. If you have a knack for it it could be as quick as 3 months if that’s all you do.

        I suggest you build something useful an app or a website that you can feature. That will get you a long way to a paying gig.

  • It’s never too late. But what do you want to get out of it? Are you looking to be a tier-1 coder or a hobbyist (enough to run your business)? Big difference.

  • Never too old to learn. JavaScript is a good option too. Lots of MEANstack jobs out there. JavaScript is just as accessible as PHP.

    Focus on the fundamentals though, not just the language. Understand the stack vs the heap. How the code requests memory for the OS/runtime and how that affects performance. That’s what makes a good coder IMO. I’ve been a dev for 10+ years

  • Nobody is never too old to learn coding. My father learned coding when he was 65. He is now 90… (he never practiced professionally, he was already retired when he decided to learn).

    I learned coding at 14. I’m 48 now, and nearly all the money I earned during my life comes from my coding skills. I think I know the subject 😉

    Learning computer langages at 34 is possible and certainly valuable, but it is really strange. Odds are against you. Being a successful code needs lots of work and passion. If you want to make a career in coding, you will compete with youngsters who are born with a computing device in hands… It won’t be easy.

    Maybe you are exceptionally talented and passionate. But in this case, why didn’t you learn coding before ? Maybe there is an obvious reason. Maybe you lived your young years in a country without computers and now you just arrived in America or Europe… But except in those cases, it seems strange to start learning coding now, if you want to start a career as a coder.

    You goal may be indirect, and this may be a great idea. If you are a MBA guy thinking about finding a technical co-founder for a new venture and you want to know what coding is, that’s a great idea. It will certainly help you much in your career.

    Anyway, your question is a bad one. If you ask if you should learn Ruby or making iOS apps, it means you really don’t know anything about tech, and you neither know what you want to do. It looks like you just think coding is an easy way to make money. If this is what you think, I can tell you it’s wrong. It’s hard to make real money with coding skills. And it will become harder and harder as this job becomes commoditized year after year.

  • It is never too late to learn coding, but you had better look closely to see if this is something you really enjoy.

    The problem with coding is that the “popular” languages seem to change every 3-4 years. This means that learning a given language is progressively less useful as time goes by – programming is more of a constant stream of languages learned coupled with basic programming skills.

  • Learn it. If you want to make apps and websites, go for it. Never let anyone preclude you from doing something you want. Just because Silicon Valley is averse to anyone over 30 at startups doesn’t mean you are out on your luck. You just have to be creative. Small businesses love apps and want them, but they can’t afford the young whipper snappers, so you have an in. Plus, you have something the youngins don’t have, experience at life. And, it’s only been the last year or so, that everyone has climbed the “you need to code” bandwagon, so your not learning is not about you, but the fact that Apple had not given anyone a reason to until the last few years. Happy coding.

    • This is correct, lots of country and businesses outside of silicon valley. As someone who hires coders, one thing we old people have a lot of is we are stuck in our ways a bit. You have to be open to learning, coming from scratch you have no choice, but don’t limit yourself to learning just one language.

  • Don’t underestimate the work involved with developing modernized capabilities able to build and launch a new technology service. It involves a lot more than just learning to program.

  • Pick one and stick to it until become an expert. There will be thousands of cool frameworks and libraries. don’t waste time with them until you become proficient in one.

    Ruby and iOS are cool, they have incredible community which help you to get shit done. If you want build mobile apps, pick ios (swift/ Obj C), If you want to build web application, choose ruby.

    Mastering in coding requires time and patience, All the best 🙂

  • i m electrical engineer with 10 years of experience in industrial field,

    i want to make career in Data Analytics but i should have gud

    coding skills to be successful in data analytics

    i never did coding in my life, tried to learn C in my college time but after

    short time i quit

    so i want to know can i learn python,sql and R in age of 34 without any coding knowledge?

    Pls reply with feedbacks

    Regards

    Shirish Shrivastava

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