How much time would I need to invest, in order to become good programmer?

Hello, I think it is very good, that it is possible to go from no coding language to having a job, within a couple of months. I think that the salaries seem pretty high, compared to the time it takes to complete the training. At my community college, there is a programming certificate, and it is only 16 hours. I could choose fr. several different languages: C##, C, Java, ADO dot NET, Visual Basic dot net (2 3 hour classes) and ASP, Visual Basic dot net or PHP (1 3 hour class).
(Sorry, instead of a “.”, I had to write in “dot”, because the website is recognizing the programming names, as websites. I recieved the message that I can only have 2 links, per post because I am a new user. )

But do programmers need to know several languages? If so, how many? How much time is necessary to learn an individual language? How much time, in hours outside of work,does it take to become a good programmer (approximately)? How many years?

After becoming proficient at programming, how much additional time does someone have to devote to learning new languages per year/becoming a great programmer?

I have been unable to work or take classes for several years. I am in my 30s and would like to get a job quickly, because I would like to work on other goals i my life. I am not sure if I will want to work in the tech field for a long time. I am trying to make up my mind before the end of August (when the next semester begins). If I decide that I don’t like it, would it be a bad idea to quit, after 3 or 4 years? I’m guessing, that the answer is “Yes.”, lol. I will really try to avoid this. Is there any way to move up to a different job if I dont’ like it, such as management?
I am also thinking about earning a bachelors in computer science or software engineering. Do you think that having experience as a programmer /learning both simultaneously would make my software engineering classes easier to complete? Thank you for the answers!!

It’s not the certification that makes one a good programmer or software engineer, nor is it knowing multiple languages, it’s knowing how to use the correct tools and idioms to solve real problems well.

The learning is something that as far as I can see never ends, there’s always more to learn whether that it’s more pure fields of study or more practical day to day essentials like tooling and languages.

Languages and tools themselves also evolve over time, and seeking patterns and algorithms to efficiently solve complex tasks is an endless problem (i.e.the “full employment theorem for compiler writers”)

I wouldn’t set yourself such a strict deadline as a few months. You should try programming first to see if you even like it, and hey, it’s not suited for everyone. Some people find it more difficult than others, some simply find it boring or frustrating. Everyone is different.

Don’t be sold the dream and put all your eggs in the web development basket until you’ve at least just learned for fun and tried it.

A software engineering degree would naturally help with a job in software engineering, but for what it’s worth I’ve met many a great software engineer without it (though it helps get a foot in the door…)

10,000 hours of practice.

Seems simple but this is what that means:

Create things constantly. Get feedback on what you create. Help others create things. Create things.

Find out what a language does (software, backend dev, front end dev, etc) Learn the language(s) that do what you want to do.

Frankly, if you end up hating programming, and then go into management you will be a crappy manager of programmers. There is nothing worse than a manager that hates it because they dont’ understand it.

Programming is repetitive work. Find out if you hate it before you get a job in it. You can get an entry level job quickly.

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