
Have a startup idea but don't know how to code? - acoleman616
http://www.alexpcoleman.com/your-first-web-app/?n=hn1
======
gsaines
I'll agree with Carlsednaoui, but add a few resources to the list:

ONLINE VIDEO LECTURES

Let's Code Test Driven JavaScript:
[http://www.letscodejavascript.com/](http://www.letscodejavascript.com/)

One Month Rails: [https://onemonthrails.com/](https://onemonthrails.com/)

Learnable: [https://learnable.com/](https://learnable.com/)

Code School: [http://www.codeschool.com/](http://www.codeschool.com/)

Treehouse: [http://teamtreehouse.com/](http://teamtreehouse.com/)

CodeHS: [http://codehs.com/](http://codehs.com/) \- "Computer science class in
a box" for k-12 schools

Learn Street: [http://www.learnstreet.com/](http://www.learnstreet.com/)

CODE CHALLENGES

Top Coders: [http://www.topcoder.com/](http://www.topcoder.com/)

Hacker Rank: [https://www.hackerrank.com/](https://www.hackerrank.com/)

Interview Street:
[https://www.interviewstreet.com/](https://www.interviewstreet.com/)

OTHER

CodeCombat: [http://codecombat.com](http://codecombat.com) \- online game that
teaches Javascript

Codecademy: [http://codecademy.com/](http://codecademy.com/)

CodeAvengers: [http://www.codeavengers.com/](http://www.codeavengers.com/) \-
Pay-per-module coding game

Hakitzu:
[http://www.kuatostudios.com/games/hakitzu/](http://www.kuatostudios.com/games/hakitzu/)
\- Paid iPad game that teaches coding

Kodable: [http://www.surfscore.com/](http://www.surfscore.com/) \- iPad game
that teaches coding

Full disclosure, I run CodeCombat.

~~~
contextual
No, see that's the problem. Way too many resources. I LOVE the idea of one
book that takes me from start to finish, with no flab or wasted time learning
something that isn't 100% relevant to making an app.

Alex, you are on to something HUGE. Resist with all your might the urge to
bury people in "resources" to follow up on. There's too much information out
there. Reign it in, filter it down and focus only on the _bare minimum_ that
must be done to get the app finished.

Not everyone wants to be a programming guru. Myself included.

~~~
angersock
Maybe you shouldn't be building an app, or programming, especially if you
don't care enough or have the patience to learn things that aren't directly in
support of (what you think is) your MVP.

~~~
contextual
Who said anything about patience or not caring? I didn't.

~~~
angersock
* I LOVE the idea of one book that takes me from start to finish, with no flab or wasted time learning something that isn't 100% relevant to making an app.*

These do not appears to be the words of a patient person, or somebody who
cares about programming.

I suggest that the impatient and uncaring should not be making apps.

~~~
alex_c
I strongly, strongly disagree. You can approach programming as a craft, and
immerse yield in tools, techniques, concepts and so on. Or you can approach it
as a means to an end, which is creating an app, website, service, etc, and
just look for the shortest path to get results. You don't have any basis for
saying one approach is more valid than the other.

------
carlsednaoui
... you can learn to code!

Couple options:

If you need something not too intensive you could go with Treehouse
([http://teamtreehouse.com/](http://teamtreehouse.com/)) which has really good
topic-specific videos and interactive quizzes.

If you can afford the money and time then go with something more intensive
such as a bootcamp - I recommend Flatiron School
([http://flatironschool.com/](http://flatironschool.com/)). You'll learn a
whole lot in 3 months.

There's also Thinkful ([http://www.thinkful.com/](http://www.thinkful.com/))
which has curated content, 1-1 mentorship and uses a project-based approach.

Once you have the foundation (and overcome the many frustrations and
roadblocks you'll face as a beginner) you'll be way on your way, with a new
and valuable skill.

Full disclaimer: I work at Thinkful

~~~
logicallee
telling someone with an idea that they should learn to code is like telling a
coder with no money that they should just get rich.

I mean, sure this is possible - but this is not the way to produce a
successful outcome (built idea/funded tech company) in either case!

~~~
carlsednaoui
Did you read the cached version? (the site is now back up too)

As the author mentions: "Interested in learning to code and building web apps
but don’t know where to begin? Look no further..... I’ve put together this
step-by-step guide that will help you through creating your very own first web
app."

------
otikik
... you'll need cash!

~~~
pan69
Even if you can code you need cash. Maybe if you can't code you just need more
of it..

------
viggity
did a lead gen email capture page with _zero_ content really just make it to
the front page?

~~~
angersock
Excellent point.

Flagged, especially because it doesn't really describe what the book covers,
how it covers it, or anything much beyond "Sign up here!"

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mgl
If you don't have programming skills and just want to validate your idea it
might be wise to hire a reliable software house to build MVP for you. Once you
gain traction you can start building your own team or reworking the MVP on
your own. <shameless plug>This is how we work with founders from the UK and US
at codedose.com</shameless plug>

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TheBiv
[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TqpuK7M...](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TqpuK7MonI4J:www.alexpcoleman.com/your-
first-web-app/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)

Select the text-only version on the top right

~~~
pavel_lishin
That shows me almost no content at all:
[http://i.imgur.com/iFEjq5h.png](http://i.imgur.com/iFEjq5h.png)

~~~
carlsednaoui
I think it's an email capture form.

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Ellipsis753
Has anyone managed to load the page yet? I've been trying on and off for ages.

~~~
schmatz
It still isn't working for me an hour later.

------
acoleman616
Author here. Did not expect this to hit the front page, and of course got
struck down by the almighty HN traffic gods.

Page is back up now!

------
fuqua
The HN DDoS attack strikes again...

------
websitescenes
If you have a startup idea AND some money, let's do this.

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0xdeadbeefbabe
Have a startup idea but don't know how to code well?

------
wehadfun
You need to get a technical co-founder.

------
xux
Site is slashdotted

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holyjeebis
Throw enough shit at the wall and some of it will stick.

At least there will be no shortage of easy work for security analysts if
people keep encouraging morons to think they should be developing web
applications.

