NEED A MENTOR IN PROGRAMMING

Hello 

My name's W.James,a student who's willing to learn.

 I've decided to pursue a career in Cyber Security starting from last month and I'm still new to all the coding and programming stuff like a baby taking his first steps

A friend told me that there's a lot of computer experts and programmers in this game so I'm asking an experienced member who's free to teach a desperate student a thing or two about computer.

Or guide me on the right path by showing me places or websites that could be very helpful, perhaps a discord community or something like that.

I'm eagerly waiting for a response from anyone.

Thanks 

Start from basics learning html, css and js and go on from there. 

Codecademy is amazing. 

Tons of good courses to take on udemy as well. 

I have just started on Codecademy as well and I like it a lot. Even paid for the premium version and feel like it’s a good value.

https://linkedin.com/call-centre

I can vouch for getting started with Codecademy. Never paid for it though and this was ~6 years ago (I am doing software engineering in uni!). Honestly, YouTube tutorials are underated. Pick up one of those 3h videos that do a full course of the language and maybe find some YouTubers like TheCherno that focus on a subtopic of the language in like a 20 minute video :D good luck!

is he paying the teacher with donator packs ⁉️⁉️

(BTW IN ANY CASE, START WITH PYTHON. PLEASE. JUST TRUST ME. DONT LEARN ANYTHING ELSE AT THE START. DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THAT I DID)

I think this site is pretty good for showing what you need to learn: https://roadmap.sh/cyber-security

It's not perfect, and it is probably overwhelming if you are a beginner, but it's a decent guideline.

I agree that python is a good start, but if you want to get into coding, especially security related stuff, you will need to learn other languages too, like C, go, rust, java. 

Hey since you’re saying cyber security I would suggest learning python as your first language and then absolutely learn a low level language. I would say C++ if you have those two down you should have a good understanding of code overall.

I would also recommend buying an old laptop and installing Kali Linux on it and start messing with the different tools available there. If you use tools like nmap be extremely careful and do not scan networks you don’t have explicit permission to scan, also stay away from the military ip ranges. You can google what ip ranges are a No No to scan.

I also would recommend getting acquainted with tools like Ghidra, Wireshark, and etc. Also would heavily recommend taking some time to read over all the specifications you could potentially be working with like ipv4, tcp, udp, ssh, wifi, bluetooth, and etc. They are usually a hard read but I promise you will retain a lot of the information and I found this helps you get an edge over a lot of your peers in the industry as most people are not familiar with specifications all that well. I usually try to write notes as i’m reading that helps me a lot to retain info and gives me something to go back to quickly instead of digging through the full spec.

Im not a Dev but KaliLinux Is a good OS, User friendly

Here is a useful tutorial site I have used: https://www.w3schools.com/python/

I've been a developer for over 20 years, I have two bach. degrees in it, one in informatics and one in dynamic web design. 

My best tip for any new programer is to learn theory. There is many cool youtube videoes where you create cool games or apps - skip them for now. Understand the basic structure of the normal programing languages first. 

A good checklist on what to understand: 

Variables
Constants
True/false
If-statements
Switch-statements
for-loops
while-loops

Try to create a new project with every new concept you want to grasp. Something simple! 

dont listen to the "never pick this language" or the "this is the best language" guys, you should understand the basic concept of informatics before you specialize. When you have practiced the first concepts, you should make your own project with minimal configuration and setup, no compilers etc. A good place to start is with html/css/js. Create something simple! Javascript is not the best language in the world, but its so good for learning, because you dont have to spend hours setting up a compiler, building frustration, you get imediate response! (and satisfaction if it work!!! )

https://www.w3schools.com/ is a good start ! 
 

Depending if you’re in the states and are pursuing a technical role, I’d skip the autodidactic route and get a BSc in computer science.

You could have reasonable chops as a college grad or an intern, but most meaningful companies will want some demonstrated proof, such as a degree.

College won’t teach you all you need to know about the real world, but it will get you familiar with the fundamentals. Apply for internships as soon as you can for companies that you have interest in. That way you are in the ecosystem and vetted for.

Landing technical roles, like a software engineer, at a reputable company after college with no internship is challenging.

Imagine “self-teaching” through the sea of candidates who may or may not be as qualified as you, but the only difference is their name is on a fancy piece of paper from an accredited college or university.

It’s not worth. It’s even more not worth it when one associate SWE position yields literal thousands of applicants within the first couple days with how good AI has gotten.

Autodidactism was king back in the 80’s and 90’s where any programmer was a wizard.

Now with languages, frameworks, standards, technology, the “implementation” side of things is pretty much solved. Your employers are just paying you big bucks to think.

Don’t waste your time. If you’re serious about it, bang out a degree.

Best,

SoftStroker

If You want to get all Arcadic and All like with the Older Computer Systems.

I do know a little bit about D.O.S or Disk Operating System and B.A.S.I.C or Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.

i also took a Introduction to Windows 3.1 Course in 1993 and got  My Certificate or Certified for it.

You can also find Videos on YouTube too. That will tell You about different Apps or Programs than  Yo can actually use to Turn Your Computer, iPad, Android or Windows phone, Tablet Computer, or iPhone into a hacking Machine.

There are Apps or Programs out there that are good for that. Like Terminx are Ect. That are good for that. There are Apps or Programs that will really find or expose Gaps and/or Openings in Security Systems, Networks, and WiFi.

They also have Password Cracker Apps or Programs for like WiFi, Networks, and different Programs and Web Sites too.

no is not, kali linux is Not designed to be daily operating system, read the documentation

Programming in cybersecurity is a tool used to understand, automate, and defend systems, rather than the primary focus itself. Without understanding how a systems works, it becomes difficult to create or implement effective programming solutions.

SoftStroker [4205356] mentioned a degree,  A cybersecurity degree provides a structured and comprehensive foundation in key areas such as network security, risk management, and threat analysis. This formal education equips individuals with both theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on experience through labs, simulations, and internships. Having a degree strengthens credibility, expands career flexibility across industries, and provides a strong platform for long-term professional growth when combined with certifications and practical experience.

If you are just starting out and choose not to pursue a degree, focus on mastering the core fundamentals first. You cannot effectively protect a system without understanding how it communicates and operates.

Foundational Core (Highest Priority) 
Networking Foundations: Master TCP/IP protocols, routing, switching, subnetting, and DNS.
Operating Systems: Gain proficiency in both Windows Administration and the Linux Command Line.
System Administration: Understand active directory, user permissions, and basic system configuration.

Suggested Certification Learning Path
If you’re brand new (like you mentioned):

Start with Google Cybersecurity Certificate or ISC2 CC
Then learn Network+ (to understand networking)
Move to Security+ (core cybersecurity cert)

Good luck on your journey
Lyria Hacat

What was your first language?

Korean, haha jk it was python

Hahaha, did think it was maybe another one, I did start with java