Are you thinking about learning to code? Are you unsure if it’s worth it in the age of AI? Writing software isn’t just about code itself—it’s more than that, and there are several key benefits that keep me coding. Here are three great reasons why you should start.
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It Changes the Way You Think
It’s a subtle transformation that occurs gradually over several years, but writing code changes how you think. It makes you approach problems in a more structural, logical, and analytical way.
By structural, I mean the ability to break down challenges into smaller, manageable components. It’s impossible to write complex code without seeing it as a series of progressively smaller problems. From the project level to features, classes, and then methods—I am always considering how to divide tasks to make them easier to test.
Object-oriented programming (OOP) has also reinforced my understanding of boundaries and relationships between real-life entities. While everyone has a natural ability to see these connections, regularly exercising that skill has refined it and made it a core part of how I think.
These concepts extend beyond coding. For example, all my planning now happens in my notes (Org-Roam), which lets me break down, reconstruct, reorganize, and connect ideas efficiently, drawing on the structural thinking I’ve refined through programming. This approach is now second nature to me and applies to many other areas of my life; it’s how I plan and reason.
Alongside structural thinking, I now approach problems more logically. When researching, I view everything as a distinct object and a predicate, allowing me to construct arguments and rigorously validate each as true or false. The habit of repeatedly writing and refining conditional statements has instilled these values and a deeper understanding of predicates.
My notes, research, and analytical thinking have all greatly improved, which has changed how I approach problems in my daily life—all thanks to coding and consistent practice.
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It’s Addictive and Productive
Part of what makes pursuing your passions so rewarding is the addictive feeling that comes with it—it’s incredibly motivating. If you’re lucky, it’s productive too, and programming certainly fits that description.
Our daily lives and the whole economy rely on software—that means there are countless problems you can solve and much value to gain. When it comes to addictiveness, very few hobbies can keep you working passionately for twelve hours straight while neglecting food, but programming is one of them. A hobby that’s addictive, productive, and improves your thinking—I would argue there are far worse addictions to have.
Programming to me is unique in that regard, and I cannot think of a better way to spend my spare time.
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It’s Scalable
You might code out of passion, but it’s also an incredibly valuable skill—not just for landing a job, but for creating and selling applications. Consider the typical way people earn money: they find a job, put in the hours, and get paid for their time—this is a linear approach, where you’re only compensated for the time you work.
Alternatively, you could run an online shop to source and sell products; while you don’t spend time making the products, you still invest significant effort in logistics and maintaining the operation.
Now, think about code. Code is unique because, although you invest your precious time, you can distribute unlimited copies through a global marketplace—the internet. Once you’ve built an application, it can potentially reach billions of people. Of course, scalability—the system’s ability to handle increasing work—depends on the type of application you build. For example, services like Facebook need thousands of engineers and billions of dollars in hardware—so while they’re scalable, it’s at a significant cost. In contrast, many mobile or web apps can reach millions of users without a complex backend. Flappy Bird is a classic example: it scaled to millions, had no backend, and was built in a single weekend.
If you’re lucky, your application could go viral like Flappy Bird. In most cases, though, success requires significant marketing and development time up front. While the developer of Flappy Bird was lucky, it does show that it’s possible for a single person to create successful and highly scalable applications.
Writing software isn’t just about writing code but about solving problems and creating products. Part of the enjoyment comes from the challenge—and to prevent our minds from turning into mush as we age, we need to keep them active and engaged. Writing code benefits both adults and children, and it’s a superb way to develop our minds, skills, and ambitions.
If you haven’t already, check out our guide to making learning code easier. Or, if you’re just starting a programming course, you might find my article on everything I wish I’d known before my first programming class helpful. Lastly, you may be wondering why you should learn to code in the age of AI. Well, we have good reasons why learning to code is better than vibe coding.