Let me put it this way: if GitHub is a good place to learn how to code, then a war zone is a good place to learn how to use a firearm.

If you’re just starting out, it would be a good idea to learn the basics of programming in a language like C or Python. Learn the basics of variables, conditionals, loops, and functions. Test out your understanding of the language by writing out programs to display prime numbers, Armstrong numbers, and some simple patterns on the screen.

If you can do all that without having to constantly refer to online resources, then give yourself a pat on the back, for you have made a significant accomplishment. Now, try to do something a bit more complicated. Try to automate some of the tasks you do daily, or even build a simple game. (https://www.pygame.org/news)

Once you feel comfortable doing all those things, visit GitHub and check out some of the popular repositories in there. You’ll see that they’ll often contain thousands of lines of code and might be very difficult for you to understand. At this point, ask yourself if you’re willing to put in a lot of effort for very little gains. If your answer is yes, then great! Welcome to the world of real software development.

If you manage to fix a few bugs, or even implement a new feature in one of these projects, and if they accept your work, then feel proud of yourself. You can now call yourself a “real” programmer.