Reddit mentions of Data Structures and Algorithms Using C#

I think a lot of people confuse programming with programming languages. I see a lot of people say things like "I learned <insert programming language here> but I still have no idea what I'm doing."

This is because programming is more than just the language you use. It is a set of skills, including mastery of a language, algorithms, data structures, design principals (and patterns), hardware knowledge, math, logic, problem solving... the list could go on.

Mastering a language is just one part of the equation. Depending on the kind of programs you want to create, you will have to master some, all, or more of the other skills I've mentioned.

I would start with data structures and algorithms. Since a lot of programming has to do with data, it's good to know the various ways it can stored, sorted and manipulated. You probably already know about simple data structures, like arrays, but there are many more, like lists, trees and maps. Algorithms like sorting, searching and pattern matching will help you solve some very common problems you'll encounter. Either enroll in a course on data structures and algorithms (they're generally taught together) or find yourself a good book.

Once you've mastered that, move on to design. Learning how to design a large program is an art and a science unto itself. There are many useful design patterns that, once you know how they work, you can apply directly to your own designs. While they're not the end-all-be-all of computer program design, they're proven effective and can be extremely useful.

Another thing you should definitely understand is how computers work. Now I"m sure you have a general idea of how a processor and memory works, but do you really understand the underlying architecture? Do you know how registers work? How instructions are stored? How the operating system interfaces with the various hardware? How the software interfaces with the operating system? While this knowledge isn't 100% necessary, it can be very helpful to understand how your programs are functioning on a low level. Most modern languages abstract most of that out, but keeping it in the back of your mind can only help.

Anyhow, I know how you feel, and don't worry too much about it. Programming is a life long learning endeavor. There will always be new things to learn, new ways to do things, and new technologies to understand, but if you stick with it, you'll eventually learn it.

Just think, every piece of software in the world was written by someone who, at one time or another, knew absolutely nothing about programming.