For example, I wouldn't even know what to put into generative AI to prompt it properly because I don't know the lingo.
I read this as someone's looking for a "tell me like I'm 5" kind of resource that walked them through a project so they could learn as they built -- while also learning foundational knowledge to better use AI to build later.
You don't need basic knowledge to get started, though.
Think of an idea you want to build, then ask ChatGPT how to build it in <whatever language you want - I recommend something simple like Python or PHP to start with>. Then ask clarifying questions as needed if there's something you don't understand and just keep going.
A CS degree is great if you want to get a full time job in software development as you won't be taken seriously by companies without one, but if you just want to build stuff as OP is asking about, the only advice that makes sense is to start building. Anything else will be slower and less effective in getting you to that goal of building something.
Even having someone say, "I recommend something simple like Python or PHP to start with" would be immensely valuable to someone like me who's a total novice who wouldn't even know which language to start with (or which languages are best suited for specific projects or which languages are even out there).
Also, I'm laughing that you called those simple. I'm just proud that I remember basic HTML from Myspace lol.
While I might be the exception to the rule because kids know WAY more than we used to when we were their age, we also don't know what we don't know.
ChatGPT could help with figuring out which language to use, but in my experience with using it to generate answers, I have to constantly fact check everything it generates because it gets things wrong sometimes.
Yep simple is relative of course. ChatGPT gets it wrong sometimes, that's where you can reach out to humans and ask for help on a specific problem. But it'll do a good job of steering you in the right direction.
ChatGPT is great for me - because I have 13 years of experience. But I find that new devs don't know what to ask. If you're using it like an encyclopedia and asking it to tell you about how things work, it can be great - but people also just grab code from it - and will ultimately not really learn what they are doing and why.
Kids don't know anything haha. They memorize how to use the UI of their apps but mostly don't have any conscious connection to how anything works. There's no model. People don't know what they don't know. So - I think that working with an expert guide is pretty smart. I learned all this stuff on my own - with no network or anything and while it worked out... it wasn't smart.
You might assuming basic knowledge.
For example, I wouldn't even know what to put into generative AI to prompt it properly because I don't know the lingo.
I read this as someone's looking for a "tell me like I'm 5" kind of resource that walked them through a project so they could learn as they built -- while also learning foundational knowledge to better use AI to build later.
You don't need basic knowledge to get started, though.
Think of an idea you want to build, then ask ChatGPT how to build it in <whatever language you want - I recommend something simple like Python or PHP to start with>. Then ask clarifying questions as needed if there's something you don't understand and just keep going.
A CS degree is great if you want to get a full time job in software development as you won't be taken seriously by companies without one, but if you just want to build stuff as OP is asking about, the only advice that makes sense is to start building. Anything else will be slower and less effective in getting you to that goal of building something.
Even having someone say, "I recommend something simple like Python or PHP to start with" would be immensely valuable to someone like me who's a total novice who wouldn't even know which language to start with (or which languages are best suited for specific projects or which languages are even out there).
Also, I'm laughing that you called those simple. I'm just proud that I remember basic HTML from Myspace lol.
While I might be the exception to the rule because kids know WAY more than we used to when we were their age, we also don't know what we don't know.
ChatGPT could help with figuring out which language to use, but in my experience with using it to generate answers, I have to constantly fact check everything it generates because it gets things wrong sometimes.
Yep simple is relative of course. ChatGPT gets it wrong sometimes, that's where you can reach out to humans and ask for help on a specific problem. But it'll do a good job of steering you in the right direction.
ChatGPT is great for me - because I have 13 years of experience. But I find that new devs don't know what to ask. If you're using it like an encyclopedia and asking it to tell you about how things work, it can be great - but people also just grab code from it - and will ultimately not really learn what they are doing and why.
Kids don't know anything haha. They memorize how to use the UI of their apps but mostly don't have any conscious connection to how anything works. There's no model. People don't know what they don't know. So - I think that working with an expert guide is pretty smart. I learned all this stuff on my own - with no network or anything and while it worked out... it wasn't smart.