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Welcome to Coding for Beginners!

You’re about to begin an exciting journey into the world of computer programming. Here, you’ll find 5 free lessons for 7 different programming languages—a solid foundation to help you explore, practice, and build your skills.

Coding is much like solving puzzles, which makes it more than just a hobby—it’s a workout for the brain. For people over 40 and older adults (myself included), learning to code can sharpen memory, strengthen problem-solving skills, and provide the same mental challenge as crosswords or Sudoku. Beyond supporting brain health, it also offers a sense of accomplishment and keeps the mind active—both of which are key to healthy aging.

The goal is not to become a “super computer whiz,” but to reach a point where you can write code confidently without needing to refer back to the lessons every time. That takes time, repetition, and commitment. Work through each lesson at your own pace, and revisit them until you’ve memorized the core structures and functions of each language.

You’ll be using Google Colab, which makes coding accessible to nearly everyone through a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You will need a Google email account, and I recommend also setting up a Google Drive to store your lesson files. Click the Colab button to beign.

Stick with it for 3 months—your persistence will pay off.

Even just 30 minutes a day can give you valuable practice, a sense of progress, and some calming “wind-down” time for your brain.

Python

R and R Studio

Bash / Shell Scripting

SQL

C/C++

Perl

JAVA