If you want to learn how to code, taking your first steps into this huge universe might seem like a daunting, if not intimidating task. Here’s the big secret: There are plenty of free (and inexpensive) resources you can use to give yourself all the help you need, teach yourself new techniques, and make this learning process fun and exciting—as exciting as coding can get, at least.

Whether you’re an adult looking to transition into the tech industry, a student looking to learn the latest language, or a hobbyist who just wants to understand how software and services work, all you need is a computer and internet access to start your programming journey. But before you take a flying leap into The Matrix, here are our best tips and resources to set you off on the right foot.

Ask yourself: Why do you want to learn how to code?

Take a few minutes (or a day) to think about the reasons—the real reasons—why you want to learn a programming language. Be honest with yourself. Are you trying to learn the barest minimum to score a promotion? Are you looking to make a big career change? Do you want to create the next greatest app? Thrill your roommates by programming your various smart devices to do something awesome?

Your answer can help determine which programming language(s) you should master, as well as what sort of commitment (in time and money) your goal may require. For example, if your dream is to create the next great operating system or a killer alternative to PhotoShop , you would benefit from a formal computer science education that teaches you C++, as well as more complex topics like data structure, algorithms and memory allocation.

On the other hand, if you’re a mid-career professional looking to transition into a tech career, a short-term coding bootcamp might make more sense than going into debt for a second degree. If all you want to do is build websites or push your Raspberry Pi to its limits, a combination of interactive tutorials and free online courses might be enough to get you going.

Choose the right programming language

Once you figure out why you want to code, you can more easily pinpoint which programming language you should tackle. While there is no single “best” programming language to learn, some languages are more user-friendly than others. HTML and CSS are considered the easiest entry points into the coding world, but they are only really useful for developing basic websites.

For more interactive websites involving payment systems or databases, you’ll need to know Javascript, PHP, SQL, and Python to make all the components sing. Mobile app makers use Swift or C to make iOS apps, and Java or Kotlin for Android apps. Video game developers will turn to Unity, or even C#, to bring their game ideas to life.

Still can’t decide on your starter programming language? Most professionals recommend learning Python, C#, or JavaScript, as they offer the widest utility and career flexibility. To help you make up your mind, check out this great infographic that compares a few popular programming languages.

Get a book

The best way to learn to code may involve you getting up-close-and-personal with some dead trees—a real book that you can follow along from beginning to end. In a perfect world, this will give you a more comprehensive introduction to coding than jumping around from topic to topic on a website

You can probably find an e-book for any language or framework you’re trying to learn on GitHub, but many web developers swear by Jon Duckett’s colorful series on everything from front- to back-end web development.

As a self-taught programmer, you might also benefit from books that offer broader advice on the profession. You’ll improve your thinking and habits, traits you can apply to any language you decide to learn. Steve McConnell’s 900-page Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction (2nd Edition) is considered the definitive guide for best practices, with data-backed advice on everything from project design to debugging code.

A corollary to that behemoth is Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship by “Uncle Bob” Robert Martin. Martin believes code should be efficiently written for easy testing and scalability, making this a must-read for many modern dev teams.

Since programming is really about problem solving, you’ll appreciate the thought process and “back of the envelope” solutions that Jon Bentley shares in Programming Pearls (2nd Edition). Every chapter ends with a number challenges that are often used in technical job interviews, so make this book part of your job prep.

Check out some interactive tutorials or coding games

Let’s face it: reading lines of code on a screen or in a book can look like gibberish. When you see an example in action, that abstract concept suddenly makes perfect sense. That’s the beauty of interactive coding tutorials you can find around the web.

For example, FreeCodeCamp not only breaks down coding concepts into small chunks within your web browser, it also pairs each concept with a relevant exercise that you have to solve before moving onto the next topic. This way, you can’t just skip ahead to the fun stuff; the site really forces you to debug your code as you learn.

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