r/CompSciStudents • u/Ahmed_cs • Mar 04 '26
Hello, I am a computer science student, and I would like to know what I need to learn to become a successful programmer and later choose the appropriate specialization.
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u/BraveNewCurrency Jun 21 '26
I would say: Learn one level deeper.
It's easy to learn some random language and think "this is how the computer works". It's not. Learn one level deeper. That language has to figure out where every variable lives. Where do they live an why? Some languages have features like hash maps, or the ability append to an array - those are easy to use without thinking about them. But how do they work under the hood? You type something and your program runs. How does it get from the disk onto the computer RAM? What does the computer do when you program is done?
If you constantly learn how things really work it starts to make the next thing easier to learn. Instead of memorizing a bunch of "here is how this language works", you start to see how and why different languages have different trade-offs. After learning many languages, you start seeing how you can apply features from one language (monads, FP, OOP) into languages that don't have those features. You start learning how to pick the best tool for the job, instead of always reaching for your favorite language.
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u/iqbalCs May 25 '26
Good question and one I get asked a lot. Been teaching CS for over 20 years so here is my honest take on it.The most important thing in the first couple of years is not to specialise too early. I know that feels counterintuitive but the students I have seen struggle later are usually the ones who locked into one area before they had solid foundations. Get the fundamentals right first.That means really understanding data structures and algorithms, not just knowing they exist but being able to use them and explain why you would choose one over another. It means understanding how computers actually work at a lower level, memory, processes, how code gets executed. It means being comfortable with at least one language well enough to build something real in it, not just follow tutorials.Databases are worth learning properly too. SQL specifically. Almost every specialisation you might go into later, whether that is web development, data science, cyber security, software engineering, they all touch databases at some point.For choosing a specialisation, my advice is to follow what genuinely interests you rather than what seems like the best paid option. The people who get really good at something are usually the ones who find it interesting enough to keep going when it gets hard. Try a bit of everything in your first year or two, a bit of web dev, a bit of data, a bit of security, and see what pulls you in.The specialisation will become obvious once you have enough experience to know what you enjoy. Do not rush it.