Let’s talk about a classic dilemma every beginner faces: Which programming language should I start with? I’ve always had a soft spot for C++. It’s fast, powerful, and has stood the test of time. But this post isn’t about my journey—it’s about my good friend Jimi, who recently reminded me why C++ might not be the best place to start if you’re new to programming. When Jimi first got into coding, he was determined to go all in. Naturally, like many ambitious beginners, he chose C++ as his first language. The promise of building high-performance applications and understanding “how computers really work” was too tempting to resist. But after a few months of struggling with pointers, segmentation faults, and cryptic compile-time errors, he hit a wall. He wasn’t learning—he was just frustrated. Projects went unfinished, motivation dropped, and the learning curve felt more like a cliff. Eventually, he gave Python and JavaScript a try… and he was shocked at how quickly things clicked. Within weeks, he was building real projects and finally enjoying the process. That experience inspired this post—thank you, Jimi. Why C++ Might Not Be the Best Start

May 2, 2025 - 14:16
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Let’s talk about a classic dilemma every beginner faces: Which programming language should I start with?

I’ve always had a soft spot for C++. It’s fast, powerful, and has stood the test of time. But this post isn’t about my journey—it’s about my good friend Jimi, who recently reminded me why C++ might not be the best place to start if you’re new to programming.

When Jimi first got into coding, he was determined to go all in. Naturally, like many ambitious beginners, he chose C++ as his first language. The promise of building high-performance applications and understanding “how computers really work” was too tempting to resist.

But after a few months of struggling with pointers, segmentation faults, and cryptic compile-time errors, he hit a wall. He wasn’t learning—he was just frustrated. Projects went unfinished, motivation dropped, and the learning curve felt more like a cliff.

Eventually, he gave Python and JavaScript a try… and he was shocked at how quickly things clicked. Within weeks, he was building real projects and finally enjoying the process.

That experience inspired this post—thank you, Jimi.

Why C++ Might Not Be the Best Start