Best Coding Practices for Beginners in BCA
Er. Apoorva K A – Program coordinator and Asst. Professor
The Story of Arjun: A BCA Student’s Coding Journey
Arjun, a first-year BCA student, was thrilled when he wrote his first simple program. It felt magical—just a few instructions, and the computer did exactly what he wanted! But as he moved forward, things got tricky. His programs became long, disorganised, and hard to understand. Errors popped up everywhere, and debugging was frustrating.
One day, his professor introduced him to some best coding practices—simple habits that could make his life easier. These techniques helped Arjun clean up his code, fix errors faster, and even contribute to real-world projects through free government coding platforms like BharatGPT and Skill India’s AI portal.
If you’re starting your coding journey, here are some essential tips to help you write better, more efficient, and error-free programs.
1. Keep Your Code Neat and Readable
Think of your code like writing a letter. If you write everything in one big, messy paragraph, it’s hard to read. But if you space things out properly, use clear headings, and organise your thoughts, it’s much easier to understand.
2. Don’t Repeat the Same Code Again and Again
Imagine writing the same sentence multiple times in an essay—it wastes time and makes your writing confusing. The same applies to coding!
3. Learn How to Save Different Versions of Your Code
Arjun initially saved his projects as “final.c,” “final2.c,” “final3.c”—but soon realised that wasn’t a good approach. Just like Google Drive automatically saves different versions of your documents, developers use tools like Git and GitHub to save and track different versions of their code.
4. Make Debugging Your Best Friend
Debugging (fixing errors in your code) is like proofreading an essay—you don’t want to submit something full of mistakes!
By practicing these techniques, you’ll learn to find and fix errors quickly without wasting hours searching for what went wrong.
5. Take Advantage of Free Government Coding Platforms
These platforms offer certifications recognised by industries, making them great for building a strong resume.
6. Stay Updated with Tech Trends & Budget Announcements
The recent Union Budget 2025 has exciting news for BCA students:
These initiatives mean more opportunities for you—whether it’s learning AI for free or getting hands-on experience with government-sponsored projects.
The Final Note: Arjun’s Transformation & Your Takeaway
Arjun, who once struggled with messy and confusing code, now writes structured, efficient programs. Thanks to simple coding best practices, he can debug faster, collaborate with others, and even contribute to AI projects.
Now it’s your turn! Start applying these tips, make the most of free learning platforms, and stay updated with industry trends. Soon, you’ll be writing clean, powerful code that even experienced developers will admire!