Basic Coding Tips

Cheatsheet Content

1. Fundamental Concepts Variables: Store data. Declare type (if static) and assign values. Example (Python): x = 10 Example (C++): int x = 10; Data Types: Integer, Float, String, Boolean, Array, Object. Operators: Arithmetic: $+$, $-$, $*$, $/$, $\%$, $**$ (power) Comparison: $==$, $!=$, $ $, $ =$ Logical: $AND$, $OR$, $NOT$ (e.g., && , || , ! in C/Java) Comments: Explain code. Use // for single-line, /* ... */ or """ ... """ for multi-line. 2. Control Flow 2.1 Conditional Statements If-Else: Execute code based on a condition. if (condition) { // code if true } else if (another_condition) { // code if another_condition true } else { // code if false } Switch/Case: For multiple fixed conditions (not all languages). switch (variable) { case value1: // code break; case value2: // code break; default: // code } 2.2 Loops For Loop: Iterate a fixed number of times or over a collection. for (initialization; condition; increment) { // code } // C++/Java for item in collection: // code // Python While Loop: Iterate as long as a condition is true. while (condition) { // code } Loop Control: break : Exit loop immediately. continue : Skip current iteration, proceed to next. 3. Functions/Methods Definition: Reusable blocks of code. function name(parameters) { // code return result; // Optional } Parameters/Arguments: Values passed into a function. Return Value: Value returned by a function. Scope: Variables defined inside a function are local to it. 4. Data Structures (Basic) Arrays/Lists: Ordered collection of items. Access by index (starts at 0). Example (Python): my_list = [1, 2, 3] Example (C++): int arr[] = {1, 2, 3}; Strings: Sequence of characters. Often treated as arrays of characters. 5. Input/Output (I/O) Input: Get data from user/file. Python: input("Prompt: ") C++: std::cin >> variable; Output: Display data. Python: print("Message", variable) C++: std::cout 6. Error Handling (Basic) Try-Catch (or equivalent): Handle runtime errors gracefully. try { // code that might cause an error } catch (ExceptionType e) { // code to handle the error } 7. Best Practices & Tips Readability: Use meaningful variable/function names. Indentation: Consistent indentation improves clarity. Modularity: Break down large problems into smaller functions. Testing: Test your code frequently with various inputs. Debugging: Learn to use your IDE's debugger. Add print statements to trace execution. Version Control: Use Git (or similar) for tracking changes. Practice: Solve problems regularly (e.g., LeetCode, HackerRank). Read Documentation: Refer to official language documentation. Ask for Help: Utilize online communities (Stack Overflow) or peers.