Day 1: Hello, World!

Objective

The task for today is simple: write a program that prints “Hello, World!” to the console. This is traditionally the first program written by most beginners as it introduces you to the basic syntax of your programming language and the process of running a program.

Although this might seem like a small task, it lays the foundation for more complex programs by familiarizing you with essential elements such as:

  • Syntax: The rules of writing code in a programming language.
  • Output: How to display information to the user (in this case, the console).
  • Basic Execution: How to run and test your program.

Helpful Tips to Solve the Task

1. Understand the Goal

  • The program needs to output the exact text: Hello, World!. Make sure to include both the correct punctuation and spacing.

2. Choose Your Programming Language

If you’re using Python, the syntax for printing something is:

print("Hello, World!")

In Java, you’ll need a bit more setup:

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello, World!");
    }
}

For JavaScript, you would use:

console.log("Hello, World!");

3. Syntax Details

  • Make sure to enclose the string in quotes. Without quotes, the program will not recognize “Hello, World!” as a string.
  • In Python, the function print() is used to display information. In Java and JavaScript, you also need to use built-in methods like System.out.println() (Java) or console.log() (JavaScript).

4. Saving and Running Your Program

  • Python: Save your file with a .py extension (e.g., hello_world.py). Run it using the command python hello_world.py in your terminal or command prompt.
  • Java: Save your file with a .java extension (e.g., Main.java). First, compile it using javac Main.java, and then run it using java Main.
  • JavaScript: You can run it directly in the browser’s console or through Node.js by saving it as .js and running node hello_world.js in the terminal.

5. Test Your Program

  • After writing the program, run it and ensure that “Hello, World!” appears in the console. If there’s an error, check for small syntax mistakes, such as missing parentheses, quotation marks, or semicolons.

6. What You’ve Learned

  • Output: You’ve learned how to display output to the user.
  • Syntax: You’ve become familiar with basic syntax for your chosen language.
  • Execution: You’ve experienced the process of writing and running a program.

Next Steps

Once you’ve successfully completed this task, don’t rush to the next one just yet. Take a moment to modify your program, experimenting with different text or even printing your own name. This will help you get comfortable with writing and running code.

Ready to go? Let’s see your “Hello, World!” program in action!