Making the most of www.codeproject.com

By now you should be familiar with the challenge of networking on the web. The world around us has become much more connected and we have almost constant access to the internet with mobile devices and the rise of wearable tech. As a result many of us are now far more likely to quickly surf the web for help rather than seek out a colleague who may or may not have the answers.

These behaviors have lead to the evolution of various online communities, where developers of all types and abilities can communicate in order to network and solve problems. Some of these sites can be graveyards for ancient requests, consisting of ‘How can I accomplish basic function X?’ followed by a lazy but functional answer which offers little to no real aspect of improving your abilities as a developer.

Others however are far more focused on the developers themselves and really do help them to become better at their jobs. One such site is CodeProject, which we’re going to take a look at today.

An established presence on the web

CodeProject was created in 1999 with the intention of providing computer programmers with a place to meet and discuss implementation of ideas. The site also acts as a resource for all of the latest technology news, and provides articles with source code that can help with day to day programming issues.

The main selling point of CodeProject is its user generated content, which comes in many forms:

Articles

These are resources by programmers for programmers. They contain top-quality information on how to tackle issues that will come up in the real world. The articles are sorted into “most viewed” and “most popular” in order to help you find the most relevant information.

Tutorials

These are for those who have just started to code.  They contain easy to follow step by step procedures that help beginners to understand the underlying principles of coding.

For example, if you’re aiming to start using SharePoint this year, why not start with a 5 star rated tutorial like SharePoint 2013 - Introduction, Features, and Roles.

Discussions

CodeProject has many discussion boards where you can chat with fellow developers. Whether the aim is to help or seek answers, the discussion boards can be a direct way to achieve these goals. The lounge feature can also be used to have a more laid back discussion with like-minded people but be warned... House rules apply!

Newsletters

Weekly newsletters highlight the latest and most popular articles and news pieces from the previous week. Newsletters can be customized to ensure they only contain relevant information from the vast archives of the site. This is a good way to curate the site’s content and filter out the things that may distract you from your task at hand.

Surveys

Weekly surveys help to paint a picture of popular opinions amongst developers. Whether it’s “How many hours a week do you code? “ or  “Will you write an app for a smartwatch this year?” the results can be used to get a grasp of how the rest of the community feels about the topic at hand. Each survey also comes with a message board underneath so readers can see context to the results.

Features

After checking out all of CodeProject's features we compiled these three tips which can be used to get the most value out of the site:

1. Connect

Try to network with people that you share passions with. Everybody on CodeProject has a personal profile which usually contains social media details. Don’t be afraid to send somebody a message as most users will have signed up with the intention to network or at the very least communicate.

2. Participate

Whether you are a newbie or an expert in your relative field you will always have some experience to offer. Remember that the perspective of a newbie may help to inspire valuable articles and resources from the other users on the site. If writing tutorials is not your thing, then try asking a few questions or checking if you can help with any of the unanswered questions.

3. Protect your Rep

Nobody likes a spammer and CodeProject is no different. It may sound obvious but come across as a real human being who values the community. That means being courteous and specific as well as searching through the resources for others who may have had the same issues as you. Keep your contributions consistent and who knows? Maybe you will be rewarded with the prestigious “Most Valuable Professional” award which is presented to a small handful of people annually based on their contributions in both article submissions and answering questions.

A valuable resource

The reason that CodeProject has amassed 11 million+ users is simple: Computer programmers love to interact with each other. All of the articles and discussion boards can be read without registering but the real magic happens when you sign up. Whether it’s downloading a zip file of the latest scripts or just having your own profile in the “Who's Who” list, you will surely notice yourself becoming a part of the community.

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