Introduction to Programming

Introduces the student to Khan Academy's Programming course by providing a basic overview of the subject.

Welcome to our programming tutorials
on Khan Academy.

Are you completely new
to computer programming?

Well, don't worry--that means
that you're like 99.5% of the world.

And we're here to help.

I bet you're wondering
what programming actually is.

When we write a program,
we're giving a computer

a series of commands,

that kind of look like
a weird form of English.

You could just think of a computer
as a really obedient dog,

listening to your commands,
and doing whatever you tell it to do.

Thankfully, programming
isn't this obscure skill

that only special people can do--

It's something that we can all learn.

Kids, teens, adults
from all over the world

are learning programming today.

What's so "cool" about programming?

Why are all those people learning it?

Well, it really depends on
what you think is "cool,"

because, as it turns out,

you can use programming

for almost everything.

Today people write programs
to do everything

from helping doctors
and patients cure diseases;

helping save endangered species
all over the world;

making self-driving cars,
so that you never have to worry

about learning to drive
when you get older;

creating algorithmic jewelry;

designing robots
that can take care of patients,

or robots that can roam around Mars
and look for water on the surface;

making really fun games,

like Doodle Jump,
Draw Something, Angry Birds,

any game that you've played;

making movies like all those awesome
3-D movies from Pixar, like Avatar,

or making computer graphics
to go inside live-action movies

like Gollum, in Lord of the Rings;

making the websites and apps
that you use everyday, all the time,

like Facebook, and Google Maps,
and Wikipedia,

and YouTube, and Pinterest;

and, of course, educating the world

on websites like Khan Academy,
where you are now.

So, right now, on Khan Academy,

you can learn to make
your own art and games

which will give you a great start

towards creating
whatever you can imagine.

It might be hard to see how
a drawing program relates

to making websites,
programming phones, or curing diseases,

but believe it or not,
the same basic concepts

are used by pretty much
every programmer,

in almost every program.

That means that once you
learn to code on Khan Academy,

you'll be able to learn other sorts
of coding way more easily.

You've taken the important first step
by coming here and watching this video.

So let's get started with
your very first program.

See you there!