Coding and Everyday Life

“What do I need programming for? I’m not a developer.” I’ve heard that statement more times than I care to admit, and whenever I do, I have to restrain myself from giving the speaker a big ole raspberry while I patiently explain how prevalent computer code is in our modern world. You can’t leave your bathroom without getting some computer-aided benefit, and you’ll find the rest of your day similarly packed with bits of code. So, what is coding used for in everyday life?

In our guide, we show you how coding impacts almost every person, coding skills notwithstanding. We look at household items and tasks that get a programming assist, and we show you the gadgets and systems that you take for granted yet are crucial to maintaining our level of technological sophistication and comfort. You’ll be astonished at the myriad of devices and frameworks in your life that are touched by computer code.

Household Tasks and Items

Do you like to shower in hot water? How about veggies? Are you a fan of salads in the wintertime? Both of these examples require computer code to get to you. Unless you have an ancient appliance, your water heater almost certainly contains microprocessors to control water flow and output temperature. And the cucumbers and tomatoes you bought for your wintertime salad likely came from a hothouse that required a programmed thermostat.

You run across code when you run your vacuum, too. If you have tufted carpet, you can bet that an automated system run by a computer controlled its thickness, pattern, and length. Your vacuum might also contain a few chips here and there. Your laundry has been infiltrated by code, too—your washer and dryer are probably loaded with computer chips and lines of code to regulate cycle times and water temperatures.

Computer Code on the Go

Coding doesn’t just affect your everyday life in your home, of course. You engage unknowingly with programming whenever you step out of your front door. Programming is everywhere in the modern world and meets you in the street, your workplace, and the local grocery store. You interact with bar-code scanners regularly, and you almost certainly use lots of code while working, whether you’re using a word processor to write a letter or an email platform to send messages.

You have a bunch of computers hanging out in your car to control pretty much everything from fuel, oil, and power management to cruise control and navigational systems. On top of that, the highway system is lousy with computer code. Most traffic lights are little computers nowadays, and city-wide traffic networks fall under computer control as well. You can’t even get away from code on elevators, which rely on processors to control them and send them to the correct floors.

And that’s how it works, boys and girls. You might have wondered from time to time why you should concern yourself with coding, seeing as your position as rodeo clown requires very little computer assistance. This guide shows you just how vital coding is for every aspect of modern life and gives you a newfound appreciation for coding and how it’s changed our world.