Is programming just pressing keys on a keyboard? In a fundamental sense, yes! Programmers are essentially highly specialized typists. We input specific sequences of characters that compilers and interpreters translate into machine code, the language of computers. Therefore, typing speed can be a significant factor in a programmer’s efficiency. No matter how sophisticated your IDE or how optimized your workflow, slow typing can become a bottleneck.
Some argue that programmers should prioritize problem-solving and logical thinking over typing speed. While strategic thinking is paramount, faster typing allows you to translate those thoughts into code more swiftly, moving to the next challenge sooner. Over a career, a programmer writes thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of lines of code. Improving typing efficiency can accumulate significant time savings.
Assessing My Typing Skills Before Learning Touch Type
My typing wasn’t terrible. Clocking in at around 40 words per minute (WPM), I was considered average. I could type without constantly looking at the keyboard, using a self-taught four-finger method – primarily my index and middle fingers. While I had a general sense of the alphabetic keys, numbers, symbols, and punctuation still required glances down at the keyboard.
Recognizing room for improvement, I decided to embark on a month-long experiment: learning to touch type. The goal was to utilize all ten fingers effectively. If no progress was observed, I could always revert to my old habits. At 29, it felt like the right time to Learn To Touch Type and enhance my coding productivity.
Getting Started with a Touch Typing Program
A quick Google search for “learn to touch type” led me to TypingClub, the top result. Its free access and user-friendly interface made it an easy choice. I dedicated myself to this program and have since accumulated 14 hours and 44 minutes of practice over approximately one month.
As the stats show, starting around July 31st, my typing speed (the orange line representing WPM) has shown a consistent upward trend. In just one month, my typing speed has already increased by 10 WPM. My keyboard coverage and finger utilization have also improved. The journey wasn’t entirely seamless, but it was far from arduous.
Here’s a week-by-week breakdown of my experience learning to touch type.
Week 1: The Foundations of Touch Type Learning
Average typing speed for Week 1: 15 WPM
The initial days focused on fundamental key placements, one key at a time. Progress felt rapid as new keys were introduced. Within the first hour of practice, I had learned the positions of approximately three-quarters of the alphabet. Typing felt relatively straightforward during these initial lessons.
However, attempting to apply these nascent touch typing skills in real-world scenarios proved disastrous.
My typing was not only slow but also riddled with inaccuracies. This made even simple tasks unproductive and frustrating. It was clear that my touch typing wasn’t ready for practical application yet.
Week 2: Expanding Keyboard Coverage in Touch Typing
Average typing speed for Week 2: 22 WPM
By the end of the second week, I had covered the entire alphabet and some number keys.
A notable point was the right shift key. It felt completely unfamiliar as I had never consciously used it before. Touch typing employs a specific shift key discipline: the right shift key for capitalizing left-hand keys and the left shift key for right-hand keys.
Real-world typing remained too slow. I still lacked sufficient practice with all keys, especially the symbol keys, which are frequently used in programming languages.
Week 3: Surpassing Old Speeds with Touch Typing
Average typing speed for Week 3: 39 WPM
Week three marked a significant milestone – I had learned the entire keyboard layout for touch typing. Incredibly, my typing speed was already back to my pre-touch typing rate! Just three weeks of focused practice had brought me back to my original speed, but now with a proper technique.
I even started incorporating touch typing in real-world situations.
Two primary factors were slowing me down:
- Hand Positioning: It took a noticeable moment to correctly position my fingers on the home row keys (A, S, D, F for the left hand and J, K, L, ; for the right hand). Accurate initial positioning was crucial; otherwise, accuracy plummeted dramatically.
- Right Pinky Finger Inefficiency: Touch typing assigns numerous keys to the right pinky finger, as illustrated below. I was still inefficient and inaccurate when hitting these keys, many of which are frequently used in programming.
The right pinky’s extensive key coverage was a clear area for improvement. It was no surprise that TypingClub identified my right pinky as my least proficient finger.
At this point, I was approximately 70% through the TypingClub curriculum. The remaining lessons were primarily for practice rather than introducing new concepts. I aimed to complete the program. My average typing speed hovered around 50 WPM, with peak speeds reaching 61 WPM. Accuracy was consistently around 95%.
Conclusion: The Value of Learning to Touch Type
Investing one month in learning to touch type has proven to be a worthwhile endeavor. Weeks three and four showed substantial improvements in typing speed, and the potential for further gains is evident.
I’ve already exceeded my previous typing speeds and can now confidently use touch typing in everyday tasks without frustration.
The most persistent annoyance is the initial hand positioning, especially for short bursts of typing. However, this will undoubtedly improve with continued practice and muscle memory development. Accuracy with numbers and symbols also requires further refinement, which will come with time and focused practice.
Overall, I am very pleased with the decision to learn to touch type. It’s a skill that will undoubtedly benefit my programming career long-term, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
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