It struck me recently, after reading an insightful article, that programming at its core is simply a sophisticated form of typing. Essentially, programmers are highly specialized typists. We input sequences of characters in a very particular order, which compilers then interpret and transform into machine code. This realization highlights a fundamental truth: if your typing speed is slow, it becomes a bottleneck, regardless of how advanced your IDE, text editor, or workflow might be. Your productivity will always be limited by how quickly you can translate your thoughts into code.
While it’s true that programmers spend a significant amount of time problem-solving and strategizing, rather than just typing, efficient typing remains a valuable asset. All things being equal, faster typing allows you to translate solutions into code more quickly, moving you onto the next challenge sooner. Consider the sheer volume of code a programmer writes over a career – tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of lines. That’s an enormous amount of typing, and even marginal improvements in speed can compound into significant time savings.
Assessing My Typing Habits
My own typing speed wasn’t terrible. Around 40 words per minute, which seems to be about average, though concrete data is surprisingly elusive. I could type without constantly looking at the keyboard, but my technique was far from optimal. I’d developed a self-taught, four-finger method, relying primarily on my index and middle fingers.
I had a general sense of the alphabetic keys’ positions, but numbers, symbols, and punctuation still required a downward glance. Recognizing the potential for greater efficiency, I decided to dedicate a month to learning proper touch typing with all ten fingers. If it didn’t work out, I could always revert to my old habits. So, at 29, I embarked on a journey to Learn How To Type correctly.
Getting Started with Touch Typing
A quick Google search for “learn to touch type” led me to TypingClub (https://www.typingclub.com/). Its free access and user-friendly interface made it an easy choice. Almost a month into this endeavor, with 14 hours and 44 minutes of practice logged, I’ve seen noticeable progress.
As the stats show, starting around July 31st, my typing speed (the orange line representing words per minute or WPM) has consistently increased. In just one month, my speed has improved by 10 WPM, and my keyboard coverage has become more comprehensive. It hasn’t been without its challenges, but the overall experience has been surprisingly manageable.
Here’s a breakdown of my weekly progress:
Week 1: Foundation and Frustration
Average typing speed: 15 WPM
The initial days focused on learning individual keys, one at a time. Progress felt rapid as new keys were introduced; within an hour of practice, I had covered roughly three-quarters of the alphabet. Typing felt relatively smooth and straightforward within the structured lessons.
However, attempting to apply these nascent touch typing skills in real-world scenarios was a stark contrast. My speed plummeted, and accuracy suffered dramatically. This made even simple tasks incredibly unproductive and frustrating. It was clear that my touch typing skills weren’t yet ready for practical application.
Week 2: Expanding Keyboard Coverage
Average typing speed: 22 WPM
By the end of the second week, I had learned the entire alphabet and some numbers. A curious discovery was the right shift key. I realized I had almost exclusively used the left shift key. Touch typing emphasizes using the right shift for left-hand keys and vice versa.
Real-world typing remained slow. I still lacked sufficient practice with all keys, particularly the symbol keys crucial for programming. The constant need to consciously think about finger placement hampered my speed and flow.
Week 3: Breaking Speed Barriers
Average typing speed: 39 WPM
Week three marked a turning point. I had finally covered the entire keyboard layout. Remarkably, my typing speed was now back to my pre-training level. After just three weeks of dedicated practice, I was typing as fast with touch typing as I had been with my old, inefficient method.
I even began to incorporate touch typing into real coding tasks. Two main factors were still slowing me down:
- Hand Positioning: It took a noticeable moment to correctly position my fingers on the home row (ASDF JKL;). Accurate initial placement was crucial; otherwise, my accuracy would plummet.
- Right Pinky Finger Inefficiency: Touch typing assigns numerous keys to the right pinky finger. I struggled with accuracy and efficiency on these keys, which are frequently used in programming for symbols and punctuation.
As TypingClub’s finger mastery analysis confirmed, my right pinky was indeed my least proficient finger.
At this point, I was about 70% through the TypingClub curriculum. The remaining lessons primarily focused on practice rather than introducing new concepts. My average typing speed was around 50 WPM, with peaks reaching 61 WPM. Accuracy consistently hovered around 95%.
Conclusion: A Worthwhile Investment
Investing a month in learning to type properly has proven to be incredibly worthwhile. Weeks three and four saw significant improvements in typing speed, and I anticipate further gains as I continue practicing.
I’ve already surpassed my previous typing speeds and can now confidently use touch typing in my daily coding work 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.
Improving accuracy with numbers and symbols remains a focus, but again, this will come with time and dedicated practice. Overall, I’m extremely grateful I took the time to learn how to type correctly. It’s a skill that will undoubtedly benefit me throughout my programming career, enhancing my efficiency and productivity.
If you found this account helpful, consider sharing it so others can also discover the benefits of learning to type faster!
