Welcome to Coding for Humanities! This repository is designed as a hub for non-programmers interested in programming, tailored specifically for writers and scholars in the humanities.

This repository serves as a learning and collaboration space for individuals intrigued by programming languages but coming from non-technical backgrounds. It focuses on languages like Dr Racket, Common Lisp, Python, Perl, and Lua, providing notebooks and resources to facilitate an easier entry into the coding world.

Programming isn't solely for software engineers. It offers valuable tools for automation, streamlining workflows, and enhancing productivity in various fields. For humanities scholars and writers, programming can empower them to automate repetitive tasks, analyze texts efficiently, and explore creative ways to present their work.

Writers (Novelists/Screenwriters/Non-Fiction Writers)

For writers, coding can be a transformative tool, offering ways to streamline research processes, automate repetitive tasks, and explore new creative dimensions. Whether you're crafting novels, scripts, or non-fiction works, programming skills can aid in data analysis, text manipulation, and the creation of interactive storytelling experiences.

How Coding Benefits Writing

1. Automation: Streamline repetitive tasks like formatting, citation management, or even generating plots and characters. Text Analysis: Use programming to analyze themes, sentiments, or patterns within texts, aiding in research and enhancing narrative depth.
2. Interactive Storytelling: Explore interactive narratives, digital storytelling, or even game-based storytelling through coding.

Students and Academics in Non-Computer Science/Technical Domains (Humanities, Social Sciences, etc.)

For students and academics in humanities and social sciences, programming can revolutionize research methodologies and scholarly outputs. It offers tools to process large datasets, analyze texts, visualize information, and present research findings in innovative ways.

Applications of Coding in Non-Technical Domains

1. Textual Analysis: Use programming to analyze literary texts, historical documents, or social media conversations to uncover insights.
2. Data Visualization: Create compelling visual representations of data, aiding in conveying complex information.
3. Research Automation: Automate data collection, organization, and analysis, reducing manual efforts and improving accuracy.
4. Digital Humanities: Explore the intersection of technology and humanities through projects involving digitization, archiving, or cultural heritage preservation.

Dr Racket

Dr Racket offers a gentle introduction to programming concepts through a user-friendly environment. Its simple syntax and interactive nature make it an ideal choice for beginners diving into coding without the complexities of traditional languages.

Common Lisp

Common Lisp, known for its expressive power, enables non-programmers to delve into the world of functional programming. Its robust features and rich history make it a compelling language to explore for those interested in deepening their understanding of programming paradigms.

Python

Python's readability and versatility make it highly accessible for beginners. It’s widely used in various industries, including humanities research, due to its extensive libraries for data analysis, text processing, and automation.

Perl

Perl’s succinctness and flexibility cater to non-programmers seeking powerful text processing capabilities. It's particularly useful for humanities scholars dealing with large volumes of textual data or implementing scripts for data manipulation.

Lua

Lua’s lightweight design and simplicity make it an excellent choice for beginners exploring scripting languages. Its ease of embedding into applications and games might intrigue non-programmers interested in exploring diverse applications of coding beyond traditional software development.

Before diving in, ensure you have the following:

• GitHub Account: If you don't have one, sign up here.
• Git: Install Git by following the instructions here.
• VSCode: Download and install Visual Studio Code from here.

1. Clone the Repository:

   • Open VSCode.
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + P (Mac) to open the command palette.
   • Type Git: Clone and paste the repository URL (https://github.com/yourusername/Coding-for-Humanities.git).
   • Choose a directory to clone the repository.

2. Make Changes and Contributions:

   • Explore the notebooks provided for different programming languages.
   • Make edits or add new content to enhance or personalize your learning experience.
   • Create a new branch (git checkout -b new-branch-name), make changes, and commit them (git commit -m "Your commit message").
   • Push your changes to your forked repository (git push origin new-branch-name).
   • Create a pull request from your branch to the main repository.

3. Explore and Learn:

   • Engage with other contributors by reviewing their pull requests and collaborating on improvements.
   • Experiment with the code samples and notebooks to understand the basics of each programming language.

This repository thrives on contributions from learners like you. Feel free to open issues, suggest improvements, or contribute by adding resources, examples, or explanations in the notebooks.

Join our community discussions and share your experiences, questions, or discoveries in the discussions section.

This project is licensed under the MIT License, allowing you to modify, distribute, and use the code for your purposes.