Getting into Business Central as a Programmer

What led me to it, and how did I get into it?

Why do it in the first place?

It goes back a few months or so when I watched a video on YouTube, but I can't remember who it was.  It may have been RealToughCandy or TiffInTech.  Both of those are good channels for beginners to follow.

It was a video on how to make the big bucks as a programmer.  To me, it was a 'duh' moment.  But, the point of the video is, "don't follow the herd".  An example she used was mainframe programmers are still needed, and the handful of them are making bank.  

But, why Microsoft Dynamics 365, Business Central?

I already had a basic understanding of AL Code, the language used for Microsoft Dynamics 365, Business Central, also known as "BC".  I also knew that my understanding of how to actually structure my projects and code was horrendous.  I had to fix that, but how?

How I did it

After some Googling, I found some videos on YouTube about it.  But, a good friend of mine found a REALLY good video on it.  He was explaining some great details, but the video was several years old.  A few minutes into the video, he explained that all of his information was from a specific paper written by a guy I have actually done a little work with at my full-time gig.  Krysztof is extremely knowledgeable, and I trusted him as a source for BC.  The good news is Krysztof had just released v2 of his paper, and it was perfectly formatted for what I needed to know!

I can't recommend his article enough if you are just starting with BC and want to get the right start with it. AL for Beginners.  You can also find him on twitter: @MyNavBlog.

What's Next

I have a pretty good head start on your average beginner.  Learning a new programming language is not too difficult.  AL Code is a bit different than the C# I am used to for the last 20+ years.  But, you can teach an old dog new tricks.  I am getting used to the Syntax and structure of it, and it is just a matter of repetition to make it more natural for me.

Since I already have the basics of programming engrained in my brain, the problem solving and general principles are pretty much the same.  They just have to be adapted to what BC already has available.  There are plenty of rules that I have to get comfortable with, as I don't always have the control I am familiar having.

I am looking forward to doing more work with BC.  I would love to help others with their projects, and have opened myself to sub-contracting with others for that exact purpose.  See my website: Coder B Dev.

Thanks for reading!  Happy coding!

Brad Simon (Coder B)