Programming is an interesting and highly paid job, which can bring pleasure if you find yourself in the right place and in the right environment. But you do not really need to, after watching a couple of programming courses, making long-term plans for a professional future out of this. You can just make a hobby of it. What kind of? About this further.
IoT
One of the most urgent IT-directions of today's world has long been included in the homes of ordinary people. Wi-Fi router, remote control from the TV and air conditioning on the smartphone is no surprise, but there are still a lot of things that you want to customize for yourself. To set up and set up a system of simple motion sensors for parents at the dacha, ensure timely watering of the plants and feeding the cat while you are on a long vacation or business trip, set up the production of a list of products without buying an expensive refrigerator. Doing this from need is boring and expensive, "pumping" the surrounding space for the sake of warming up the brains and positive emotions - fun and interesting.
Robots
In the US and Great Britain, television shows were a huge success in their time, where robots cut, burned and pounded each other. This was one of the first obvious signals - home robots, created from improvised parts, working on self-made software - not a distant future, but a real present. Today anyone can buy himself Raspberry Pi or Arduino and try to create his own robot with a gun or a simple grip to bring slippers. And let people still actively frighten the tales of SkyNet, if you have the knowledge and free time, sometimes you want to create your own unique robot.
Games
Those who do not like to touch the iron have their own interests. Gambling, and now this is officially a sport - one of them. You can take the time to go laid by the developers of the plot to 100%, or you can create your own game in the game. Graphic and code editors for both individual games and general for the engine are no longer some unique tools that are used only by game developers themselves. Everyone can get them and customize their favorite game as soon as their heart desires. And then share with a huge audience.
Programmatic competitions
In addition, there are games that allow you to develop programming skills and even entire contests that will require you not so much to deep knowledge as just the ability to express an idea into algorithms. And this can be as simple local contests, as well as international Hakaton with a prize of several tens of thousands of dollars. In general, to combine knowledge and excitement, and at the same time to find new friends, programming will help you.
Help in the main job
Not entirely a hobby, but in your main activity, various add-ons and applications that minimize the typical computer activity or the number of unforced errors can certainly come in handy. It can be a database processing system, scripts that accelerate interaction with the OS, a generator of explanatory notes. In addition, programming can help reduce costs for professionals. For example, if you are a photographer, host of events or organizing events, you can independently cover your work on the Internet. In today's world, there are fewer and fewer professions that are not connected with computers, which means that programming skills invariably enter the must-have section.
Profile hobby
And of course programming can become your hobby, which formally will be your second profession. Formally - as a hobby often loses its appeal when it moves into the field of financial and legal relations. That's why, if you equally value your main job and programmer leisure - money and the number of orders should be on the sidelines.