The hotly debated topic that anybody can learn to code is always seems to devolve into a definitional or even epistemological argument to the point of being valueless. But I like to think about it like this:

Anybody can learn to code in the same way anybody can learn to drive. The most rudimentary of searches for 'dash cam fails' should provide some valuable context for the practical implications of this.

I don't really understand why it is a debate to begin with. Anybody can learn to code and anybody can be good at coding. It may take some doing, but eventually they will be if they are up for it. There are also good and bad drivers and most of the bad ones aren't really interested in driving, but it may be a daily necessity.

Not saying that "everybody can be good at everything given practice", but lets get off our high devHorses here.

This "debate" is another example of...

No, not everyone can learn coding. It's hard to imagine for devs, but a lot of people totally lack the capability of the required logical and analytical thinking.

Driving is not rocket science, especially in places like the US and Canada where almost all vehicles are automatic. Paying attention on the road, however, seems to be rocket science to a good deal of people.

there's been research done, if i remember correctly, along with a test "can you learn programming?" having been developed.

the point of the test (and the answer to the question) is in whether a person is capable of forming consistent abstract mental models.

it discovered that around 50% of population can't.

writing code is not the same as programming. the first is typing commands. the second is writing code that behaves the way i want it to, and gives the results i want it to give.

the first can be learned by anyone in the same way as african tribes learned to build runways and planes.

the second requires the ability to create consistent mental models, therefore it cannot be learned by anyone.

(2/2)
also, from my personal experience as an occasional programming teacher, i have noticed that for some people the idea that THEY have to COME UP WITH A SOLUTION/ALGORITHM ON THEIR OWN, from their own mind, instead of there being some bulletpoint list of "do this to solve your problem", is... very hard (sometimes impossible) to grasp, let alone to put in practice.

it took me a ling time to understand and to be able to accept that no, those people aren't just lazy/willfully stupid, but they really actually can't do that mode of thinking, it's completely foreign to them.

you wouldn't ssay that anyone can learn maths behind quantum mechanics, because of course. it is well known that some people just can't learn to sing (because they don't hear pitch), because of course.

so why are you trying to convince people that programming is special, in not having any requirements on person's (partially genetic) abilities?

For gods sake folks..We need to get away from notion of saying you are a programmer or know how to program just because you rememberized syntax. And get how to combine shit to get things to work. OR even the notion that you are a programmer but can’t program your self out of a bag if you don’t have an ide with intellisense.

The point is “programming” is not all about syntax the actual code or what not.. the maybe it’s a confusion between the word, usage as a career, and action verb and other use cases.

Personally I hate the term programming as it opens to the door up for too much. I tend to use the term Software Engineer not to be prudent but the reason being is less than 30% of the daily routine is actually the action of “programming” .. most of the day is spent thinking, brainstorming, documenting, reviewing, whitebording, designing, architecting and reading.

The skill of “programming” that is missed by most and why I call it Software Engineering is the comprehension of all the things together understanding the why and how to solve the problem.... not just doing things like a cargo cult because you saw it work somewhere else.

So sure anyone can learn and do the action of typing on the keyboard of keywords and logical operations that gets something to function..... but not everyone can engineer a solution from the ground up.. start to finish... from idea all the way through to production. That is the difference... that is why I say horseshit to anyone saying ohhh I’m a programmer cuz I wrote one small program or a few scripts.. or the notion of “anyone can program”
HORSESHIT! HORSESHIT! HORSESHIT! Anyone can type on a keyboard yes.

Beyond that takes a certain mindset and way of thinking to be successful period.