Uh-oh! We have many old geezers here--myself included--who are far from the stereotypical tech-clueless older person. In fact, we have varying decades of experience with things like Linux programming. Don't assume that 55+ equals clueless. 
Mostly by trial and error, a lot of reading, and having the desire to learn. So plunge in! When you're stuck on something or don't understand a response, just ask. No one here looks down on beginners. After all, we were all beginners at one time.
The average user doesn't need to understand or use the developer settings. Those settings are mainly for testing purposes for app developers and the manufacturer of the phone to test android. As an app developer you're only gonna use a small portion of those settings.
Thank you for not making me feel like a complete idiot. You said "lots of reading" exactly what should I start reading. Again thank u for the advice and kind demeanorWelcome to Android Forums, Bashbee!
I'm a little confused. Your subject, "How to become a legit developer," implies that you're interested in becoming an app developer. But then you say, "I just want to be able to understand and use the developer settings in my phone." Do you mean Developer Options in System Settings? Or do you actually want to develop apps?
Mostly by trial and error, a lot of reading, and having the desire to learn. So plunge in! When you're stuck on something or don't understand a response, just ask. No one here looks down on beginners. After all, we were all beginners at one time.
Aw, you're welcome!
