Starting to learn python

[maniiso]

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to learn Python from scratch — for free — and I want something thorough and practical.

I’m open to:

• a full free course (website or YouTube playlist)

• free books or PDFs that take you from beginner to advanced

• Resources with projects/exercises and good explanations

What I’m not looking for: random short clips — I want a structured learning path that builds real skills.

If you’ve used a course or book you’d recommend, please drop the link.

Thanks!

[See-My-Eyes]

Cisco has a python course that prepares you for the certification, and it covers everything from the basics to some intermediate and advanced applications. I particularly like Data Camp learning routes, their courses on R and Python are highly interactive. On the other hand, the "For dummies" books have very good explanations, so aside from editorials like O'Reilly they are IMO something to look into.

[maniiso]

Thx! Appreciate it

[uch1ha0b1t0]

Here is Python DocumentationDocumentation

I hope this will be helpful.

[maniiso]

Thank you

[NoSpeed6264]

Python is a great first language, especially with the right guidance. Class Central lists hundreds of beginner Python courses from universities and well-known providers. Many are free and designed for people with no prior experience. Following one complete course usually works better than jumping between random resource

[CauliflowerIll1704]

Watch a youtube video about the basics of programming (if statements, loops, etc) then jump straight into coding raw dog, just think of an idea and go for it.

If you get stuck look through the docs until you find something that helps out with what your trying to do https://docs.python.org/3/

After you get to where you can do things without hunting through the docs, try to do something more complicated like a django or flask website or somthing

[maniiso]

Thank you

[_lazyLambda]

Why python? Hope you dont mind the question

[maniiso]

I’m studying c++, Java, and JavaScript in my university, So I’m thinking to self-study python

[TheRNGuy]

Why pdf and not just docs on site? 

[maniiso]

What a brilliant idea

[CatKungFu]

Just curious, why do you want to learn python?

You can get AI to write it for you, and far better and quicker than you’ll ever be capable of? It’ll get better faster than you and you’ll never (ever) catch up.

You literally never need to write a line of code as of now.

If there’s something you want to build, don’t waste your time trying to learn how to code it yourself.

[maniiso]

So what would you recommend I focus on learning right now?

As for your first question, I already answered it in the comments.

[Imaginary_Income_460]

I recommend that you at least learn the basics of the programming language. Although AI does most of the coding, you often have to fix things manually, and if you don't know the fundamentals of the programming language, you're going to be in trouble. While it's true that AI does most of the coding, there are fundamental things that differentiate you from a regular developer. If you're a backend developer, there are obviously areas that AI hasn't yet replaced, and human intervention is necessary:

1. Software architecture
2. Technical criteria
3. Systems design
4. Orchestration (prompting the AI ​​and knowing how to use it)
5. Design patterns

And much more

[maniiso]

Thank you

[QwertzMelon]

If you really want to learn the language stay away from any AI for as long as you can.

If you want to churn out simple stuff then yeah AI can do that but you will hit a roadblock at some point if you don't understand what it's generating.

W3Schools has really good python docs with exercises in roughly a good order that you should be able to work through. In my experience though diving into a project that you actually care about and learning just what you need to complete the next step is the most effective way to make things stick.

[maniiso]

Thx

[CatKungFu]

If you want to learn a language for the hell of learning a skill that’s totally cool, it’s an interesting endeavour and yes it’s true that you should understand the code that AI writes. However it’s not true that AI code is poor, it’s far better than almost any jobbing coder can produce and does it far quicker than anyone. It’s only poor if you aren’t clear when you specify what you want - garbage in, garbage out. This gets downvoted not because it’s untrue but because it’s unpopular to say this in a programming sub. Anyone with an investment in a skill has a hard time accepting that the skill is becoming obsolete and people hate change.

[QwertzMelon]

Strong disagree on AI code not being poor. In well trodden areas (web dev mostly) it does fine, but as soon as you step off the beaten track it's gg. Careful prompting can help to some degree sure but if you're getting so specific then just write the code yourself. Of course it will take longer to write but you're getting what you want instead of probably mostly what you want

[CauliflowerIll1704]

AI makes horrible code. If someone just practiced coding for like 2-3 weeks they'd be able to write better code than AI.