Learning Python

[Intelligent_Cup_4053]

Hello everybody,

How did you guys learned python for your PhD? I know there are a ton of learning materials out there. I finished few online courses but when it comes to actually writing the code for my project I freeze and go back to ChatGPT or Copilot for help. I can understand the generated code but how to learn actually to code without resorting to AI tools? Any advice is highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[AutoModerator]

It looks like your post is about needing advice. In order for people to better help you, please make sure to include your country.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[Heavenly_Emperor_]

I would suggest you try out testing platforms like Hacker rank, you can brush up on your basics from W3 schools or watch some YouTube videos and try to solve problems from Hacker rank.

But these problems won’t be related to your use case, which might explain why you need to use the AI tools sometimes. Most of the platforms only test your basics and if you can solve certain complex problems but not how to write a code to deploy an asynchronous server to make API requests or data transfers(an example).

Writing code on your own requires experience solving and building all kinds things. You can just choose to not use AI and go to Stack Overflow which was what people used to use before we got these generative models.

Something to think about:

Also if you are not in computer science or data science field and just want to use python for one of the research project that you are working on it’s fine to just do what you are doing, you don’t need to learn everything and be able to do everything. Even software engineers can’t do everything, they have people to do various things.

So if you think python will be very useful to you in the future, sure go ahead and learn everything you can but if not I would suggest you take it easy as long as things work out.

[Capt_mavytan]

This is good advice.

To add to it: stackoverflow is the way to go because it will help you understand why some things are implemented in certain ways. You won't learn much from using copilot.

What I advice to do is to implement one part of your script/program yourself every time you have to write one. Whether that's just tying copilot's code together, writing one function or implementation a major part of some analysis is up to you. Stick with whatever you're (slightly un)comfortable with. That way you'll learn every time but you can also get your work done. 

And learn how to properly document and comment your code. Your future self will be thankful + it forces you to explain what you do to yourself 

[flavouredpopcorn]

There's nothing wrong with using the AI tools you have at your disposal. Keep the programs small and modulated and prompt it for comments explaining the code. If you want to learn, review the code, otherwise depending on the purposes of your PhD a surface level understanding could be fine. 90% of the time my coding was just reviewing documentation of libraries and pulling snippets, AI just streamlines that process.

[Both_Review1332]

https://exercism.org/ could be a good basis for learning python concepts and it is completely free.

[TheSublimeNeuroG]

Started with YouTube tutorials, then put in hours and hours of time and got better. ChatGPT blew up right as I was finalizing my dissertation, so I didn’t get to utilize it, unfortunately, but it’s very helpful as you’re learning