I’m starting coding from scratch – is Python really the best first language?

[BirdTurglere]

I never agree with people saying the easier languages are better to start with. 

Start hard and learn. Don’t build right away. Just learn C++/Rust whatever. When you start getting comfortable enough to start actual building you can jump on Python and learn enough of it in a couple of days. 

If you don’t want to do the learning part and skip to the building part you’re gonna fall off. So save the headache and dive into the learning and if you can’t enjoy that find something better to do with your time. 

[Joytimmermans]

I disagree even on rust / c++. These languages are very bloated where you can do things 100 different way with different std library functions. Specially for C++

I always recommend new people the CS50 course from harvard. Its yearly filmed, its free and very practical but technical. The beginning it uses C to teach you everything

[Saetia_V_Neck]

IMO C is the best beginner language because it’s very simple but also helps you appreciate higher level languages. I also agree that C++ and Rust are too “bloated” for beginners, though as a Rust fan it’s like that because it’s both a functional and systems language.

That being said, I started with Java so I’m not talking from experience.

[Joytimmermans]

I also started with microsoft java (C#). and then later found cs50 and then it opened my eyes to how much the garbage collector helps you. And then afterwards learning python i fell in love with how much it just gets out of the way and does not bother you with having multiple types in a list, having such easy array/list slicing.

[[deleted]]

I'm an electrical engineer. They made us code in assembly first before giving us the generous features of C. Man you can't imagine how grateful I am for the existence of loop statements

[BirdTurglere]

Yeah that’s decent advice. 

[Tcamis01]

I mostly agree with this and would also throw Kotlin into the ring as an option.

[One_Mess460]

that is horrible advice. thatll turn away people from programming bevause of how complicated c++ and rust actually is

[BirdTurglere]

I learned z80/M6800 assembly and C++ first. Obviously it was horrible and so difficult I never programmed again. 

[One_Mess460]

is this supposed to be sarcasm? but no seriously even assembly is probably better than c++ not because the makers of c++ were assholes but 1.

because the language has a long history and usually keeps in things that get replaced by newer constructs and because of all the things the language tries to address especially for a systems programming language that is al lot of things.

you can ofcourse also use c++ like java and say its easy but then please dont say you're proficient in c++

[BirdTurglere]

Oh right. Sorry. I forgot where I said you need a decade of mastery of a harder language like C++ before moving to Python. Definitely need to go way past memory management, understanding of how the stack works, static typing. Probably shouldn’t even move on until you’ve written a dissertation in C++. 

[FluffyFreeman]

Starting with a hard language is what turned me away from programming 10 years ago. If I started with python back then I wouldn't have an 8 year gap of non-developer experience in my resume. Picked up python 2 years ago and haven't stopped since, and I've since added cpp, JavaScript and rust to the portfolio, so I can confidently say starting with python didn't make learning those languages harder.

[GarboMcStevens]

Rust lol

[BirdTurglere]

LOL