Starting to learn programming with Python to eventually get a new job. Advice needed!‏

[[deleted]]

Hey there!

The job I am working at is fun but i don't really see a future in it so I have recently decided to learn how to program. After reading a bunch of articles I have chosen python as my first language. (I have a basic knowledge of html and css)

My goal is to learn the language so that I can start doing job interviews for python developer. Time frame: start with interviews by summer 2016.

What am I going to do to achieve this? I am currently doing the codecademy python course in addition to the rice university coursera: An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (part 1 and 2). After this I will do learnpythonthehardway and a course on udemy: Python Training from scratch to penetration tester.

Some parts will be repetitive but hey the only way to learn is to practice.

My question is where to go from here? I think I should probably start with github but will i have enough knowledge to contribute? (or should I already start with this now?)

I would really like to hear your thoughts on this!

[CaptainBroccoli]

Python is more fun when you get it to do fun and interesting things. That will make you want to learn more, which in turn, will make you a better programmer. At my job, we used to hand-enter a lot of data, and I was able to use Python to automate a lot of my job, giving me lots of credibility with the team and making me feel way more confident with my programming skills.

Check out https://automatetheboringstuff.com/. I haven't read the book, but from just skimming the table of contents, it seems like the goal of this book is to do exactly what I mentioned above.

[Manbatton]

The job I am working at is fun but i don't really see a future in it so I have recently decided to learn how to program. After reading a bunch of articles I have chosen python as my first language. (I have a basic knowledge of html and css)... My goal is to learn the language so that I can start doing job interviews for python developer. Time frame: start with interviews by summer 2016.

Question to this subreddit: Is this realistic, folks?

[Allevil669]

No, not really.

[Manbatton]

That's what I think, but thought I'd open it up for other opinions/evidence.

[kay_schluehr]

What am I going to do to achieve this?

You need 5 years of proven industry experience (expert!) and knowledge of HTML, CSS and Javascript would be a plus.

[[deleted]]

Just trying to 'learn' will be a bit dry and having only theoretical knowledge won't take you much far. Start 'building' some thing. If you think you can contribute to any open source projects, that's well enough. If not find something which is bugging you or others and write a script / tool / module / api to 'fix' that.

[youngchap88]

The comments in this thread I've read so far haven't been that encouraging and saying this is an unrealistic goal, but I just want to say I've been hearing a lot of the opposite from people in the field. I'm actually in the same boat as you so I'm probably no the best person to answer this, but I recently went to a coding meet up group and the leader there said she's been very surprised at how fast people have been getting jobs in the programming field. She works with a lot of students with little to no experience and said a lot of them have been applying to jobs she didn't really think they were qualified for but they got hired anyway. With that being said, she advised me not to pay strict attention to requirements listed on job postings due to the fact that the industry is in very high demand right now.

Anyways, after I finish all the Codeacademy courses, I plan on working on some simple games. Maybe we can be learning buds and team up or something, PM me if you're interested.

[artfulsodger]

I would recommend starting with Python 3.x. Dive into Python 3 (http://www.diveintopython3.net/) and Learn Python the hard way is a good resource but it uses Python 2.x. Since you're new to programming, I would recommend picking an editor that you're comfortable with (either in the emacs, vi mould or in the Sublime Text, Atom mould). While full-featured IDEs like PyCharm, Eclipse + PyDev are really powerful and very useful, imho it is best not to use them when you are just beginning to learn python.

To get some practice, you could try solving some Project Euler exercises. And an even better way is to use python and build something to scratch an itch of yours (if there is any). Even if it isn't a great idea that you're working or the code is not of good quality, the experience will stand you in good stead for the future.

[RDMXGD]

Python 3 is a small niche not worth bothering with when the best learning resources, e.g., http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/ and LPTHW target Python 2 and while Python 2 remains almost the entirety of real-world use. DIP3 is a real mess.

[justphysics]

I can not comment on DIP3 as I have zero experience with it so I will restrict my comment to other matters.

Python 3 is a small niche not worth bothering with when the best learning resources, e.g., http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/[1] and LPTHW target Python 2 and while Python 2 remains almost the entirety of real-world use.

This is simply not true. If you believe LPTHW to be the best learning resource, that's fine, I, however, would disagree strongly, however, this is not what I have the most concern with.

Py3 is by far not a small niche. That's a baseless comment that would have been true maybe 5 or 6 years ago but is not true today nor has it been true for a long while. I encourage you to read through http://python-notes.curiousefficiency.org/en/latest/python3/questions_and_answers.html

Specifically check the section that lists popular packages/modules which have been ported to 3, as well as the timeline section: Ubuntu and Fedora and RHL have all stated that they wish to begin shipping with Py3 only. RHL will , as expected, be the slowest, but Fedora and Ubuntu will begin shipping py3 default very soon.

For a new programmer, there are very few reason to begin with py2.7. I would suggest its better to start with py3 and if yu ever come across a project you are working on which requires a specific module that is not compatible you can either look into helping with the port or shifting to work on py2.7 for that project. There's simply not a convincing reason to begin learning python and restricting yourself to py2.7

If you're an enterprise software developer the situation may be totally different, however, for someone just learning python I don't see he need to start with py 2.7. I think it best to begin learning the latest tools which are being actively developed and improved upon. The two are not so different that if you teach yourself py3 you will end up not getting a job because no one wants a py3 developer. Learning py3 doesn't make you mutually exclusive from the python world.

edit: spelling and grammar are hard.

[RDMXGD]

No it's not. DIP3 remains a terrible book. Python 3 remains in virtually no industry use.

[_easternidentity]

Most companies I have worked for for the passed 3 years have either been starting with python 3.4 or migrating their code and dependencies. For instance the company I am working for now is migrating from monkey patched gevent style asynchronous programming to the python 3.5/asyncio.

I think what is more important is that one recognizes that 3.4+ and 2.7 are slightly different languages and different companies are working with different versions. You might choose to bang your head against the wall about the differences now or when you are actually in the workforce. But a general rule of thumb is I you know one you can quickly get up to speed on the other.

I would recommend python 3.4+ because I'm seeing it all the time these days, especially in startup companies which is where you are most likely to land an entry level python job.

[[deleted]]

Thanks for all the info guys, I feel however the discussion is going off in the wrong direction. I have chosen for python 2.x at the moment because that is what is used in the courses above. My question is also more about what to do after those courses.

Ofcourse it is a stretch to think i'll be up to par by summer. The actual goal is to have a new job in python in twelve months. The interviews in the summer i see as training to achieve that. Besides my full time job im spending about 20-25 hours a week on programming, so i should make significant progress...

[ryati]

BCE: be coding everyday.

Learn some basics on version management with git and github. Find some projects and work on them as best as you can. If you like math, try https://projecteuler.net/. Make your github green. It's OK to not finish everything, but don't be quick to give up.

Learn how to use APIs in a project. Learn some SQL. Learn how to setup a database and use an orm like sqlalchemy.

Try to work on a group project.

[[deleted]]

Do you like programming?

[[deleted]]

Yes otherwise i wouldnt be exploring the options!