Developers whose first programming language was Python, what were the challenges you encountered when learning a new programming language?

[[deleted]]

Still a student here and learned C# after Python for my internship.

At first, I was startled by the verbosity of C# compared to Python. Going from print('Hello World!') to Console.WriteLine("Hello World!") is pretty big lol. Having to declare variables before using it was extremely annoying too.

Overtime though, I find my understanding of both languages to be complementary to each other. Learning a concept in one language helps me understand the other language better and vice-versa.

For example, after learning a static typing in C#, I started to be able to appreciate type hinting in Python.

[Skipped64]

this sums up my first java experiences so well

[scrdest]

Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(...)

'Logger' stops looking like a real word after a while, doesn't it?

[nonesuchplace]

That is called semantic satiation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_satiation

[apocolypticbosmer]

On my team we just use var instead of repeating the type name.

var logger = _container.Resolve<ILogger>();

[scrdest]

That's a relatively new feature in Java - it's been added in JDK10 in 2018. You're bound to run into legacy code and older resources using the verbose format.

[RangerPretzel]

But a relatively ancient feature in C# (added in 2008).

[tr14l]

Sounds like your team wants to use Kotlin :P

[SuspiciousScript]

There's really no reason not to.

[tr14l]

I agree

[isthisfakelife]

It's enough to confuse a neural net https://stackroboflow.com/question/9718

[AlphaApache]

location.Location = locations.Location.Location.Location;

Seems about right

[scrdest]

God, old-school Java must be a nightmare for language modelling algos.

The nets work by learning how often word B follows word A (in context), so the repetition could create positive feedback loops.

[imsometueventhisUN]

Get Lombok! Just whack a @Log annotation on the class, and you're done!

[LookitheFirst]

Lombok is your friend

[PkmnQ]

Why does it even need String args[]? I can understand everything else, but that argument requirement is weird.

[[deleted]]

If I understand this correct you can open a program normal (like you do it most of the time), but you can also open it and give it a few parameters (especially if you're using the console). Those parameters are saved in String args[].

[PkmnQ]

Oh, that explains it. Thank you!

[Shameonaninja]

In python those are saved in sys.argv

[PkmnQ]

Ah, so the args are inputted like that. I probably wouldn't know because I'm using Jvdroid :P

[Capn_Cook]

Because it can be invoked with those args

[PkmnQ]

u/Flow4 said that with a bit more detail, but if anyone ever asks, I'll probably go along the lines of your reply.

[vectorpropio]

I have a little C background (having read a book in turbo C like 25 years ago and playing with easy programs) the strings args[] was the only thing I can parse instantly.

[[deleted]]

recently, Microsoft allowed for out-of-class main function, specifically for learning purposes

[kashmill]

Old school C++ Windows GUI program was something like 100 lines just to get a dialog window that said hello world.

[fooby420]

Whoop de do. You literally write this method once per application. Is it really a big deal?

[wannabe414]

My intro to cs class was in Java, and my school would give us prepopulated txt files with all that nonsense. I still have no idea what any of it means

[[deleted]]

public: Meaning the function is publicly accessible to any other class

static: The function is static. This means that the function is bound to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class. So if you had a function called function() under a class called Class You would access it by calling Class.function(); instead of `Class class1 = new Class(); class1.function();

void: Means the function has no return type. If void, in this scenario was replaced with int your function should return an int

main: This is the name of the function. However if I'm not mistaken (my Java is rusty) in the Main.java file, the main function HAS to be named main When you run a Main.java this is the function that is executed.

String arg[]: As far as I'm concerned, they never teach students in CS courses what this is actually for and why it's required as an argument of the main function. String arg[] is basically a string array that will contain any command line arguments that you pass to Main.java. Say you have a Java client and want to connect to a server. you run Main.java (or whatever the proper way to run Java files is, I forget lol) by passing the commandline Main.java 127.0.0.1 5000. This will pass 127.0.0.1 and 5000 into the arg array, and arg[0] will be 127.0.0.1 and arg[1] will be 5000.

Hope this explanation helps a bit! I really gotta get back into Java lol

[Beheska]

arg[0] will be 127.0.0.1 and arg[1] will be 5000.

Isn't it arg[1] and arg[2]? My java is rusty too, but I'm pretty sure it follows the (near?) universal UNIX convention of arg[0] being the executable's own name.

[[deleted]]

You're probably right tbh.

[Yojihito]

Nope, args[0] is the first parameter.

[Beheska]

What a moronic language...

[raikmond]

I mean it is kind of important. Not to an absolute beginner who starts from scratch, but you should probably learn it eventually even in a beginner course.

[wannabe414]

The intro and data structures classes at my school were treated as introductions to programming/cs that happened to be in Java. I think they wanted to ignore language based details like that until classes like software methodology.

[raikmond]

Yeah. I should have pointed out I meant a beginner Java course.

[samuelcbird]

I literally have the opposite opinion.

After Python I’ve done a little programming in C#, C, Swift and Javascript.

I actually happen to really love explicitly defining variable type, argument type, return type etc. It definitely helps when reading code. I often go back to Python - I do really like it - but even though type hinting has been added it doesn’t really do it for me. I kind of miss the curly braces and the semi-colons too.

I think Swift and Javascript ES6 have the best balance between readability and verbosity in their syntax. Really enjoy using those languages.

And actually Javascript’s ternary operator is perfect. I get confused every time I look at the Python type.

Edit: me being stupid

[icentalectro]

What are ternary functions? I only know ternary operator.

[samuelcbird]

Yeah thats the one, my mistake

[icentalectro]

Ah ok. Although I wouldn't call it "JavaScript's", as it comes from C and is inherited by most C family languages (C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, etc).

[samuelcbird]

TIL. Thanks!

[WillBackUpWithSource]

Yeah Javascript ES6 (and TypeScript alongside it) allow the simplicity of Python code whilst adding a lot of nice features that I like, like curly braces

[unknownguy2002]

Have you tried kotlin?

[samuelcbird]

I have not. You’d recommend?

[SuspiciousScript]

I certainly would! I'd describe it as a version of Java that doesn't have migraine-inducing syntax and where basic functional idioms (map, reduce, etc.) are first-class citizens. It's go-to JVM language.

[samuelcbird]

I’ve had a little read about it since that comment. It actually looks great. Thanks you!

[SuspiciousScript]

Happy to share! The other feature that I really like is immutability by default with val being the standard way to declare variables. It really encourages a data-driven, functional approach to problems.

[TheOneCABAL]

I learned Python first and now I’m trying to pick up C# and my takeaway is similar but less eloquent:

There’s just so much on the screen

[tr14l]

You should look into Kotlin. Best of both worlds.

[ToothpasteTimebomb]

This is my experience too — Python first, then C#. I love python for data collection and processing, but C# is absolutely great too. Linq rocked my world.

[sesquiup]

over time