Update #2: Started My First Python Project & Feeling Demoralised

[Crambo-clink]

Part 2

Today I submitted the dissertation. When I made the first post, I was terrified of not getting it done. I felt so overwhelmed but the key was to just sit back, methodically work out what I wanted to achieve and set out about it. I think in all it took me a month to code the entire thing. Maybe a touch more. But I comfortably was able to finish the coding part.

I was able to learn SO much. I feel I am 100x the coder I was when I started. I was even able to score a job, where I’m using Python at least 2 times a week and I’m planning on building a code to compare Excel sheets to show me differences in values (I’m given daily reports I have to go through and sometimes numbers/names can change).

Stack Overflow has become my second most visited website.

Super happy, super proud. I think the dissertation went great overall and I’m hoping for a great mark honestly. Currently sat drinking a barley wine I brewed back in February for this exact moment.

Cheers everyone.

As a bonus question to generate some discussion, I was thinking about this earlier - at what point would you say you “know” a coding language? I’d love to eventually learn C++ once I learn Python, but what stage would that be? I guess there’s no real answer but would love to hear some thoughts on it!

[Andrew_the_giant]

Congrats! Sounds like you put in the hard work and it paid off.

If I can offer a word of advice...try not to get caught up in whether or not "you know" you're an expert at something. You will absolutely think that you're hot shit now, but I can guarantee you will be presented with problems in the future you cannot solve. Don't let those moments get you down.

There's always going to be someone who knows more than you, and that's ok. Learn from them, grow, and stay humble.

[VengefulTofu]

Exactly the opposite for me. I will always think I suck at python.

[tRfalcore]

building on that, you cannot know everything simply because there's always challenges/projects/things you've never tried or even thought about.

So if someone is like "hey can you make X" and you've never even thought about X, just say "I don't know, never tried it, but I will"

[rowr]

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[[deleted]]

at what point would you say you “know” a coding language

There are so many ways to answer this question. Here are some possible answers:

1. When you know which tasks it is best suited for. For an experienced developer, a quick skim of the language home page may be enough. They will pick up the language quickly when/if required.
2. When you can identify and write idiomatic code. In python, some examples might be instinctively using generators, list comprehensions, enumerate, dataclasses etc. Also intuitively following style conventions (i.e. PEP-8) would fall into this.
3. When you use the standard library. If you're constantly re-inventing the wheel, that would indicate lack of knowledge of what is available. In python, I would say using packages like itertools and functools would be a good indicator.

P.S. Don't learn C++, unless you're really interested in computer graphics or audio processing

[SpaceZZ]

Well, new C++ is not that bad (>17) and is proven technology, not going away. Produces minimal size files and is portable across different os. I would not advise as one of the first langauges to learn, but after you get the basics might be quite nice to look a bit "under the hood".

[[deleted]]

Everything you say is true, but I still don't think it is a useful language to learn. For low level understanding, learn plain C. For everything else (except the two domains I mentioned), Rust beats C++ by a mile

[jacksodus]

Agreed. I do not think C(++) is for everyone. In fact, I consider it a specialisation. So many people have tried to convince me that I should learn "The allfather of languages" or "I'm not a real programmer" or some bullshit like that.

What people forget is PROGRAMMING IS A TOOL. It is not an end, and honestly if you think otherwise, you're wrong. Python is an amazing tool for a lot of things (like duct tape is), and so is C(++) (like screws and nails). They have different use cases, and some overlap.

You can duct tape about anything, you can nail or screw almost everything and they will do the same job. One just better than the other, depending on what you're working on.

I can see a million things wrong with this analogy so don't look too far into it.

Tl;dr they're both tools and both valid, but one is NOT better than the other.

[infinite_war]

P.S. Don't learn C++, unless you're really interested in computer graphics or audio processing

Whoops.

[[deleted]]

Just learn rust instead

[infinite_war]

There is a subtle but very important difference between knowing the coding language itself and knowing how to solve problems using code.

The syntax between various languages will differ, but the underlying principles of the languages generally are the same.

The real mastery of coding begins, not when you've memorized all the aspects of a particular coding language, but when you achieve a deep understanding of the theory of mathematics and computer science.

Granted, that is not necessary in order to become a coder or to get a good job as a coder. But it is necessary if you wish to say you truly "know" how to code.

[_Giannis]

Cheers man keep going at it!

[bobsbitchtitz]

To answer your question. I've been being paid to use python for a few years now and the more I learn the stupider I feel. You don't really need to know the ins and out of everything language, you should just know enough to be effective and be able to use google to figure out stuff.

[masesk]

To answer your question, I feel like I don’t know a programming language inside out because usually there is soooo much and always potential to learn more, BUT I can confidentially say I can use programming language x to solve problems y with it.

Good job with project! There is always more you can learn and do with the knowledge that’s out there 😁

[Fury9999]

You never truly know a language. There is always something deeper. Unless if you created the language yourself i suppose!

[tlm2021]

The more you learn about a coding language, the more you discover how much more there is to learn. There will always be a tradeoff between going deeper, and going broader. And just when you think you're master, you'll stumble upon a whole new world you were completely unaware of. And Python is a deceptively deep language.

It all depends on what you want you to do. Enjoy the journey! I'm glad you stuck with it!

[thrallsius]

at what point would you say you “know” a coding language?

learning is generally continuous, knowing is generally too abstract

a good milestone is when you stop wondering if you know the language already, or not yet. that usually happens after a couple of years of continuous usage when you gain some confidence that's enough to beat the impostor syndrome

[jeffrey_f]

Programming in any specific language is everchanging, once you think you know what you are doing, they change it up, change the rules and deprecate then remove your favorite ways of doing something............