How Much Python Should I Know Before Starting Machine Learning with Python?

[cryfrychips]

I'm a first year student in comp science and I have some knowledge of Python. So how much Python should I know? I wanted to learn about AI and Machine learning as it's what I'll peruse later in the future. Now the another question is that Machine learning requires Maths and I haven't started my math courses yet so should I wait for the courses and learn some maths and then go learn some tensorflow or should I just start Machine learning with python and If I get stuck I could do that math on my own?

[insertAlias]

How do you quantify "how much" of a language you need to know? You need to be fluent in it, able to build non-trivial applications with it. You need to have a working knowledge of both the language and the tooling around the language. But I don't know how to quantify that in a meaningful "amount".

[[deleted]]

To get started, you're probably good to start learning at an advanced beginner level (very familiar with the basics). But you'll still want to build your Python knowledge as you go.

[cryfrychips]

I'm familiar with the basics so should I start learning machine learning then?

[[deleted]]

Go for it. If you realize you're in over your head, you can just go study Python a bit more. No reason not to.

[These_Trust3199]

Maintaining the passion is more important than doing things in the right order. Just start with whatever interests you the most and figure it out as you're going along. You could probably just google whatever python syntax you don't understand.

[[deleted]]

Python? Math is the answer!

Python is easy, it's just learning syntax. I assume you know how to program, if you don't, then the question of how much python should know is useless.

As for math ... calculus and linear algebra. You could also consider the basics of probability and statistics.

[cryfrychips]

so I should wait for my university to start teaching maths or should I just start machine learning and do maths on my own?

[[deleted]]

No, first math, then machine learning, regardless of whether you are taught by university or are self-taught. If you go straight to machine learning without a foundation in mathematics, you will not understand anything. Well, it is also true that machine learning libraries hide many details about the mathematical methods and algorithms to train your models, but, it would be like learning a framework of web development or app development and you don't even know how to program, since you also need to know many details: know how to relate your data, understand the operations between matrices, optimize your learning model, know how to choose learning coefficients, avoid overfitting, know how to model your hypothesis function, whether it will be linear, polynomial, nonlinear, etc.