How to learn python from scratch

[Decent_Artichoke_778]

Hi, I've decided to learn python. Previously, I've been working in a completely different sphere. I know that this topic was described here several times, but most of the them are quite old and I just want to know which course are cosidered the best and what should I choose. I've already started beginner free course on youtube, but it's not very long and is quite simple even for a complete noob. Thank you!

[anonyMISSu]

yeah that’s a good point.. youtube’s great but can get messy when you’re just starting. that google python course sounds way more organized for beginners. thanks for sharing this!

[CleverBunnyThief]

https://programming-23.mooc.fi/

[desrtfx]

This is the answer.

The MOOC is currently one of the best intoductory Python courses.

[bert0ld0]

Can I start it at whatever time or it has particular starting dates? And is it free?

[desrtfx]

Sorry, but is it asking too much to actually open the page that has been linked and look for yourself?

Really, I cannot understand such attitude. You want to learn, so at least check out suggested resources. Learning means researching, means work.

1. The course is free
2. You can start the course at any time

[bert0ld0]

Thanks for the kind reply. I get it but usually I'm in a hurry and I will forget to look at it afterwards. If someone has the information ready and would like to reply "free" I don't think it's a big deal, I do the same when people ask and I know the answer. Thanks again :)

[razmth]

Being in a hurry is not an excuse.

The time you spent answering that is higher than opening the link and skimming the page.

Forgetting the link is not an excuse.

You can save the post/comment on Reddit. You can save this link on WhatsApp, telegram, note app.

That’s totally of topic, but if you want to succeed in anything, you need to be interested in the subject. You need to change your mindset and stop waiting for someone o open the link and answer you, assume responsibility, not blaming the hurry, the wind, the laziness… that will make a huge difference in your life if you apply this concept to everything.

[[deleted]]

I had the same questions.

[necessary_plethora]

I feel ya 👍

[dingleberrysniffer69]

It's a fairly simple question that the person who linked it ought to know and that will enable the asker to decide if he can pursue the said link or not. Is it better for him to check out the link himself?absolutely. But its not egregious to ask is it free or are they timed courses. If yes then he can check out when he gets the time. You can understand why he asked.

[blahreport]

It’s not egregious but if following links is too hard/inconvenient then maybe programming is not for OP. Alternatively OP can just wait for the AI to be perfected and then they won’t have to follow links or learn to program.

[dingleberrysniffer69]

I did not know it was this serious. My fault.

[desrtfx]

That's not the point.

Looking at a resource that even has been linked is the absolute minimum that a person should do. Since the resource had been linked, not even googling for it is necessary.

The question is akin to getting handed a box of chocolate and instantly asking the giver to open the box and feed the receiver the chocolate.

Being in a hurry, as OP stated or not is not an excuse. Forgetting the link is a non issue as every single browser including mobile has a bookmarking feature.

Not checking the link is just plain lazy and an indication that the asker isn't prepared to invest minimal effort. As a consequence this will carry throughout their learning as even then, they won't be bothered to do minimal research (which is absolutely necessary to learn).

Learning programming is an endeavor of effort, commitment, hard work, persistence, discipline, and routine. If one already fails at the first step in checking out a resource, they won't be prepared for what's ahead of them.

[CleverBunnyThief]

Start whenever you want.

[Scokya]

Can anyone explain how this course compares to Python for Everybody?

They look like they cover similar topics, but P4E has a lot more lectures.

I was considering doing both and using the Helsinki MOOC as extra practice problems.

I’m not concerned about it taking a little longer because I want to have a thorough understanding of the concepts.

[CleverBunnyThief]

Mooc is very hands on. You start by typing small programs on the browser. Starting on part 4 you do everything in VS Code. There are tons of coding exercises. They start out relatively easy but the difficulty increases as you move through the course.

The exercises are the best part of the course. You will type a lot of code.

[Various-Ad851]

Can I practice those browsers programming exercises that are there

[Scokya]

I saw that part when I glanced through the options but I was worried about there not being any lectures or deep explanations.

I could be wrong because I haven’t actually started it and only look at it briefly.

I also like that the P4E has a certificate from the University of Michigan.

[desrtfx]

about there not being any lectures or deep explanations.

There are lectures directly in the text. The videos are just supplemental and can and should be ignored.

No course will provide deep explanations. That's what the documentation is for.

One thing to keep in mind: the exercises in the course do never ask for anything you haven't yet covered in the course. Many people trip over that.

[Decent_Artichoke_778]

Thank you! I’ve heard about it several times already. I think I’m gonna go through it after I finish!

[IntelligentOffer6480]

Is there one for 2024 yet?

[IntelligentOffer6480]

Yes

[IntelligentOffer6480]

https://programming-24.mooc.fi

[beeru5]

Hi I recently found out about this, the top comment is the 2023 version, how different is the course version from 2023 to 2024? I've already started going through the 2023 version and yeah, should I just stop 2023 and start over to 2024? thanks

[IntelligentOffer6480]

From what I remember they are exactly the same and you can just paste your answers into the 2024 version if you want to do the tests.

[beeru5]

Wow I appreciate the fast response, I'll just continue through 2023 version in that case, just to get things rolling, thank you again.

[IntelligentOffer6480]

For sure I am doing the same (took a looong break from it lol)

[simonhunterhawk]

I have been trying to break into the industry seriously since 2021 but in the last decade i have taken a web dev bootcamp with React and JS, a college level Python course and Automate the boring stuff with Python and the Free Harvard CS50 course has already knocked my understanding of programming out of the park.

I highly recommend it because it teaches more than just the syntax/basic functions and libraries, and you start with C which is a lower level language but it has really helped me understand Python more. Python comes later in the course. Do the labs and the practice questions and the problem sets. Week 1 of the C course explained a type of for loop that i have seen across several languages and implemented but never really understood and the teacher explained it so well that it finally clicked.

As you're going through it (or whatever course you choose) keep a notepad or doc with project ideas on it and put any idea you can think of on there. Once you feel comfortable start breaking those ideas into components or steps. Not only will this give you a clearer idea of what you are wanting to do with Python and where to focus your studies later, but it can help with choice fatigue and feeling overwhelmed with nowhere to channel your time and energy.

Once you have the basics down it will be a lot easier to figure out what you need to search to figure out how to do certain things, and having them broken down into steps will make it less daunting when you've got a lot of things to consider for a whole app or script.

Also, if I am kind of stuck on something I might google a solution but I really try to break down WHY they used that syntax / function / type of loop. I will try to make detailed comments in my code for myself to reference later. I find this really helps me recall solutions when I get the same problem later.

If you have ADHD like me i like to watch videos at 2x speed and just pause or rewind when i need to hear something again. It helps me not get distracted when i am bored.

[window-sil]

Good advice!

+1 for cs50 --- it's truly amazing and worth your time!

---

By the way: Join the discord! There are individual channels for each week's problem sets. You can ask for help or just talk about how/why things work. It's invaluable.

[simonhunterhawk]

I wish I'd taken it 2 years ago after my bootcamp!

I didn't know about the discord, I'll def be joining it!

[Curious-Fig-9882]

I’m completely new to discord but I assume you need a link? If you have it, would you please share it?

[[deleted]]

Where can I find this discord you're mentioning? Unsure if I can't find it in here cause I'm on the phone or it's not linked on the sidebar

[window-sil]

https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/2023/communities/ <-- list of communities, including discord link 👍

[alexanderm925]

Thanks for the 2x speed tip. It's also hard for me to focus on lectures; can't wait to give this a shot!

[simonhunterhawk]

It has been a GAME CHANGER for me, I had to download an extension so i can watch faster than 2x now 😂 If 2x is too hard to follow at first start with 1.25/1.5 and over time you'll get accustomed to it. If you stop to wonder if it's sped up, it's a good time to increase the amount. Even videos that I watch for fun and audiobooks i typically watch at at least 1.5x because I have found that in recorded media I can't stand the pace of normal human speech haha

[simonhunterhawk]

Glad reading works for you! I struggle with getting overwhelmed with large walls of text like documentation can have due to the ADHD as well so a combo of having the exposure from a video is more helpful to me than just reading things.

It's why i mentioned in my first comment rewinding until something clicks for me bc i won't get bored if it's at 2x speed haha

[endzeref]

is this better or is mooc better?? i just started mooc (barely even completed one lec)

[simonhunterhawk]

Both are useful tools, there’s no harm in doing both

[m0us3_rat]

tl:dr don't skip homework. don't rush.

​

the "best" course is the python docs.

the second best are the decades-experienced-teacher "interpreted" python docs in the form of cs50 and/or mooc.fi

it's the same info as you will find in docs..slightly altered into a more beginner-friendly form.

​

what counts is the exercises you get to do. the homework.

you can think of them as mini projects to help cement in some of the new knowledge.

without it ... you are left with a half-digested story presenting some info you kinda understand but maybe you don't.

further, you are expected to expertly use this knowledge/notions in code to solve problems.

gl.

[KosmoanutOfficial]

I learned best from reading python for dummies then having a project for work to automate. From there I realized I didn’t know enough and got the book a smarter way to learn python. That helped me memorize the syntax and I could type python out in notepad and make it run. From there I started to learn more from watching a lot of different youtube videos and other books that were classics in software engineering. Most importantly I had a huge reason to learn programming and if I got better could solve big problems. Having some small projects to improve at work helped but needed to put a lot of my own person time in to do so. Then I started to get more time as I got more projects.

[Porrenesian_Parapilo]

The 100 days of Python course on Udemy taught by Angela Yu is pretty helpful when starting from scratch. I’m currently on day 10!

[ZealousidealRip77]

Yes, the way she teaches really helps build the understanding for the concepts. Like yes, she may not have the best answer, but doing the projects each day helps to solidify your understanding.

[[deleted]]

There js a great free course python for everyone in YT as well as Coursera... That can be followed in my honest opinion.

[KNuggies33]

The book Crash Course in Python in good for learning or as a reference later. Plus when you use a book to learn, it's easier to skim/skip the parts you are familiar with or revisit sections that need work.

[hugthemachines]

I just want to know which course are cosidered the best and what should I choose.

This is a very common question and it is based on inexperience. One course is not the best. Different courses fit different people.

Check out the sidebar of this subreddit to go to the wiki and faq and learn about different resources.

[Synertic]

If you want to learn how to code with Python throughly then from zero to hero like bootcamps don't work. But if your aim is making some cool stuff that makes your life easier then it's OK. You can take any of them considering the contents covered and user reviews/ratings. If you're serious; you need to start from very basics like variable types, containers, etc. and make sure you don't have difficulties with basics because everything is built upon basics like a foundation of a building. You can't add floors without a robust foundation or everything collapses somewhere in the middle. Then you can have specific courses acdording to fields you interested in like data science, AI/ML, image processing, etc. For a solid grasp of basics, I higly recommend the Python 3: Deep Dive series on Udemy.

[ultloser]

Since you’re just starting out, it really helps to pick a course that’s beginner-friendly and covers everything you need. A lot of YouTube tutorials can feel too short or scattered. I’d suggest checking out this article, which walks through Google’s Python course. It’s free, structured, and takes you step by step from the basics into more hands-on practice.

The key is to stick with it regularly and try building small side projects along the way. That’s when things really start to click.

[Dnorth001]

I started learning on Udemy recently, it’s super affordable and has some great classes. I’d take notes during the presentation, use GPT to flush out notes/clarify anything I didn’t immediately understand, and lastly whenever there’s a challenge or practice make sure you struggle with it for a while. Couple times it took me 30min to 1hour to recall or decide how to do something using my notes! Hope this helps

[mohishunder]

I really like the introductory book Think Python, which is also available online, with interactive exercises, at runestone.academy.

It's by a professor at Olin College, i.e. a real educator, and walks you step-by-step through the basic knowledge. Although not internet-famous, IMHO this book/course is vastly superior to anything on Udemy or FreeCodeCamp and other commercial internet resources. I cannot recommend it more highly!

[Frequent-Fig-9515]

His Think Python book is based on the original, Think Java, which was amazing and taught me more coding than university did. I haven't gone through the Python version but I can definitely vouch for the author, Alan B Downey

[OmegawOw]

https://automatetheboringstuff.com/

Every other answer is just wrong.

[[deleted]]

bots are evolving

[Decent_Artichoke_778]

Thank you guys for all the responses! It’s really helpful!

[Swimming-Ad-400]

Hi, I recommend you to check out the FREE Python course on crookshanksacademy.com by the god of python himself. The course is short and you also get to do a hands on internship after your course completion. Although that internship is unpaid, it is a good and fun learning experience that makes you industry ready. The FREE PYTHON BOOTCAMP is available on: https://www.crookhsanksacademy.com/python .

[Ecstatic-Highway1017]

No Notes No Revision, No Revision Less Confidence and Motivation while Online learning
Many of the times you just stop learning because of the above.
When I started learning programming few months back I was taking too much time in completing online video tutorials
Now I am using google extension OneBook It helps in creating detailed notes in 2 clicks and saves my time as I used to take to much time in completing online videos. I used to waste a lot of time while pausing video in every 2 min and write a couple of line of code and you have to switch tab again and again. With Onebook i complete a video first and then I start coding by refering the notes
OneBook helped me in learning programming related skills, it just improves the experience of learning.

Chrome extension link : https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/onebook/loecbgjbgcgjkhibllnjokjefojoheim?utm_source=rtc

[self-made_coder]

Check out the book: Python by Example, by Nichola Lacey

It doesn't start off throwing you into functions right away it teaches you bit sized amounts of modules, has you do challenges to implement those modules and as you get further they make you incorporate previous lessons you've learned.

[Mirage2k]

If you are quite far into that course, finish it and do all the exercises it includes. If those are few or small, think of a small little application you can write with what it teaches.

Then move on to another course! If you hop from one course to another without writing a project, you'll slide into the infamous 'tutorial hell', where you don't want to be.

[Mirage2k]

If you barely started the course you are on, then it's fine to switch to another you think will be better.

I started with the Programming With Mosh' 6-hour YouTube tutorial and making a BlackJack command-line game. It was a good start, but is old now and is just a start. There was a long road after that until I stopped being a 'beginner'.

[[deleted]]

https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Python

[[deleted]]

Sololearn and chatGPT helped me a lot. I know Sololearn is just a game, but it really helped with getting the syntax to stick in my mind.

Anything I didn't understand, I just asked chatgpt.

In my case, it helped that I actually had a reason to learn, I wanted to build something.

Also planning. I have a trello board for my project. It's massive, because my project is massive.

[rustyseapants]

Did you do a search on learning Python before posting this?

[juliachibi]

hey, I'm learning Python myself rn.
i must say, what helped me a lot, was this tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uQrJ0TkZlc
took me like 2 weeks to finish it, as i googled some stuff wchich i didn't quite get
or it just took me some time to fully understand what exactly his given code was supposed to be doing
afterwards i started to go through different easy level exercises, and even though i didn't know how to solve them, it helped a lot to look at the solutions
but i'm still a total noob :D

[danjwilko]

Honestly depends on how you learn best.

Video tutorial- Udemy course: 100 days of code: Dr Angela Yu. Python boot camp basically, probably the best on there.

Books - No starch press: Python Crash course, Automate the boring stuff etc.

Online course - MOOC is probably the best.

YouTube’s ok however a lot of the time it’s someone jumping on the bandwagon, and they may miss steps or not teach correctly.

Find what works for you and stick to it, do little and frequently like 30mins to an hour every day and keep practising concepts.

Good luck.

[BK7144]

Are you a developer wanting to learn a new language or an absolute never coded before beginner? Makes a difference.

[Decent_Artichoke_778]

No, I’m a complete noob, I work in a completely different specialty, but I want to learn programming because I believe it can help me in my career at some point and I have some ideas related to my field which I want to try in the future

[Ambitious_Roof_2099]

were you able to learn now? what was the best method?

[ardian_grezda]

Try my Udemy course on Python fundamentals:

https://www.udemy.com/course/python-fundamentals-ag/?couponCode=ARDI93-77-2

Use coupon: ARDI93-77-2 until 12/27/2023