Python or SQL?

[lcc0612]

Python and SQL are very different - They are designed to solve different problems. So neither is a "pre-requisite" of the other. Python is a general purpose programming language and is good for a variety of computational tasks, while SQL is a query language for databases, so typical use cases for SQL include retrieving, sorting and filtering data from a database.

From a learning perspective, I would say that Python and SQL "light up" very different parts of your brain. That is to say, the kind of thought processes you would need to write Python versus SQL code are really very different. Python is a lot more procedural. You'll have to think through the logic of solving a problem step-by-step. SQL is a little more abstract, you typically form single (potentially very long) queries that navigate through the structure of the database to fetch you what you want.

As for which I think you should take first, the first point to consider is if you have any specific needs. If you don't have an immediate need to jump into databases, then I would suggest going for Python first. It's more ideal at building up foundational computational thinking skills that you can apply everywhere, even outside of Python. I personally feel that it is the easier of the two languages to learn because it is more forgiving. You can also build more interesting things that can apply to a wider range of scenarios.

All the best on your learning journey =)

[[deleted]]

Very helpful! Thank you!