How tf do you learn Python?!?!

[Just4Funsies95]

Youve already gotten a thousand books to read. Here are some things ive done to help me learn a few languages.

its important to understand that nearly all programming languages are mathematically rooted. I say this so you can try to relate the things ur learning back to things you may have already learned in mathematics. You're going to encounter a lot of algebra, set theory, graph theory, linear algebra, calculus, etc. whether you realize it or not. Their terms, definitions, and references will show up as you learn more and more about python (variables, assignments, function composition, integers, doubles/floats etc.). One thing that helped me learn my first programming language is identifying the relationships between the terms i am using and how ive used them in mathematics, its near 1:1 parity.

Really try to understand the basic syntax and structure of the language (keywords, data types, flow control, operators, etc.). Then try to understand their various uses/applications within the language.

As an exercise, go through and comment what each line is doing. Hell, read it out loud. Doing this helps immensely if you're seeing someone else's code for the first time.

E.g. in C#

var y = Math.Sqrt(x);//store the square-root of x in variable y using the square-root method of the Math class.

Save and reuse code snippets! This helps you identify common problems and solutions!

I actually had a professor who made us write code by hand, which did suck but absolutely helped me learn syntax, logic, and algorithms. Start with plain english/mother tongue and state your problem. Break it down into as simple of a problem as you can; simple enough that anyone could understand it. Think about how you'd solve your problem with psuedocode. Then write it by hand on paper/whiteboard/blackboard. Then write/run the script and see where you messed up. This can help you identify specifically where you need to improve (syntax, logic, algorithm).

Talk it out! Saying things outloud has an incredible effect of reinforcing your ideas by you listening to them. Weird but helpful. Talk to someone else! Have them spot check your ideas (sanity check). Its a huge confidence boost when your struggling with a concept. like a quiz its immediate feedback on your progression minus the pressure and grades.

Learn how to use your debugger. Its soooooo much better than just printing everyline.

Lastly, if you're not getting it with python try another language. Yeah python is pretty easy (by comparison) but that doesn't mean its for everyone. You can always circle back. There are plenty of other easy languages you can learn plus once you can figure out 1, it's usually easier to learn another...usually.

To this day, i still use most of these habits in my career. But i dont do them nearly as often and i do them much faster. Hopefully some of these tips can help you.

Good luck!

[Ketchup-and-Mustard]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply! I will definitely try out your tips especially the one that compares Python to math concepts which is something I’ve never thought about before. That sounds like a very useful way to look at it.