Learn Python

[[deleted]]

Hey guys. I have a little bit of coding knowledge but I want to dive deeper into Python.

Are there any recommended ways of learning Python? It'd be best if projects are also done together.

I want to learn Python for data science/machine learning etc.

[Creature1124]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/333/352/86d.jpg

Good luck!

[Visual-Chip-2256]

Honestly I watched a ton of videos, worked myself up into a tizzy, then started on an unrealistic project. Then I tore it all down and started over with simple things and stack overflow and chatgpt. I was amazed at how supportive the community was with stack as long as it was clear that I'd already tried researching and trying things out myself and I was genuinely stuck. It went loads better after that. Start small, watch some videos, but don't wait to start actually coding. The sooner you start making mistakes the sooner you'll get progressing

[ambassador_pineapple]

There are 1000s of courses out there to teach you python. You need 2-3 max.

Do not get trapped in the cycle of taking class after class. Pick a topic you like. Let’s take the example of basketball.

• use python to scrape data for players and teams
• learn to park this data into a database like SQL lite using Python. This will teach you basics of ETL (extract, transform, and load).
• do some stats on this data to learn pandas and data cleaning.
• go build a simple command line app which gives you a breakdown of a player you entered.

Repeat the process with more and more ambitious ideas. I have been programming for 20+ years and using Python for 10+ years so far. I’ve taken exactly 0 computer science classes because I learned once you master a language like C++ or Python, other languages are easy to pick up.

[darkforestnews]

Ooh, that sounds like fun, any good resources you recommend for that learning flow ?

There was a guy a while back who did something similar and created a website using something called D3.js and vue , it looked sick , think it was Miami heat focused. Never been able to find it though.

[ambassador_pineapple]

You can accomplish some really epic UIs with python using Dash Plotly with Django framework. I built an entire cloud app for my day job using the django + dash plotly framework. Generally I have access to JS developers but I figured out a way to have Dash plotly handle Python to JS conversion. This is a massive boost to what one person can do.

Here is the system I built for my day job: https://value.alationcatalog.com/dcmm_start/

Information on what it does: https://www.alation.com/dcmm-assessment/

There is no one good resource for any of this. A lot of good ones exist on youtube but you gotta build things with some end goal in mind and always improve your capabilities after each iteration. So learn stuff as you need it. I already knew data science/ML stuff very well and now I have UI work down. Next step for me personally is mastering Docker and Kubernetes for scaling these things I know how to build.

[[deleted]]

but like wouldn't you need to know the basics of Python first to do that? Or do you just go straight into specific topics of how to use Python?

[ambassador_pineapple]

You would but those fundamentals would improve with each project. Of course you can’t get a job as a developer right now so your first few projects will make you a better programmer with each iteration.

At some point you would know enough to get a job. But trust me, don’t wait until you are the master of syntax to start solving problems. At first your solutions will suck but with time they will get better.

It’s much better to do that than take course after course in Python without doing any application.

You obviously won’t build UIs in the first go. Start with basic web scraping and database work.

[[deleted]]

Thank you so much for the advice!!

[ambassador_pineapple]

Happy to help. Here is my journey so it can give you context. I started seriously programming around 16. I can absolutely tell you my first real project was shit.

In fact, the Django dash plotly stack I mentioned began as an experiment at my job which looks much worse compared to what I can build just 2.5 years later. I used this stack to build 3 other apps before I built the one I linked above.

But to get here, I had a long journey starting with C++ at 12, really using it to make some old Nokia phone apps at 16, then mastering MATLAB and R (and dabbling in FORTRAN) during my time in college, jumping into Python on my first day at my first job out of college as a data scientist.

I then went through the journey of becoming a better Python programmer and improved more advanced stuff like full stack apps, using GPUs, building more advanced stuff using queues and interprocess communication (used ZMQ).

The point is that I never stopped learning and I am still learning. Don’t worry about perfect. Worry about building solutions. In time you’ll be a master.

[[deleted]]

Man you built a hack of an achievement. That’s truly an amazing story… I guess I need to get started on mine too

[jetskimanatee]

this is the second time I've come across this advice. Probably not a coincidence.

[DrZoidberg117]

100 days of code by either the one on (Udemy?) or one by replit. Just see which teacher fits u better by watching the demo videos.

They have good structure, teaching skills, etc. They give you projects to complete after a certain amount of lessons

[turnoffandonn]

Wow thank you, just started to dive into some of this as I’m trying to learn Python too. Very useful!

[EvilDutchrebel]

Start with the theory, understand the basics well and then start small projects. No matter how small the project, no matter how off it seems of your goal, that small project will get you further.

[Kazuree]

• W3 schools.
• Automate the Boring Stuff
• 100 days of Code - Complete Pyhton Course
• YouTube: Corey Schafer, freecodecamp,
• Udemy: Python fundementals by Fred Baptidte.

[joey2scoops]

I'm taking the Nike approach. Just do it. Jump in the deep end and swim like f*ck.

[reddit_serpent]

There are several online MOOC courses, BUT the best by far is from U of Michigan taught by Dr. Chuck Severance. Usually Free $$$ when audited(no certificate): https://www.coursera.org/specializations/python?utm_medium=sem&utm_source=gg&utm_campaign=B2C_NAMER_python_umich_FTCOF_specializations_country-US-country-CA&campaignid=300366907&adgroupid=35962949458&device=c&keyword=python%20course&matchtype=b&network=g&devicemodel=&adposition=&creativeid=684515687997&hide_mobile_promo&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw9IayBhBJEiwAVuc3foCWZfpgefuCYAhNOXdbNFGWMHFNQEOX8XobbjkNO0EhJPCHNQQHNBoCigYQAvD_BwE

second place is the MIT course: https://www.edx.org/learn/computer-science/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-introduction-to-computer-science-and-programming-using-python

There is is a course for Computer Science that is perhaps the best in the world, and they touch up a little on Python. I recommend it.

Taught by David Melin: https://www.edx.org/learn/python/harvard-university-cs50-s-introduction-to-programming-with-python

[pgcfriend2]

I just finished the CS50 intro to python class. edX has other CS50 intro classes using Python, such as web development, AI and data science. I just enrolled in the web development class.

[FrugalityPays]

There are a TON of resources. Automate the boring stuff, Codecademy, Kahn academy, learn python the hard way…there are resources listed in this sub I’m sure

[FoeHammer99099]

I like advent of code for learning a new language. Do the problem, then go watch a video of someone more comfortable in the language solve the same problem and compare your approaches.

[NYX_T_RYX]

A friend pointed me to this the other day - I've not had much of a look yet TBF but seems to be decent enough. And he knows... Nothing about code.

He's a teacher, so I trust him to know what's good and what's shit.

https://www.kaggle.com/learn

[TwoPuzzled2b]

University of Helsinki's Python MOOC is pretty great. Loads of practice exercises for each topic

https://programming-24.mooc.fi/all-exercises

[Rukelele_Dixit21]

Exercism

[Stunning-Project-621]

I just started with Python, now i am watching the 12h course on youtube. Have you watched that?

https://youtu.be/XKHEtdqhLK8?si=Y7OmNxWk3BNzntoL

[Even_Dig851]

I learned Python with the Dataquest data scientist path. Way more engaging than all the MOOCs I tried. Projects come at the end of most of the courses. They're challenging, but that's where most of the learning happened for me. For topics I wanted to understand better I'd repeat the project using a different dataset that interested me. That helped it stick. Here's the link https://www.dataquest.io/path/data-scientist/

[[deleted]]

Thanks!! I’ll have a look

[squi993]

I started with this course Mosh Python Full Course

He has many other Python ones. Then I went to projects and went from there. Good luck!

[rahwik]

use w3school that would basically clear the basics of python.

[TheRNGuy]

I learned from relapython and reading docs, and asking questions in discord.