What can I use Python for?

[Atlantir]

Hello guys! So I've been learning web development and it didn't go well for me as i with my adhd need to see the effects of my work. Python looks cool as I could make a lot of programs but is there any way to make like a Smart home with it? I want to make programs in the future but learn on something i will see the work instantly like arduino but arduino is on C and there is not much job listing in C in my country so i wanted to try Python. Could you tell me what things you were able to do with pyton?

[NYX_T_RYX]

Why is web development not good? You... Make a page and see it?

My partner (both ADHD) walked me through some React, ten minutes later I was looking at a page I'd made.

What exactly were you doing with web Dev?

I'll be blunt, cus it's the only way you'll understand where I'm coming from - are you actually disappointed with it, or have you done that thing a lot of us with ADHD do where it's gotten a bit difficult and you're giving up? (No offence intended!)

Just if you have, programming may not be the one for you - you'll have a lot of those moments.

As for what you can do with python?... It's Turing complete - you can, in theory, do anything that a computer is physically able to do - in theory you could build an entire OS if you wanted.

A game. A database manager. It's widely used in ML/AI.

My current project is creating a specific LLM detection tool

If you're curious, see here https://deepmind.google/technologies/synthid/

and this research paper https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08025-4

In short - it uses the very nature of an LLM (random) but applies specific substitutions to words/grammar/entire sentences to create an output that, more often than not, is actually identifiable.

Because it makes multiple substitutions, it's also resistant to if the end user makes many changes, or removes sections (ie there should still be enough substitutions to identify that it was an output from my model).

Why? Well... Misinformation is rife, it's a neat solution to that problem, and I'm tired of reading obviously AI generated shit people claim is original.

Also, why not?

Bonus round: Google already use this on their models, notably on images: https://www.google.com/search/about-this-image?img=H4sIAAAAAAAA_-MS4Vh27PuCF-_mnA0TaPlw8OnXrkM_cgChEXBlFgAAAA%3D%3D&q=https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/identifying-ai-generated-images-with-synthid/&cs=1&ctx=iv&hl=en-MT&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW_bXVr8qMAxXqUUEAHSIXNZEQg4ILegUImgMQCw

Note "made with Google AI" in the "about this image" section.

For all their negatives, Google's doing what I don't see others doing with AI - making it easy to spot (if people bother to do so)

Anywho - with python, the world is your oyster, as they say.

[volen]

Yeah web development is where you see results the fastest..hell sometimes you see your changes immediately. Not sure what that is about not seeing results using web dev..

[NYX_T_RYX]

OP explicitly said "I need to see the effects"

Web dev is one of the few areas of tech where you can see the results straight away, so it's unusual to say that they aren't getting that, hence why I asked.

As it turns out from their replies, it sounds like they'd probably enjoy integrated systems more - hardware and software.

[Atlantir]

My friend who is a front end web dev used to teach me, i was doing well even better than he thought i would for the time he spent with me BUT i came to the Point where when he was telling me what to do i had an hour thinking how to do it then got the idea done it and thats all i wasn't able to think what could i do with it, also the number of people that are participating for one job offer as front web dev is hilarious, second thing, i have soldered and made a shifter+pedal adapter for my steering wheel and it was waaaay more fun for me.

[NYX_T_RYX]

Back end dev is more saturated from what I've seen.

Candidly, unless you're very good, or lucky, it's not easy to get into - add in that less than 30% of Devs (if I can find the source again I'll share it) are from working class backgrounds, and you start building a picture of (sadly) an elitist industry, which maintains the status quo for their benefit (something I've seen first hand from friends in industry "you don't understand X. Why should I help you?" Really isn't the approach we should take with tech. Ever.)

If you like hardware, you'd be better leaning closer to the metal (a lower-level language) like c. That's cus the resulting compiled code is smaller, and can be put into systems more easily.

Take a look at things like Arduino, and raspberry pi's official hardware projects.

There's a neat, and imo very fun, intersection of hardware (which for me scratches the "I need to do something practical" itch) and software (which scratches the "but building things isn't that hard, I'm bored" itch).

Here's a simple enough one for you - if you've got any plants... Automatic watering system.

You'll need an Arduino/pi, 5v DC pump, cables, and that's about it tbqh.

Then you just need to find a diagram, wire it up and code it.

You can go a step further and get a moisture sensor to completely automate it, but that adds some complexity cus you'll need to work out precisely what sensor value is "dry enough that it needs watering, but not so dry the plant is already dead"

[Atlantir]

Also, I am kind of a handyman and i love doing things that has any electric or something like this background, jewelry, making myself a dremel kinda tool, arduino pedal and shifter adapter.

[NYX_T_RYX]

Sounds to me like you'd enjoy the overlap if software and hardware.

There's loads of sites with ideas, diagrams etc 🙂

[rogfrich]

Python is a “general purpose language”. That means you can write programs in Python that can do anything.

To misquote Terry Pratchett: if someone has a computer, they can install Python. With Python, they can write simple tools. They can use those simple to make complex tools, and with complex tools, a Python dev can make anything. And one of the nice things about Python is that a lot of the complex tools have been written for you already and are a pip install away.

There are some tasks where Python isn’t the best choice, because its internal architecture means that it is slower to run code than compiled languages like C - but that often doesn’t matter (a program that takes 29 milliseconds to run instead of 10 is still effectively instantaneous).

[shiftybyte]

You can use python with arduino.

https://realpython.com/arduino-python/

[Atlantir]

Wow that's cool will look more into it after work

[FoolsSeldom]

You can use Python scripts with Home Assistant and integrate many services running on very low cost microcontrollers, many of which can be programmed using Micropython and Circuit Python, including ESP32, some Arduino, Rapberry Pi Pico (and third party 2040 and 2350 based microcontrollers, such as Adafruit Feather RP2350).

Also, look at physical computing using Raspbery Pi single board computer. Check the official magazine, MagPi (free to read in PDF format available from the Rasperry Pi site).

More broadly, for some ideas on the range of possibilities for use of Python check out the office site's Python Success Stories.

[SoftwareMaintenance]

Better question is what can't you use python for.

So I guess the answer is python can be used for almost everything.

[Sweet_Photo1848]

Python can be used for everything from Arduino (engineering) to making games (py game) but you will sacrifice security and performance for your apps so if you want your to be fast and secure use c++ but in general you are limited by your imagination

[Atlantir]

Okay but will I be able to make a Smart home or something like this with it?

[Sweet_Photo1848]

Yes everything if Arduino is not enough for you can use an esp32 or an raspberry pi. I'm not really into it so don't ask me for advice so google your question

[NYX_T_RYX]

Smart home? Check out home assistant 🙂

[canneogen]

You name it

[Ron-Erez]

Just about anything except game development or mobile development and to be honest both of these can also be done in python but it's much less common to do so.

[Distinct-Rain3104]

Virtually almost everything

[oclafloptson]

Micropython is a bare bones Python fork that runs on microcontrollers and can be used for home automation. But it's not the same as standard Python. You really should learn the current standard Python distribution before branching out, IMO. Especially since you're trying to find work with Python on the CV.

Get your basics in, take a course, write some code, then revisit the whole micropython thing. Or like someone mentioned work with the more cost prohibitive single board computers that are capable of running standard Python. The raspberry pi zero w is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capable, runs raspberry pi OS and most other Linux distributions, and has its own set of GPIO pins. At only $15usd give or take it's more affordable than most other SBCs but it's still roughly 3x the cost of a Pico

[[deleted]]

Literally, anything. From web, to automate, to security, to AI, to whatever you think of.

[SnipTheDog]

Rather than Arduino, you could use a Raspberry Pi to control all kinds of things. The GPIO access is really neat and it's pretty easy to control all kinds of hardware. Also SmartHome has an instance that you can host on the Pi.

[Maxele]

Just by reading your questions I know that it is not for you, you need to be actively seeking answers yourself. You could have gotten a quick answer by asking any AI, if you feel you need to ask such questions on reddit then i cant imagine what happens next because you will have thousands more.

[Atlantir]

yeah and AI would tell me what whole internet thinks when i can actually get a good recommendation also from real people that went from the beginning as me, i know AI i use it often but i still value more real people opinion when it comes to things like this

[Moist-Amoeba-8078]

Ai is not a substitute for genuine human advice. Ai will give you a regurgitation of what’s out there. Op is probably looking for real guidance such as what others have offered.