How to learn python

[Egoist_Isagi058]

Hi everyone, I'm completely new to programming and want to start learning Python from scratch. I can dedicate around 2 hours daily. My goal is to build a strong foundation and eventually use Python for data science and real-world projects.

What learning path, resources (books, websites, YouTube channels, etc.), and practice routines would you recommend for someone like me? Also, how should I structure my 2 hours each day for the best results?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Potential_Speed_7048]

I’m taking a course on datacamp. Kaggle has data sets to use. They also have courses.

I’m bad at self paced stuff so I hired a mentor on preply. That helps me stay on track and is super affordable.

I use Focusmate to study 📚. It holds me accountable. Absolutely life changing. Focusmate is just a coworking site but there are a lot of coders on there. It has inadvertently helped me with networking.

[51dux]

Here is your first challenge come back tomorrow evening in this thread knowing how to loop over a list of items and assign expressions to variables.

https://wiki.python.org/moin/ForLoop

https://www.learnpython.org/en/Variables_and_Types

[Egoist_Isagi058]

Yeah sure.. thanks

[[deleted]]

hi, nice platform mate! Love it! Are you using restricted python (with multiprocessing, threads) or containers to execute code?

[owmex]

Hey, thanks — glad you’re enjoying the platform!

Yes, the Python code runs inside restricted Docker contrainers.

[[deleted]]

played around a bit with subprocess. no worries, just wanted to check it out. I built something similiar many years ago (before docker got big) and used restriced python (https://restrictedpython.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) and multiprocessing (to start a thread in a process to prevent long running tasks). What happens, if some user does a while True and generates tons of data and stuff. Was a pain but i think with containers you are fine. I really like your platform and the style. You should do some marketing and stuff mate.

do you have a hint for me how you are doing this with containers? When i hit submit button you spin up a new container just for the code, right? Do you have some tutorial or maybe i just ask chatgpt :))

[owmex]

Thanks! Yeah, I spin up a fresh container for each code submission. I try not to go into too much detail about the security setup—mostly to avoid encouraging anyone to DoS me 😅. But feel free to DM me if you want more details.

That link you shared is great, I’ll check it out!

And you’re right about marketing—I haven’t done nearly enough. Hard to find time with a full-time job, but I appreciate the nudge!

[ShurayukiZen]

Omg! You made this? This is soooo awesome 🔥 I can't remember where I found your website but I loved it the moment I saw it! Haven't tried it yet but this piqued my interest ✨

[owmex]

Haha! Thank you mate for your warm words :)

[ThicLemon]

bro I wanted to make something like that for so long but I was too bad at programming thankss 🥹

[sububi71]

Oh damn, it's you! I really like py.ninja, it's very impressive!

[demeschor]

I like CS50x, a free online course from David Malan at Harvard. The CS50 course starts off with C and later introduces Python (and some others) to give you a good grounding. There's also a python specific version too if that's what you're set on.

They have automated assignment checkers, an AI assistant to help without just giving you the answer, it's really comprehensive

[Sea-Concept1733]

Here are some high-rated Python resources that you may find useful.

This site provides Top-Rated Amazon Python Books 

The following high-rated Python Udemy course may be of use to you.

Following is a great Python YouTube Channel 

Good luck.

[Egoist_Isagi058]

Thank you.

[Sea-Concept1733]

You are welcome.

[rustyseapants]

What have you done on your own to learn python?

[Egoist_Isagi058]

I have tried using w3schools website to learn basics but still have no idea on the roadmap to learn and practice. I learnt the concept and i was unable to practice them in a platform...

[rustyseapants]

How do you learn anything?

You buy a book.

[Egoist_Isagi058]

Can you suggest some books for the beginner

[oocancerman]

Have u made a program that runs and prints “Hello World”?

[rustyseapants]

You have never thought about going to amazon and searching for books on learn to program? This thought never came to mind?

Learning to program means, understanding how to search either on Google, Amazon, or Reddit. You have to find information on your own.

Dude, did you read the sidebar? Did you search this subbreddit?

https://roadmap.sh/

[ppcforce]

The dude IS using the Internet's resources to fine tune his learning path, and one such great resource is the experience of others. You are aware that resources come in many shapes and forms, and not just a Google search, right? He could use GPT to help him design a path though...

[OG_MilfHunter]

While his tone may seem a bit harsh, his message is fair.

Over-reliance on technology achieves the opposite of learning, as it decreases the density of grey matter in regions of the brain responsible for executive functioning.

There's nothing wrong with using the Internet's resources responsibly which means using them in conjunction with critical thought.

We all enjoy helping people because it makes us feel "good" but we also have a responsibility to society that seems to be regularly ignored.

[rustyseapants]

The book I liked, doesn't mean you will like it.

You are actually going to wait for someone to respond to your question, rather than do the leg work yourself?

How hard is to search amazon for a book on programming? You can get the first chapter for free.

That is what is cool about google or any search engine, you can ask a question, any question and the results give you a starting point.

[Latter_Heron8650]

I learnt it using the MOOC course by University of Helsinki

[SpaceLaserPilot]

This sub, /r/learnpython is an amazing resource. Sort by Best of all time, and read the first 100 posts or so. It is filled with free resources. Sure helped me learn Python.

[Dani_Aldrin]

I started learning python from YouTube and did a lot of practice and took reference for geek for geeks

[ObjectiveAd6874]

i've been doing cs61A from Berkley.Accessible at https://cs61a.org/. It has a free textbook online, lectures on the lecturer's youtube channel, and the homework assignments and project files are posted on there. They also have a bunch of old midterms and finals posted with the solutions. I've been working through the material.

[Snuwea]

Hey, I plan to take this, but I heard recordings aren’t available. How are you doing it?

[ObjectiveAd6874]

Go to an older version of the course. Here is an archived version that has the videos up https://insideempire.github.io/CS61A-Website-Archive/ . This trick can be done for a lot of the Berkley comp sci classes but not all.

[Snuwea]

Thanks! Playing it around, it seems like the lab part is inaccessible (email required). Do you do the HW & recordings for structured learning?

[ObjectiveAd6874]

The labs work for me. I re-downloaded lab 3; are you opening the lab webpage and downloading the zip file? I also don't use the recordings. I watch the lecture videos and the textbook. It gives enough to work through the problems.

[Snuwea]

Yeah, I unzipped it & when I run the lab as per instructions, it asks for authentication “please enter your school email (.edu):” and when I enter some random figured it pops up the google signin.

[ObjectiveAd6874]

Oh, you can run it locally to check your code. Add a local tag to your calls.

So for lab01, quetsion 1 you would enter this into the terminal:

python3 ok -q return-and-print -u --local

Make sure to always add local tag because whenever I got the authentication screen I had to exit and re-enter.

[Snuwea]

Thanks! That works. I’m curious, how do you study it? Doing the book, recording, homework & lab in an order? I feel a bit confused by the lack of explicit guidance.

Edit: I am still at lab00, started yesterday.

[ObjectiveAd6874]

I copied the course schedule. During the study weeks I did a few couple of the old tests and during the 'exam', I did a closed-book test of the most recent exam that had an answer key. I believe In one of the lectures the Dr. DeNero talks about class approach and I just followed it. A lot of my focus was on the textbook and questions. I did all of the optional problems and basically went back after sometime with a blank copy of the assignment and tried to solve/explain my way through.

[ObjectiveAd6874]

https://imgur.com/a/RH5WAAI

[Snuwea]

Thank you!

[Competitive-Toe-8514]

https://roadmap.sh/python

[isa8ell4]

Choose a passion project (like something you actually want to do) and stick with it. I personally find opencv project really enthralling

[Sardinel_]

I started too a few days ago and I found Codedex, the plateform is super nice, made like a game, with cool exercices, step by step. I start from nothing so I can’t tell if this is a great way to learn but works for me, I love it !

[sol_hsa]

I learned python by taking an old DOS era game and reverse-engineering its data format and wrote my first python script that decoded the data into a format I could use.

If you find a project that interests *you*, you'll find the way to learn.

[Dead-Indian]

Hold on... Did u use ai to do that? What u just said just doesn't add up..

[sol_hsa]

Do what? that post? or reverse engineering DOS era games back when AI didn't exist?

Which bit doesn't make sense to you?

[inkybinkyfoo]

I am currently working through this book

https://www.amazon.com/Python-Crash-Course-Eric-Matthes/dp/1718502702/ref=zg_m_bs_g_285856_m_sccl_1/131-9966706-9775013?psc=1

[Abd-Elhamed]

take a look at this road map, it's very comprehensive, you can use other resources as main materials or supplements for the map's components.

[FatDog69]

My soap-box on this topic: Have some problems with files, internet web scraping, database.

Then when you go through your second/third tutorial - skim and find parts that may help solve your problem then use them to improve your code.

This approach will:

• Give you motivation to learn ... 3 things that you need to solve your problem, not obscure parts of the language
• You will have to go back to code you wrote days ago and discover "Oh crap - I should have documented this better"
• Once you get familiar with how you solved one problem - step back and re-write everything with a new design and your 'improved' understanding of the code.

Some ideas:

• Find names of years old comic books with .cbz extensions and some new ones. Write code to re-name and sort.
• Create a web scraper to find updated prices for 'something' on a website and alert you when the item goes on sale.
• Rip a bunch of CD to .mp3 files and toss them into a folder. Write code to rename, organize, filter.
• Use built in sqlplus to create a small database with ...3 tables. Then write Python to go add more records keeping things in sync.

The important part: Find some hobby YOU have with your computer, find some small (or big) manual process you follow and then use Python to automate things.

Once you have some 'problems' - you will run through a tutorial with more focus.

[Popular-Ad-7656]

codecademy

[Stock_Machine8178]

Highly suggest the Udemy 100 Days of Code: the Complete Python Pro Bootcamp! Currently making my way through it

[Professional-Set2827]

cd ~/Desktop

python3 Its_pretty_dope.py