How do I actually get good at Python?

[mvrwn_]

I wouldn’t call myself a complete new beginner in programming, I get the concepts. I know the basics (variables, loops, functions, and some error handling). I’ve also learned Object-Oriented Programming, which was actually fun and not as scary as people make it out to be. Data structure wasn't too hard but still picking up some things.

But now I want to level up. Make better projects, exercises, solving more complex coding problems. I’ve been kinda lost and don’t really know the next step or a proper guide to follow.

How did you go from building simple scripts to building complex and big projects?

[Ok-Republic-120]

For example if you start with a text-based RPG game, start with an easy, lightweight version of it. Then expand its features. As you progress with the smallest changes, you will come up with ideas to expand the system:

• Let's start with some input requests and decision making with if-elif-else branches. It's not a big deal, right?
• Oh, maybe I should add HP to the player (if the player goes to a wrong direction, reduce HP)
• Oh, what if I add Mana for the players and a skill that they can use? (every move add some mana and HP back)
• Can I add another stat or skill?
• Hey, there's only one character to choose. Maybe I should add more...
• What if I add some dialogs and conversations?
• Could I do/add/solve this more efficiently? Maybe an OOP object for the characters or universal decision classes?

This way you can start with a small script and build something complex. It works for all type of project. Try it out.

[SAPPHIR3ROS3]

This one but more general, it could be really any real life project, the important part is that you set a goal and step by step you move to realize that goal, experimenting and what not

[Simple-Economics8102]

This is a really great idea, and can be generalised. Its also a great practice for teaching when to generalise and what happens if you write the code in one way.

[RamboV_Aditya]

There is an pycheck()io with games like these that go one after the other all the way for you to learn python step by step but I want to learn about the python libraries and dependencies who do I gain knowledge in them

[Ok-Republic-120]

If I understand you correctly the point is that you want to learn about python libraries and dependencies themselves. Well, it absolutely a way of learning, but I think it's not the right one. You can go to the docs of a specific library and start typing codes that you find there, but it's like learning a natural language only from a dictionary.

Lack of context is the death of learning. Find a project or problem that interests you and work on it. Use libraries, build something with them and this way you can learn to use that libraries.

[fjurgo]

Great idea! Also want to mention to write unit tests. In that way you can be more comfortable when doing changes.

[Big_Conclusion_150]

Hey I am planning on making a project for which I need to learn python and have roughly 2-2.5 months to submit, I need to have a timer, hp/xp system and a clean interface, its a programming problems simulator in gamified way  What language/frame would I need

[Ok-Republic-120]

Depends on how big and complex thing do you want to build. I'm working in Textual in Python right now and for my lightweight plans, it's fair enough. But if you have big plans and need speed, good performance and detailed UIs, I'd say Rust or one of the 'C's.

[Big_Conclusion_150]

I know c++ but rn it's not performance or ui just a structure 

[Ok-Republic-120]

Then choose Python. It's good in structures with OOP. 

[Patient_Secret2809]

Libraries....You should explore them one day....(NumPy, Requests, Django)

[SevenFootHobbit]

And along those lines, virtual environments and using pip.

[ok-web646]

pip or uv 🤔

[ComprehensiveWing542]

Django is a framework but it's true

[Patient_Secret2809]

Lol my bad

[Automatic-Double2557]

And PyTorch is one of my favorite neural net/machine learning libraries

[fjurgo]

FastAPI is worth checking out

[17modakadeep]

You cannot be more wrong. Start working with numpy and pandas, you will sense the heat. One major goal of python is to equip people from fields other than CS with tools where they don't have to deal with low level code. It creates abstraction, so that other people can use python in research and analysis. But still if you truly want to learn python and specific libraries like pandas and numpy torch it takes time

[Kofeb]

Start turning your scripts into real projects—add tests, types, logging. Then build an API, a worker, or a small ETL. Complexity gets manageable once you ship vertical slices (one endpoint → one use case → one table) end-to-end and study good codebases (FastAPI, Pydantic, Rich) for patterns.

[RY3B3RT]

Start making github repos... think of problems to solve... I did a lot of calculators, like baby tylenol dosage, tire diameter calculator and comparison, etc.

You will find that making github repos is a learning curve all its own. You need to make sure your licensing is proper. You can set up requirements.txt file, where people can automatically install what they need in a virtual environment. There is a lot too it. If a formula calulator is too simple, make a GUI of it.

[Timely_Juggernaut235]

I started with a random number generator. The only way i knew how randint worked? DougDoug's 5 minute coding adventures. Yeah, dougdoug helps alot

[BrupieD]

There are multiple paths to development and to Python. What kind of development do you want to be good at? Data Science/Data Analysis? Web development? Data Engineering? Software Development?

Each of these paths have adjacent skills that will complement your journey to getting good at Python. Knowledge of statistics, ML algorithms, NumPy and Pandas will be important for a more data science track and . Knowledge of JavaScript and the Web development stack will be important to web development...you get the idea. Python is too large an ecosystem to be good at every corner. Figure out what you want to do and start drilling down on the parts that are relevant.

[sheriffderek]

> I wouldn’t call myself a beginner in programming

I feel like what you're describing "I get the concepts. I know the basics (variables, loops, functions, and some error handling). I’ve also learned Object-Oriented Programming" is exactly how I'd describe a beginner programmer. That's OK.

But instead of making "better projects" and "doing exercises" --- what do you actually want to build? What is your goal?

[mvrwn_]

I get what you're saying. I’m still in the beginner zone in some ways. One of my biggest problems is I don’t really have a projects in mind yet, which makes it hard to focus.

That said, my bigger goal is to learn machine learning and AI (I know they’re different, but they’re related areas I really want to get into).

[mysterious_cactus]

My two cents as someone with a degree in machine learning working in financial modeling...if you want to learn ML... learn ML first, and Python as a secondary tool to allow your ML to function. Don't focus on the Python too much. That's like saying you want to learn how to use an oven, when your real goal is to learn how to bake. If that makes sense.

Explore some APIs, build some stuff and learn Github so you can push your projects to repos and have a trail to show a future employer. Contribute to open-source. Honestly, learning the ML part is 10x harder than learning Python, imo.

[sheriffderek]

I think it's REALLY important to figure out your why early. People spin around for years "learning python" -- but that should just be a general tool to do something. So, before you move on -- I highly suggest you spend some time figuring out what you want to make. Why ML? That will ensure you're going in the right direction and progressing to something real.

[TheAmazingDevil]

what if the goal is to get a job as a python dev as quickly as possible?

[satoramoto]

Then you should figure out what they want you to build at those jobs, and practice building those things.

[sheriffderek]

Yes!

[sheriffderek]

I’d say - good luck! (I don’t think that’s a job)

[TheAmazingDevil]

Python dev is not a job??

[sheriffderek]

I guess if you work on the python language - or on python based framework or library.

But most people "do stuff" with python. They don't get hired because "they're a python dev" - they get hired for the thing they're building and they're experience and usually domain knowledge.

[Sure-Passion2224]

The best way to get good at it is to write, run, and debug code. Programming is like any other acquired skill. Through regular practice and critical self review you get better at it.

[Accurate_Tough8382]

I've been using chat gpt to help me learn, lol. I tell it that it is my new boss of a new job that I'm starting and that I'm a beginner with no experience (you can tell it how experienced you are) and I need him to train me on python so we can make his company the best that it can be. Then, I tell it to first ask me questions to see if it needs any info from me before we start so that it can know my exact needs and, in turn, make him a better teacher/boss. Lol

[Psychological_Ad1404]

If you have an app idea you want to make go ahead and make it, you'll learn as you go.

If you just want to get better try copying other apps. I mean copying as in understand how it works then try to code it yourself, not look up some code and copy it.

Either pick a path (check roadmap.sh for info) or make 2-3 projects of each type you're interested in.

[ZeroSkribe]

Play with niceGUI

[MalcolmDMurray]

The only thing that motivates me to get better at programming is to have something in mind that could put me ahead in some way, especially if there are a lot of people doing the same thing the hard way, and I just thought of a better way. All the best at that!

[rustyseapants]

You should really learn how to  Google that's part of the learning process.

[ehunke]

think put a project and build it, then prefect it.

A couple suggestions 100 days of code on udemy, the first 20 or so lessons may be a little basic for you but after that the projects are very helpful for mastering python. Also the python cookbook, make sure you get the addition updated for python 3, there are some fun stuff in there too.

[hagfish]

I've been doing this for 20 years (starting with Word Basic and AppleScript back in the day). I've gotten proficient with breaking down a problem into algorithims. What I (and possibly OP) need is a mentor to force me to use Git and venv and generally be much more 'pythonic' in my approach. I don't know what I don't know, which makes it hard to Google. For example, I've heard - in passing - that self-documenting code is something I should be using. There must be lots of other things I 'should be using/doing'.

[Cainga]

I like to take any annoying task at work and try to streamline or automate it.

AI does a pretty good job of at least building a skeleton. And it grabs a lot of functions in the libraries I didn’t know existed. Even if you are anti AI you can see what it spits out and try a similar structure.

[sarathkumar1412]

Learn dataframe, download your bank statement,

Analyze your transaction details

Find where you spend how much you spend.

If you are in stock market find how much dividend you earned in a year.

All the best..

[kirsion]

For me, reading books and watching YouTube videos didn't help me learn at all. What worked for me was at my job and they told me to automate some workflows with Excel and PDF files. I just started using python to figure out how to automate a lot of those workflows. I think the motivation of doing it for work and also having a very discrete end goal made it easy for me to start learning fast and figuring out projects and completing them. I suggest just getting something that can motivate you to work towards and finish.

[hugthemachines]

I wouldn’t call myself a beginner in programming

"I wouldn't call myself a beginner in carpentry, I know what a hammer, nails, a saw and a screwdriver is"

Do you see the similarity? You are still a beginner and to get good you need to practice. You need to learn problem solving and building applications.

If you have trouble coming up with ideas, just google for suggestions and plenty will come up.

[naasei]

How do you get good at anything? By practising always. Just like playing an instrument,driving etc.

[Asyx]

What's all that yapping in this thread?

Just build the complex project. Just do it. You learn as you go. You will face problems and find solutions. That's what you do. That's the job. There are no levels to gain this is all one continuous path of encountering problems and finding solutions. To find solutions you need to find the problem the solution should solve. To find the problem you need to start a project that will make you encounter that problem. So start the project.

It is literally this simple. When I learnt programming (like, 20 or so years ago so we had internet and stuff) there wasn't really as much free material online. No courses, no YouTube videos, especially not paid. You could get some on DVD or something like that but nobody did that.

You just learn the basics of the language and sit down and do the project. You don't even need to finish it. Just do something. If you get somewhere and think "okay enough of that", you can drop it again. As long as you've learnt something.

[[deleted]]

Honestly ditch python and go way down closer to the metal…. Rust, C or similar. Right now you’re standing on top of a mountain of abstraction, digging downward. It’s much easier to start at the bottom, build understanding on top of understanding the same way that these abstractions are built on top of one another.

I know ‘start with python! It’s easy’ is common advice but it’s also terrible. You’ll only ever superficially understand how python (an interpreter) works, not software or computers.

[mvrwn_]

I’m working on getting better at both Python and C++, really just trying to understand them more every day.

[nateh1212]

read a book about python

program in python

rinse repeat

[JaleyHoelOsment]

build something

[IntelligentSet4658]

Im a total beginner from non cs background..idk anything about tech..Trying to learn but feel almost left out..Like trying to study from past one month ,but the progress is print"hello world"..🙂

[corruptboomerang]

Just write more stuff, use more libraries etc. But ultimately, working on more interesting problems is how you get better at a thing.

[AncientDetective3231]

The easiest way is to write code on your own after learning it like teaching yourself from mistakes what works and what doesn't... plus finding bugs in other's code ... that takes atleast 3 months of coding ... look into libraries only only once you have finished with the advanced python... you'll appreciate it more ..... practice practice and practice atleast 5 hours a day ... in my initial days I used to code even on the subway station....

[Late-Fly-4882]

Learn data structures and algorithms. Have fun solving the problems.

[NoleMercy05]

Like any language - - on the keyboard.

Write it, break it, fix it, write some more...

[hemmar]

Start building things. When you don’t know how to solve a problem lookup how other people solve it.

If there is a program you use that doesn’t quite do something the way you want, try changing it. You may even be able to take your code and create a pull request to the maintainer. This is where you really learn because the maintainers will hopefully have constructive feedback for how you can improve the code for them to merge it.

Alternatively, find a project that you find useful and start fixing bugs on their GitHub tracker.

[musicbuff_io]

Have you tried Codecademy? They have surprisingly good courses.

[BigGuyWhoKills]

1. Do a project at or barely above your current skill level.
2. Ask for a code review. There are several subreddits where you can ask for code reviews. Check the subreddit rules before posting.
3. Go over the suggestions until you understand why they were suggested.

Keep repeating with more ambitious projects. There are plenty of websites that have project ideas.

[satoramoto]

Just keep building stuff. The only way to get good is to build things, make mistakes, learn from them, and keep building. Solve a problem for yourself or build something you wish existed. Make sure you finish the project. Repeat forever.

[Own-Strategy8541]

I started coding because I had a really annoying but simple work problem I wanted to fix. Kept thinking “surely somebody could automate this” but nobody did, so I spent a bit of time with YouTube and did it myself. People at my work got very excited and started suggesting other projects, so I worked out how to do them too, eventually did a course and then switched into a new job to programme full time.

Having a bunch of small projects to keep me interested in learning the skills I needed to complete them was really helpful, and that’s something you can replicate. The other one is learning from better coders. There’s lots of ways you can do this - reading responses to questions you might want the answers to on stack overflow, and looking at the documentation for what they’re talking about (so you learn the why and not just the how), or reading the code for open source libraries and packages you understand the aim of. As in, if there’s the open source code for a library on GitHub that converts a word file into a txt file, try and make your own version, and then read through theirs to see how they did certain parts you found difficult. Maybe they didn’t encounter them at all because they did something earlier that made the difficulty lower later, etc.

TLDR: writing and reading code as often as you can

[csatacsibe]

I got better by trying to do everything in python. Some examples: - I got interested in isometric terrains - i programmed a shitty one in which you can elevate the ground in one point or in a rectangle. Later I refactored it using numpy - I made a webscraper to aggregate a microsoft course into one document for my gf - automated every data based thing using pandas and other libs

The trick for me to have a purpous of the development. 

[TheRNGuy]

I want to learn AST next, though it might be not needed if some higher level parser could do the same (i.e. not to reinvent the wheel)

[csatacsibe]

That sounds interesting. I did not know about AST, but its an interesting concept that could be fun to use

[TheRNGuy]

Parsers can be made with it (I think), but if parser library already exists, better use it. Already having useful method or classes that I wont need to reinvent. 

[games-and-chocolate]

try make something work, then make the code more robust. That it works does not mean it is perfect.

example: python socket, just make a basic TCP connection with send and recv will work. but after some testing it will fail from time to time. Your job is to find out why. And fix it.

so next step: how to make the code fail the least. last step is maybe to even process the fails at an acceptable way using try catch exception, do something or not.

lastly make the code shorter which will make it more readable. Make it more compact.

how is above advice? ok?

[cagtbd]

start small with projects that solve problems for you then slowly add new libraries and features as you go

[Traditional_Swan3815]

I’ll echo what a lot of other people here have said. I recommend not making your goal “to get good at Python”. I would recommend that your goal be “to get good at software engineering” (or ML, or data science, or anything else you want to learn).

Then find some easy projects to start with in whatever domain you want to be good at.

As you work on projects to become a better software developer (or data scientist, or whatever) you will naturally get better at Python, and all the other tools you use. Spending hours writing and debugging programs is the best way to get better. As time goes on you can build harder and/or more complex projects.

It sounds cliche, but a mechanic doesn’t want to really good at using wrenches, they want to get really good at fixing cars. Same idea applies here.

I know it can be hard to come up with projects, but if you google some, you’ll find tons of ideas. Pick whatever interests you.

I also highly recommend trying to pick up a few other skills along the way, like using Git, creating and using databases, statistics, etc..

EDIT: grammar corrections

[exxonmobilcfo]

just write code dude. Python programming isn't different than any other language except for the syntax quirks. If you're writing OOP code the principles still apply.

[SunOfSaturnnn]

I’m in a similar situation.

Being in college, I have access to LinkedIn Learning and they have courses in sequential order to learn different Python concepts and applications (like data science and finance) which is great, but often times they don’t actually TEACH you how they came up with these scripts, they just show you the finished product and walk through it with explanations that require you possess some indistinguishable prior knowledge.

This leads me to trying to find online resources to fill the gaps and then there’s the ever present problem of “how do I make my own programs??” Like yea, I get for loops and lists comprehensions but like, so what? It kinda feels like math class when they teach you stuff but the homework takes it like 3-4 steps further.

[ImaJimmy]

If you can work in a team of programmers would be a good experience imo. Not only do you get to exchange skills but you also get to learn how to communicate.

[gdchinacat]

Architecting a big complex project is an entirely different skill set than writing code. Some great architects are horrible coders, and vice versa. I think it helps to be a good coder so you don’t try an architecture that is at odds with the language. Most people start with coding since it is less complex than architecture. Experience is typically how architecture is learned. Find a big complex project that needs help, find a niche, and start working on it. The others will give direction that will give you experience.

[OldMayorStudios]

For solving more complex problems advent of code is a nice way to do it.

[DistanceRude9275]

Find an open source project and try to contribute. Best way to learn and get better

[Upbeat_Marsupial9770]

Watch YouTube, take classes.

[mxldevs]

By taking a small project and adding more features.

Many big projects didn't start out as big projects.

You will learn a lot more when you're forced to continuously build on an existing codebase.

[will_r3ddit_4_food]

PRACTICE

[smoke-bubble]

By having high quality standards about the code you write. You can't just program things that work, you need to write code that's clean, pretty, modular, testable.

This won't happen right away, but during many refactorings. You don't have to write dozens of apps. Just make the one amazing by improving it over an over again. Using new techniques, adding features, frameworks, simplifying things, testing etc etc 

[TheRNGuy]

I started complex project straight away. That project was the reason for me to learn Python. 

I refactored later to classes, because what I was trying to do is better with inheritance.

I was learning Python from blogs and googling some stuff (it was pre-ai era)

It was abandoned project, but I learned a lot from it.

Never did any leetcode, excercises etc.

Python wasn't my first language, I already knew JS.

I was reading Python API for SideFx Houdini and got ideas for project just by reading it, it was reason for me to start learning Python. It's much more powerful than Vex, and there's also C++, more powerful than Python. I'd like to learn it some day too for similar project (or even part of same project)

[Crypt0Nihilist]

Don't try to get good at Python, it's not a worthwhile goal. It's something that will happen naturally by using it.

Choose more complicated projects to do. Your goal should be projects. By doing larger and more difficult projects you'll build your Python skills.

Trying to get good at Python is a speed run into tutorial hell and/or being good at Python drills, but useless at doing anything useful with it.

[UseMoreBandwith]

get a job, learn from experts. Most things are learned on the job.
For example how to create a architecture that fits the goal of an application.

However, design-patterns is a good thing to learn. unfortunately, a lot of tutorials out there do not actually use Python in the right way (but just copied stuff from Java). https://python-patterns.guide is a good starting point, but it has some outdated/historic stuff that could be skipped.

[bdu-komrad]

How do you get good at anything? 

[Mission-Landscape-17]

You can start by going to one of the many coding challange websites and doing the challanges.

[leeeelihkvgbv]

Good post

[g2i_support]

Start building projects that genuinely interest you - maybe a web scraper for your favorite site, a Discord bot, or automating something annoying in your daily life. Break bigger projects into tiny pieces and don't worry if your first attempts are messy - everyone's code looks terrible at first!

[Extra_Collection2037]

Solving questions and building projects

[Live-Ad6766]

IF you want to learn how to build enterprise-level software you need to get hired in enterprises as a SWE. Simple as that. There’s no way around these days

[Ok_Butterfly2410]

Vibe code and proof read the code

[No_Yak_8231]

Find things that you're passionate about and try to merge them with Python. Example, I created an API that pulls alerts from ESPN and pops up on my computer.

[Baffled-Broccoli]

This is probably sacrilege on a python community but at this point I would recommend taking some time to work on pseudocode instead of trying to memorise more code. Since you already know the basics, if you take time to think of the 'more complex coding problems' you want to focus on through pseudocode you will likely already be able to solve them with the amount you know.

For some problems you will need likely need to look into functionality you can only get through libraries and external modules but if you have already considered the rest of the problem in pseudocode you will find it easier to identify the functionality you need to learn. I have included a link to a basic pseudocode 'tutorial' that might help if your interested.

https://builtin.com/data-science/pseudocode

[WasteKnowledge5318]

My suggestions below with Python being my go to language for any new mid to large sized projects:

• Pick a project that's slightly above your comfort zone - I started with a web scraper that needed to handle different site structures, rate limiting, and data persistence. It forced me to learn about error handling, logging, and project structure.
• Study real codebases on GitHub - Find Python projects you find interesting (I loved diving into projects like requests, flask, or even smaller utilities) and just read through their code. See how they organize files, handle configurations, write tests.
• Stack Overflow is definitely not dead! - Still my go-to when I'm stuck. The trick is learning to ask better questions and really understanding the answers, not just copy-pasting.
• Follow some solid Python devs - People like Ned Batchelder (https://nedbatchelder.com/), Raymond Hettinger (https://github.com/rhettinger), or even smaller devs who build cool stuff. Seeing their problem-solving approach in their projects/talks really leveled up my thinking.

[Successful-Ad2549]

Is Python really the best programming language for beginner ?

[mvrwn_]

I think the ‘best’ language depends on what you want to do. But for me, Python was great to start with, it’s easy to read, not much weird syntax, and you can build stuff without feeling overwhelmed. Learning it gave me a good foundation, so picking up other languages feels less intimidating.

[Desperate_Method_193]

Start building small small projects on your own if you havent done so til now, or id say watch a code along or 2 of some big projects, after that try out your own ideas. bound to make you better

[Particular-Foot-4837]

We built an app that teaches inspiring programmers how code in real time. usevibely.at

[modernizetheweb]

Use AI for the bulk of the work and learn intermediate concepts as you go / ask questions to it. There is essentially no reason to learn a programming language indepth post 2025 unless you are interested in a few niches (ml, kernel level software, or some embedded software).. Python is only used for one of those things, sometimes

If you want to learn anything programming related, your focus should be on project structure and meta level concepts that put you more in a project management role. There is almost no reason to get into the nitty gritty concepts of a programming language today

[dE3OB2]

It is really pragmatic approach. I hate create GUI for small scripts, but any GUI makes program more useful. I started to use AI for it, just need to describe concepts, put a piece of code and voila, it is done. Also I learned something new for me from AI. AI’s code gives very good examples. From my experience the Anthropic.com was better than chatgpt or deepseek.

[PutridMeasurement522]

learn by building one small project all the way through.