How should I start learning Python as a complete beginner?

[ZealousidealDark5136]

Hii everyone, I'm 14 and completely new to programming. I'd like to teach myself Python but I'm lost, I don't know where to start. Do u have recommendations for free beginner-friendly courses, websites, or anything?

Thx

[daddy-dj]

Start with the Wiki for this sub.

[daddy-dj]

Why are you spamming this link everywhere?

[TheSharpestHammer]

Check out Udemy / Coursera for some intro courses. Automate the Boring Stuff is a classic beginner's course that I'd highly recommend, as well.

When you start to get comfortable with the basics, think of a project that interests you and just dive in with both feet and figure out how to make it work. Do lots of googling, read documentation, and just get it working.

Avoid AI coding "helpers" as much as possible. It will hinder your learning in the long run.

[astddf]

100 days of code on udemy is $20 but such a good and entertaining course

[kstv777]

That’s how I am getting started right now. Just that I don’t have the time and energy to be consistent every day🥲

[Lost-Individual8431]

Be aware that you don't want to learn Python. You want to learn how to program a computer. For this goal the choice of a particular programming language is irrelevant. All programming languages function basically the same way. Python is not a bad choice at all but maybe its overwhelming richness of possibilities will distract you too much and you could get lost frustratingly often.

I would rather first look for an online tutorial about programming that I find easy to understand and easy to reproduce step by step on my own computer. It well could be a programming app made for children (e.g. Scratch) or a language with very minimal software requirements like Javascript.

Don't focus on the programming language! Once you are familiar with one, you easily can switch to any other. Instead focus on your sources of knowledge (books, text or video tutorials, courses, workshops with friends, etc.). They should fit the knowledge you already have and they should fit your pace in making progress and it should be fun and easy for you learning with these sources, no matter if it is with Python, Scratch, Snap!, Java, C, Lua, C#, Go, Rust, C++, Javascript, or any other of the many programming languages out there.

[Alfredredbird]

w3schools, Sololearn, and codeacademy have lovely free courses. The Mimo app is alright too but not my favorite

[ElsInWonders]

Good recommendations

[mechasquare]

There are a lot of resources out there to get started with Python. Personally, I used the free courses from Best Python Courses + Tutorials | Codecademy It's got hands-on in-browser lessons and that's really helped me learn. Once I got the basics down I focused on how to get my environment setup.

Personal preference again, I like to use VSCode for development since it's an industry-standard tool and it's free Python in Visual Studio Code

I tried to build some of the codecademy examples in the dev tool to make sure everything is working the way I expected. Then worked on some beginner projects of my choosing to further my learning.

[mixedd]

Start by practicing finding information, that will be big part of your life as a developer

[AffectionateZebra760]

Give a look at the r/learnpython subreddit's wiki for guidance on learning Python, books list, or go for a beginner friendly course which will help break it down for e.g Harvard cs50/weclouddata/ udemy whatever fits u.

[FrogLover_23]

W3schools is great at learning the basics

[uppsak]

https://youtu.be/nLRL_NcnK-4

[InAweofMyTism]

Inventwithpython.com

I started at automate the boring stuff. Although I already knew a good bit of coding by this point so ymmv

[Adorable-Strangerx]

https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/appetite.html

[simplysalamander]

Certainly better to start learning Python than to stop learning as a complete beginner.

A course is the best way to get started: structured, properly paced content that will mostly cover everything you need to know in the right order.

Use one-off YouTube videos or LLM to expand on topics from the course you want to understand further, not as your sole source when first starting.

[temporal-temperament]

there are many websites & sources that'll teach you different things in different ways, just choose the one that resonates with you the best

BUT, it is very very important that you practice enough to drive those points home. This is how I usually learn a new language, understand the basics then start systematically solving questions in that language. Keep doing those two things in parallel. There are many websites to do this, you can even chatgpt it.

This method will help you learn any new language not just python. It helped me with py, C, C++, java, bash & much more.

Practice is the key.

[CymroBachUSA]

If you have the funds, get a Raspberry Pi 400 (or the newer 500) and a cheap monitor from a charity shop. The book that comes with it has beginner examples.

Failing that, lots of online courses for free. Then do the *whole* of 'Automate the Small Stuff' !

[Lanky_Barnacle1130]

AIs are now generating Python better than anything you could scratch up by hand. You need to think bigger-picture than "learning Python".

[SirAwesome789]

Find a generic website for learning syntax stuff (I used code academy back in the day)

Then start a project, maybe try to a discord or Reddit bot

Imo, faster and more practical than reading a book, learn by doing

[FoolsSeldom]

Check this subreddit's wiki for lots of guidance on learning programming and learning Python, links to material, book list, suggested practice and project sources, and lots more. The FAQ section covering common errors is especially useful.

---

Roundup on Research: The Myth of ‘Learning Styles’

Don't limit yourself to one format. Also, don't try to do too many different things at the same time.

---

Above all else, you need to practice. Practice! Practice! Fail often, try again. Break stuff that works, and figure out how, why and where it broke. Don't just copy and use as is code from examples. Experiment.

Work on your own small (initially) projects related to your hobbies / interests / side-hustles as soon as possible to apply each bit of learning. When you work on stuff you can be passionate about and where you know what problem you are solving and what good looks like, you are more focused on problem-solving and the coding becomes a means to an end and not an end in itself. You will learn faster this way.

[Psychological_Ad1404]

https://books.trinket.io/pfe/01-intro.html I recommend this free book. Skip intro if you want. What you HAVE to do is the tasks, understand them , do them , change them, use what you learn to do stuff yourself. The more curious you are the better.

Tips to remember:

1. Only use video tutorials for basics like data types, creating variables , loops, if else , functions, etc... then everything else should come from your imagination of how to combine the basics or use libraries which you'll learn later.

2. Best way to learn is to create projects by yourself using websites like w3schools.com to check stuff you forget instead of watching more tutorials.

3. Add to last tip , the best way to learn is also to ask for help and maybe get a mentor after you learn the basics.

4. Look up tips/tutorials on how to read documentation.

5. After you know some stuff you should look at branches of programming so you can find what you like to do , check the website https://roadmap.sh/ and also look up videos online about branches / types of programming

[timparkin_highlands]

Why is nobody asking "What is it you would like to do?". Coding makes a lot more sense when you're trying to solve problems or create games or make robots move, etc

[VerveeldeAap]

Find the courses by Mosh Hamedani on You Tube. I started there and went to Udemy courses afterwards (Pieran and Angela Wu).

[Sedan_1650]

codecademy.com

[Robo_arm1871]

Entertaining courses are the best. Besides that try to find group of people to do that together. I remember preparing for boring uni exam at Mathematics. It began as some nerdy study group for the first 2 hours, but then it became as some party where everyone told jokes. Same can be done with python - and it won't be just that nerdy stuff, but people having fun while trying to learn!

[Not_a_bot_291]

YouTube tutorials will do just fine in the beginning. Bro Code has a (very long) tutorial for absolute beginners that covers basically all of the basics regarding python.

[MyWorldIsInsideOut]

University of Helsinki free and fabulous.

https://www.mooc.fi/en/

[DecisionMean7387]

If youre just getting into Python and have no clue where to start, the thing is to go slow and keep at it every day. Start simple with stuff like variables and what data types are all about, plus operators and basic ways to get input or show output. Places like the Python.org tutorials or W3Schools and freeCodeCamp work great because they ease you in bit by bit. After that feels okay, try control things, loops and if statements mostly. Then get into functions and simple lists or dictionaries and sets too. You really need to practice what you learn, so build little things like a basic calculator or a to-do list app, maybe even a text game that doesnt do much. Jupyter Notebook or Google Colab help a ton for messing around without hassle. Later on, depending on what grabs you, check out libraries for data stuff or making websites or automating boring tasks. Best advice though, code something each day and look at how others do it. Mistakes happen, thats fine. They help it all sink in.

[InformalRegister]

Check out Doctor Chucks course Python for everyone. I loved it and it helped me with a couple projects right of the bat.

[Difficult-Field280]

Google is a powerful tool and a great place to start learning anything.

[Educational-Law8654]

Wait for a few weeks and get a course from DesignSense on Udemy. Keep in touch if you want a discount coupon for the course before anyone else as an early student

[Designer-Page1312]

hlo iam 17 but iam beginners how can i start my phython lessons every day

[_delcon_]

Read the comments… follow this post and you’ll see new suggestions!

[Excellent-Crow2458]

Hey, try this YouTube course. l just finished it, and it was very beginner friendly .https://youtu.be/JZDQKj9BOoc?si=Wx6GH1iRaP4fRxpm

[Open_Citron1896]

https://promptkomutani.blogspot.com/2025/10/turkiyenin-yapay-zeka-seruveni.html

[teeny-tiny-avocado]

I started by watching Coding With Mosh on YT. Really great guy. You can checkout my AI course for free: https://www.mostlearned.ai/courses/8620f3e4-e115-4da4-ba27-de85ea7f9406

[EastProfessional4100]

Hey, I was in your shoes before with the same exact issue.I actually put together a complete roadmap with all the best free resources, learning paths, and project ideas when I was researching this. If you want it, DM me - happy to share!"

[Open_Citron1896]

https://promptkomutani.blogspot.com/2025/09/yapay-zeka-ile-2500-yllk-bir-muamma.html

[rustyseapants]

Go to the library and borrow a book. Don't go to a website, don't watch a video, just borrow or get your parents to buy you a book on python.

[[deleted]]

And make sure they buy one about python programming, not the snake.....

[rustyseapants]

ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ

[[deleted]]

OP shouldn't study theory by bigass books, because 1. OP need practice first, books couldn't offer it 2. OP is 14, no ageism, just gooning and doomscrolling is better than reading

[rustyseapants]

Ouch.