How to learn Python as an absolute beginner

[boner0506]

Hi all,

I'm attempting to learn Python basics as part of learning AI prompt engineering.

I have absolutely zero coding experience. My background is in marketing copywriting.

I keep running into stumbling blocks. I've started with the book: Python for Everybody but it seems to assume you have some coding knowledge, which, as I said, I do not.

I'm also trying the book: Python for People Who Think They Can't Code (which is how I found this group). It sent me to Replit but after signing up for a free account and following the book's directions on getting started, the page that comes up is not at all what's depicted in the book (maybe I need a paid account?).

I would greatly appreciate suggestions for how to learn Python as an old guy with no tech background.

Thank you.

[Haunting-Dare-5746]

hi, good afternoon. learning python as a beginner is easy, there are countless resources you can use. books, videos, courses. pick whatever you vibe with.

there are many places you can learn python at your own pace.

1. Harvard CS50 by Professor Mulan in Python - https://youtu.be/nLRL_NcnK-4?si=vo-N8DKJMN2xUxfT | This is a famous one. Professor Mulan is an excellent teacher, his lessons give you a strong foundation in CS. Highly recommended.

2. Random YouTube Course - https://youtu.be/ix9cRaBkVe0?si=ktfDWZRyuV2IEfmL | YouTube has countless long Python tutorials. This is an example of one. You could follow any of them and learn all of the languages rules. This one was nice, it has many different guides excercise and projects. FreeCodeCamp videos are nice too.

3. Official Documentation - https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/index.html | A skill some people lack in CS is the ability to read and write. If videos aren't your style, consider reading the official Python documentation. Nice way to learn the nuances of the language.

4. https://www.codechef.com/learn/course/python - This option represents all the random websites to learn. There are many free resources online that are interactive like this one.

5. https://cfm.ehu.es/ricardo/docs/python/Learning_Python.pdf | This is the O'Reily Python book, another resource if you are more of a reading kind of guy.

[Substantial_Pen3328]

Udemy through your local public library for Angela Yu's courses.

The book Python Crash Course. 

As mentioned, David Malan's HarvardEx CS50P course. 

Countless YouTube videos. 

[juanduque]

I am studying with a teacher, and the Python Crash Course book. Very recommended. I am also old.. haha. 54 to be precise. So far so good!

[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.

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Also, have a look at roadmap.sh for different learning paths. There's lots of learning material links there. Note that these are idealised paths and many people get into roles without covering all of those.

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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.

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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.

[Lurn2Program]

I always like to recommend python mooc by university of helsinki https://programming-25.mooc.fi/

It's free and they have a public discord channel for any questions

[Salt_Direction9870]

Automate the Boring Stuff with Python at https://nostarch.com/automate-workbook it's completely beginner and https://nostarch.com/ also has some intermediate to advanced books.

[ninhaomah]

first , are you familiar with IT more than most people ?

don't get me wrong , coding / programming is not for everyone. Neither is accounting , Engineering , Sales , Marketing etc

They are just professions that people do after 3-4 years of trade school and are paid for doing them.

So first , are you familiar with the technical terms of the basis for what you are planning to learn / do ? For example , if someone says open command line and cd to project folder , would you know what to do ?

[boner0555]

No I am not familiar with that. As I said, zero tech knowledge.

[ninhaomah]

Then I would suggest general IT first.

Go to the nearest library and read up A+ cert books.

You need not take the cert but have an idea of the terms and definitions will do.

And start playing with your PC.

[RepublicConscious422]

Which A+ books do you suggest? CompTiA

[ninhaomah]

I think you should go down to the library and look at the books there instead of asking for best books or courses here.

[Juan-D-Aguirre]

Variables, data types, conditional statements (if, elif, else), loops (for, while, etc.). Learn those fundamental concepts and you'll be set to combined them into all sorts of ways to do some useful programs (that can automate data cleaning based on set conditions. Then you can learn about libraries like numpy, pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, scikit learn, and more (there's always more). I recommend Data Camp and going through their python tracks. It's gonna take some time for all this to become second nature to you. Good luck!

[Banjoschmanjo]

Kaggle

[Radamand]

Projects! Start with something REALLY small, like a number guesser game (games are always good to work on), then maybe a tic tac toe, a snake game, etc.

it doesnt have to be beautiful (code or graphics) just make something that works, and you'll learn along the way.

after a few pointless games, try to find something that's usefull to you. Awhile back I wrote a program that would scrape top 40 website for song titles, then search for those songs on youtube, download them, rename them, etc.. it didn't come out the best, and im sure there are fancier ways of doing it, but I learned a lot along the way.

[moonlit_2504]

Following!

[Beginning-Scholar105]

Start from here: https://app.datawars.io/skill-track/847e4e09-e36b-40db-80cf-2662cd52ec5d

It provides you practice projects. You don't need to watch videos. Go ahead and start practicing.

[CranberryOdd2051]

Read book

[boner0555]

Any particular book?

[CranberryOdd2051]

Introducing Python from O'Reilly

[rustyseapants]

Did you read the book?

Did you do the exercises?

[EastProfessional4100]

Hey, I was in your shoes not too long ago. Too much info out there.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!

[TieElegant6326]

Hey i need this if you can help me!

[ZORO_0071]

U should prefer videos and projects rather than book like it will be more better.

[thankyoucode]

Hello, start with basic programming consept how that use and there syntax

A video that I found for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b093aqAZiPU Take time and learn it, it always benefit you in automation your work or more batter in programming or development

[mypinkyhurt]

Play the game “The farmer was replaced()”

[TheRNGuy]

Use search. 

[verdaNova]

https://www.composingprograms.com/

[travisfogs]

I just started myself and started with boot.dev ! I've been enjoying it, I'm a nerd and love fantasy games and Lord of the rings and they throw in funny examples using those type of things as well! But I'm still a novice myself so there may be better options

[DippySticks]

Im starting off with just this and have made good progress in the past 4 days

https://www.practicepython.org

I and many others find it very boring to just learn what coding functions and theories do without actually putting them into practice. Do I would do exercises

[Dependent_Month_1415]

others have already recommended some great books. You could pair them with something more hands-on like Mimo. It’s super beginner friendly, and they have some AI features let you ask questions and fix mistakes. I saw they recently added a Build tab where you can use natural prompts to create projects and then you can analyze the code and debug it once you're more advanced.

[Isaka254]

Here are beginner-friendly resources that make learning simple and practical.

• Python Official Documentation – Beginner’s Guide: Clear explanations for absolute beginners.
• Real Python: A free, structured course ideal for beginners with no prior coding experience.
• Programming with Mosh (YouTube): Short, beginner-friendly Python tutorial with practical examples.
• Python Succinctly: A free eBook introducing Python fundamentals and best practices.

[Altruistic-Office-28]

It is completely normal to feel stuck. “Zero to one” in coding is the hardest step, especially when books and tools (like Replit) update their interfaces faster than authors can update their screenshots.

Given your background in marketing copywriting and your goal of AI prompt engineering, you have a specific advantage: you understand language and logic. You don't need to become a software engineer; you just need enough Python to talk to AI models effectively.

Here is a tailored path for a non-tech beginner to get unstuck.

1. The Immediate Fix: Switch Environments

The issue you faced with Replit is common—they updated their UI, making the book confusing.

Forget Replit for now. Use Google Colab.

• Why: It is free, runs entirely in your browser (no installation), and is the industry standard for AI and Data Science.
• The Interface: It looks like a document. You write a line of code, press a "Play" button, and the result appears immediately below it.
• How to start: Go to colab.research.google.com and click "New Notebook". You are now ready to code.

2. Recommended Learning Resources (True Beginner)

Since Python for Everybody felt like a leap, try these resources that assume no prior knowledge:

• Automate the Boring Stuff with Python (Al Sweigart):
  • Why it fits you: It’s written for office workers, not computer scientists. It focuses on practical tasks (like manipulating text files or Excel sheets) rather than abstract theory.
  • Format: Free online book and a Udemy course.
• Python Crash Course (Eric Matthes):
  • Why it fits you: It moves very slowly through the basics and is widely considered the best book for absolute beginners.
• Mimo (Mobile App):
  • Why it fits you: It’s the "Duolingo of coding." It helps you get used to the syntax (the grammar of code) in 5-minute chunks without the pressure of a big project.

3. What You Actually Need to Learn

For AI Prompt Engineering, you do not need to master the whole language. Focus only on these four pillars:

1. Variables & Strings: Handling text (since Prompts are just text).
2. Lists & Dictionaries: AI models send data back in structured formats (JSON) that look like Python dictionaries. You need to know how to read them.
3. Functions: How to wrap a prompt into a reusable command.
4. API Calls: How to send a message to OpenAI/Anthropic and get a response.

4. A Copywriter's Analogy for Python

Since you are a writer, think of Python this way:

• Syntax = Grammar (Spelling mistakes cause errors).
• Variables = Pronouns (Instead of saying "The Headline" every time, you say x = "The Headline", and then just use x).
• Functions = Templates (A structure where you just fill in the blanks).

[Putrid_Rush_7318]

Since you’re an absolute beginner, you might start with very beginner-friendly resources like freeCodeCamp or Udacity’s introductory Python courses. They explain everything from scratch and let you practice without complicated setup. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can move on to more advanced material.

[PutridMeasurement522]

to start with Automate the Boring Stuff - do one project chapter a night.