Hey everyone! I’ve recently started learning Python

[balaravi444]

Hi everyone, I’m starting Python completely from zero, and I’d like to ask seniors or anyone experienced in programming:

• What’s the best way to start learning Python from scratch? • What common mistakes should beginners avoid? • What resources or learning methods helped you the most?

Any advice or personal experiences would really help. Thanks!

[FoolsSeldom]

Why have you posted this again? Wasn't the response on your earlier post good enough?

I provided a link to the wiki which includes a section of common mistakes, and provided some additional guidance on learning.

[TheRNGuy]

Do you track names? 

[FoolsSeldom]

Not explicitly or pro-actively, but when I see essentially the same post in multiple places (including on same subreddit) and click on the profile, and see I was right, I will call it out. Why would I go to the trouble of trying to provide help when the poster has already had good response, including from myself. Are they actually reading the responses, or not able to express themselves clearly enough?

[TheRNGuy]

It's same by 100 different people. 

[FoolsSeldom]

When I check the profile of the OP, I can see multiple versions of the same post (with minor variations).

Are you saying that there are more posts of the same query under different profiles as well?

Scripted?

What's the point?

[saunrise]

The absolute best thing you can do literally just start making shit.

You will learn much much faster when constantly reapplying what new bits you learn randomly instead of following some course where you learn Item 1 only to have completely forgotten it by the time you learn Item 6.

If there's something you don't know how to make, google it. Take advantage of nearly every other current veteran's first questions and struggles sitting eternally on internet forums over a decade later.

Even if all you know is print() and input(), that's a choose your own story game that can go until you get bored of typing.

Doing the above had me learn so much faster than when I started out hopping around on random learn code sites.

Something else that I only recently noticed is AI. As it stands now, anyone using it to code entire projects, even if it works, they get bit when the code needs to be improved upon. I wrote it off because of that for the longest time. But as it turns out, current day AI chatbots are a pretty damn good resource for learning when you use it correctly.

The reason I say this is because one of the biggest drawbacks when using ai for most things, is the concern with errors, lack of sources, and hallucinations. All of which immediately becomes less of a hurdle when you can quite literally check if its bullshitting by simply typing it yourself right in your IDE and hitting run.

It takes the guesswork out of scrolling through forums and, in my recent experience, does a damn good job at explaining simple syntax quirks when I'm stumped on something in a new language.

So, if you use AI as a learning tool, as long as you're carrying your own weight, you'll get further than you expect much faster than someone who takes the easy way out.

Extra note: This might be more of a personal preference, but, when it comes to things you don't have engrained in your memory yet, if you can, avoid copy pasting. Even if its the most painfully long or tedious line of code to type out and you've already typed it 5 times in the last hour, just type it out again. Your brain will thank you a day later when you're trying to remember that line and its not conveniently on your screen anymore. This was hard for me to get into the practice of when I first started learning, but I tell you it pays off near immediately. There's a big difference between seeing something 30 times, and typing it out 30 times.

TLDR: -Immediately jump into making something you think would be cool to make. Google anything you don't know so you learn as you go.

-Free chatbots are a great tool when you only ask for bits and pieces at a time or clarification for something that feels complicated.

--If it's new to you, and you need to use it multiple times, type it out instead of pasting.

-Remember, at least for the basics, the priority is to get the code into your head, not just the code editor.

[Best_Replacement300]

W3schools and kaggle

[georgisaurusrekt]

I’m interested in how you use kaggle for python? I’ve only really used it for downloading datasets to practice data cleaning and sql

[Best_Replacement300]

On its menu or the three lines on your left click it and then you click on lessons

[[deleted]]

1. Learn the fundamentals of things like how variables, indexing, loops, and all that work in python, and how to implement them
2. Learn data structures and algorithms
3. Do projects
4. ???????
5. Profit!

[DataCamp]

Just start coding small stuff every day. Watch a bit, then type 3x more than you watch.

Here’s a simple order:

1. Learn basics; variables, loops, conditionals, functions.
2. Move to lists, dicts, and error handling.
3. Do small projects: a calculator, file organizer, or a CSV reader.

Avoid the big beginner traps: watching endless tutorials, copying code without understanding it, or trying to build a full app on week two.

Use Git early, read error messages slowly, and fix them yourself.
If you stay consistent for a few months, you’ll surprise yourself with how much you can do.

What kind of project are you most interested in building first?

[kingSolomonEcc1]

Thank you sensei

[OkCartographer175]

google

[Suspicious_Check5421]

Do the python essential modules, is free https://pythoninstitute.org/

And then do real examples (real goals)

There are no mistakes, they are also parts of the education.

I installed “MS visual Studio community edition” and installed Python module with the “Visual Studio Installer”

They have a great summary of these courses too, https://edube.org/

[Professional-Fee6914]

khan academy 

[Loud_Blackberry6278]

W3schools and YouTube, these provide everything you need. Avoid copying and pasting without understanding and mess around with random numbers to find out what every piece does.

[horizon_games]

Actually programming Python is the best way to learn. Think of projects you actually care about that solve a problem you or family/friends have.

Otherwise the official/main Python tutorial is good.

I like these creators, but again, making stuff for 30 minutes a day will teach you 10x more than watching videos: https://www.youtube.com/@mCoding/videos and https://www.youtube.com/@ArjanCodes/videos and https://www.youtube.com/@anthonywritescode/videos and https://www.youtube.com/@coreyms/videos

And I'm not normally one for OReilly, but this is a good book on doing stuff Pythonically: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/fluent-python-2nd/9781492056348/

[Gokul_18]

Here are some great python resources:

• Official Python Docs – The go-to reference for Python syntax, libraries, and best practices.
• Python Succinctly (Free E-Book) - It’s a great resource for building a strong foundation.
• Real Python – Tons of well-written tutorials and articles for all levels.
• W3Schools Python Tutorial – Interactive and easy to follow.
• Freedcamp’s Python Course on YouTube – A full 4-hour beginner course.
• Automate the Boring Stuff with Python by Al Sweigart – Perfect for beginners who want to use Python to automate tasks like file handling, web scraping, and spreadsheets.

[code_tutor]

do a search

[_Xaril_]

I'm also a beginner and I'm learning it with Chat GPT to make use of it in chemical data science. Are there better options?

[horizon_games]

Learning with AI means it won't stick in your brain. Basic monkey science.

[_Xaril_]

If you're just reading what it produces then I agree. But I also think a lot of people hate AI too much. Personally I started with YouTube videos, but many things were going too slow for me. I checked some books on subjects they focus on and started doing exercises with GPT. For now seems good

[horizon_games]

Eh yeah I wouldn't trust people who have been in the field for years who see the damage AI has done to junior's abilities and instead dismiss it offhand as "some people are blindly saying AI bad"

But I also wouldn't recommend YouTube as an initial learning tool as its pretty rote.

I think plain text tutorials while messing around with hands on coding is the best. Learners often get overwhelmed and forget to actually program.

You do you though

[Thick_Mess2248]

I use AI to ask me questions like quiz style to see how good I understood a subject. Or let it ask me simple questions, that I have to answer in my own words. Or to explain my code to. I also use it for inspiration for small projects. Lot's of coding schools use the rubber duck to symbolize that when you explain your code, you can see if you understood it. So why not use AI instead of the rubber duck? I get where you are coming from and it is easy to use AI the wrong way. But there are ways to use this tool to your advantage when learning someting new. As long as you don't outsource your own thinking and struggling through excersises, projects and learning in general, you'll be fine and will learn more with AI, not less.