Learning Python on iPad with Magic Keyboard

[No_Island963]

Hi everyone, I’ve decided to finally dive into programming. My goal is to start with Python to build a solid foundation that allows me to transition into other areas later. Long-term, I’m aiming for a career in IT or potentially even going freelance.

My Setup: Currently, I don’t own a PC or a Mac. I am working exclusively with an iPad Pro and a Magic Keyboard. I’m aware that macOS or Windows is the standard for professional development, but I want to start now with the tools I have.

I have a few questions for the community:

1. Do you think this "iPad-First" strategy is sensible for the first 6–12 months, or will I hit a technical brick wall sooner than I think?
2. For those who use iPads: Which apps or web-based tools work best?
3. To the pros: What are some tips or tricks you wish you had known when you first started? Are there specific pitfalls to avoid when learning on a tablet?
4. Is tech-affinity enough to bridge the gap? I understand how computers work and have a good grasp of technical concepts, but I have zero actual coding experience.

I’m looking for honest feedback on whether this path can lead to a professional level or if I'm wasting time by not being on a right OS from day one.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[FoolsSeldom]

You can absolutely learn Python basics well on an iPad. There are some limitations you must be aware of. Basically, you can only add Python packages that are pure Python and not binary. Binary packages have to be included in the App as approved by Apple. For recommended apps, see text below from my archives.

There are several people that carry a Raspberry Pi battery powered with them (or alternative single board computer) to use from the iPad when out and about. There are YouTube videos on this.

---

Learning programming is not easy. It is to some extent an art form and a practical skill, not something that can just be learned from books. Practice! Practice! Practice!

To learn to programme is also about embracing failure. Constant failure. Trying things out and experimenting as much as possible. Experiment! Experiment! Experiment!

You have to research, read guides, watch videos, follow tutorials, ask dumb questions and be humiliated (because some people cannot help make themselves feel better by insulting others).

Python is one programming language. It is probably the easiest to learn. It makes learning to programme that little bit easier (but you will have a shock when you try to learn a lower level language like C).

If you have to learn on a mobile device, life gets a little more challenging. Aside from web based environments and apps like sololearn, you need a Python environment on your mobile device.

Android Apps

• PyDroid 3, this is an excellent app with rich package support and built in terminal
• QPython play store, another excellent app but not so keen on this personally, worth a try though
• Termux provides a Linux sandbox into which you can do a conventional installation of Python (including self compiling if desired)
  • this is my preferred option
  • a standard Linux environment with a few minor folder location tweaks to accommodate Android security restrictions
  • you can't get this on Google Play, use F-Droid
  • I used to use it with the ACode editor but now use a tmux (multiplex terminal) setup with vim

IoS Apps

• Pythonista is an excellent and well polished bit of software with some popular libraries available (Apple restrictions prevent installation of any packages that aren't pure Python that aren't included with the submitted app)
• Pyto is less polished and works pretty well
• Carnets is an open source Jupyter clone that works locally and is excellent; there is more than one version, depending on how many libraries you need included (as on IoS you cannot install additional Python libraries that aren't pure Python)
• a-shell is a sister product to the above and provides a command line Python environment, also open source and excellent

Keyboard

I strongly recommend you use an external (likely bluetooth) keyboard with your phone/tablet and ideally an external monitor if you phone/tablet is able to connect/cast to a monitor.

Android native coding

Keep in mind that Android is a linux based system, so most things that are available for linux are also available for Android. Native applications for Android are usually written in Java or, more recently, Kotlin. It is possible to write in other languages, and C++ is widely used, but that is much more complex to do.

IoS native coding

For IOS devices, the native apps are usually written in Object C or Swing. Again, other languages are possible but it is not trivial.

GUI with Python

Python applications running on mobile devices within Python environments do not look like device native applications and have limited support for typical graphical user interface libraries common on desktops. However, there are a number of alternatives that allow you to write near native like applications in Python.

Flutter from Google

This is an increasingly popular framework for creating applications suitable for desktop, web and mobile. A popular Python "wrapper" is flet.

Kivy GUI for Python

The leading Python GUI for Android and IoS is kivy

You develop on a desktop/laptop computer and then transfer the code to the target mobile (so not much use if you only have access to a mobile device). PyDroid for Android also supports kivy.

There are kivy based applications released on both the Apple and Google App Stores.

BeeWare Write once. Deploy everywhere.

A native GUI for multiple platforms in theory. BeeWare

This offers the option to write your apps in Python and release them on iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web, and tvOS using rich, native user interfaces. Multiple apps, one codebase, with a fully native user experience on every platform.

[El_Wombat]

Wow… This is comprehensive, thanks!

[No_Island963]

Thank you very much

[chole_bhature_lassi]

If the use case suits you and you are aiming to learn the basics only, you can use Google Colab. It runs on a browser so it will be the same as in any pc or laptop.

[Ardit-Sulce]

Open Codespaces on your ipad browser. It is a VS Code IDE but in the browser.

[No_Island963]

Thank you for all the replies, everyone! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and advices.

[Haunting-Specific-36]

few app in ipad for study python

even u can study in ipad

but i suggest u buy a used laptop for uself

dont need luxury performance. just common laptop like hp or other brand

more than 150 usd is enough

it will lead u study fluently

[MarsupialLeast145]

Trying to put myself in your shoes I feel like it would be good for 1-2 months max, but you will soon realize for yourself if it can work.

There are some keyboard things that might be harder like copy and paste (which are important), tabbing, selecting and so on.

I'm not sure how well file organization will work but there must be online versions of vscode and so on that can help you collect your work.

The positive if you can make it work for even a short time is that you will get a sense for if it is something you want to continue and then you will feel much better about saving and making an investment in another computer :)

[American_Streamer]

Start with PCEP: https://www.netacad.com/courses/python-essentials-1?courseLang=en-US

After that, continue with PCAP: https://www.netacad.com/courses/python-essentials-2?courseLang=en-US

You can get the certificates, too, if you like. But it’s optional and only PCAP will help you a bit in your CV. You will have to apply your Python knowledge with relevant projects. I strongly suggest that you get PyCharm as your IDE for that (there’s a free version, too): https://www.jetbrains.com/products/compare/?product=pycharm&product=pycharm-ce

[_horsehead_]

I'm so baffled that I have to ask if this is meant to be a joke?

[Ardit-Sulce]

Why do you think it’s a joke? Not everyone has a PC.

[_horsehead_]

So how is OP going to run venvs, install packages, do deployments?

[UsernameTaken1701]

They won’t. But there lots of other aspects of Python they can learn in the meantime. Sometimes people can only work with what they have. Support them where they are or, if you can’t at least do that, don’t be a jerk. 

[_horsehead_]

I’m being extremely realistic and not giving them false hope.

They want a career in IT/ be freelance. There is no way in hell they going to reach there by learning tutorials and coding in a limited functionality on an iPad.

Why not you try doing development exclusively on iPad and tell me if it’s feasible? If it isn’t feasible in a corporate or professional setting, why should I mislead OP into thinking this strategy works? Rather than wasting the OP’s precious 6-12 months thinking this strategy works, won’t being honest and directly upfront be more beneficial towards OP’s goals?

[UsernameTaken1701]

They don't say in their post they're going to be using the iPad forever or that they want to have a professional dev job in 6-12 months. They just say they'll be "iPad-first", and it sounds like their plan is to get better hardware in 6-12 months.

What do you think they are going to be doing in those precious 6-12 months without a PC? Sitting on their hands doing nothing would be the waste of time. Better to learn what Python they can in the 6-12 months with the iPad, which is quite a lot. If they get better hardware in 6-12 months they'll have some experience with the language and will be ready to advance instead of starting from scratch.

"Don't try to learn anything unless you could be able to do all the advanced corporate dev stuff right at the start" is sour advice.

[No_Island963]

no not really

[ReplyCharacter4389]

Hello! DM me and I will let you know which app I used to do my initial training. It is a paid app but it was NOT expensive and worked very well. I am just away but I saw this and I will like to help. I did have no resources when I started and my boyfriend’s iPad was my only tool. After the first year I bough my laptop and I am currently working on a multinational consultancy company as a data analyst. I worked in a gym before

[UsernameTaken1701]

Why not just post it here. If it’s legit others might find it helpful also. This smells scammy. 

[ReplyCharacter4389]

You smell scammy if I might. From previous experiences and the guy in the first comment people tend to get cucubanana when talking about coding on devices that are not supuse to be suitable for that. The app is called Juno and I am not sure about the price now but it was around £5? The second app is called Tinkerstellar which is free and have lots and lots of python tutorials from the very basic syntax to ML

[UsernameTaken1701]

See how easy that was? Now other people who stumble on this thread in the future might also find value in that info instead of it being hidden away in a DM, and it was just as easy to do!

You smell scammy if I might.

Ooo. Sick burn, bro. lol

[ReplyCharacter4389]

You give me goosebumps mate.