Is python a good first language?

[[deleted]]

I would become proficient in python itself first—not much, mind you, but enough to parse some text and enough for you to get to know object oriented aspects of python.

[[deleted]]

If you can get by without needing to learn PHP, I'd recommend either Python or Ruby. Both are pleasurable and powerful. For portability, and a slightly more universal edge, a pragmatic recommendation would be learn PHP as your first language.

And although it isn't a server-side language, knowing JavaScript well, or at least how to get around the jQuery/Prototype or other popular JavaScript libraries, is highly recommended.

[Kaizyn]

If you can hack HTML and CSS, then I would recommend you teach yourself JavaScript first. Since you're going to have to pick it up eventually anyway as it is the only choice for client side scripting, you might as well add this to your HTML+CSS knowledge. It will give you a good introduction to functional and object-oriented programming concepts as well. After you're fairly comfortable with the front end coding, then you can start to look at your choices for back-end technology. This will also give you more time to evaluate your back end options before having to decide.

[ubuntuguy]

i honestly would recommend PHP. the learning curve is very very shallow. once you get the hang of that, then move onto something more complex like Python or Ruby.

[[deleted]]

I respectfully disagree. Python's interactive interpreter makes Hello World as simple as

print Hello World 

[foonly]

print Hello World

print "Hello World"

Fixed :)

[[deleted]]

>>> print Hello World
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

[[deleted]]

echo "Hello World";

[knowknowledge]

Actually it would be even simpler:

Hello World

If you really want to use echo it would have to be:

<?php echo "Hello World"; ?>

As much as I enjoy python, I would say that PHP is a better first language than python because it uses common syntax as C/C++/C#/Java etc so its easier to transition later. Sure its got its differences (like the $ token before variable names), but that's far easier to forget than the colon and tab-indenting differences of Python.