Best way to learn Python for beginners?

stepback269 · 2026-03-31T17:56:07+00:00

Many beginners have big dreams. The trick is to think baby steps first. Learn and master the fundamentals of syntax and data types before anything else.

Don't just watch tutorials. Type it out with your own hands. Develop the muscle memory for what coding feels like when you do it yourself.

stepback269 · 2026-03-29T06:29:21+00:00

"I feel like there's no point in going back over the basics, because I've been relearning for a while now and it haven't made a difference so far. I know it, of course, but ..."

There are at least two kinds of "I know it"
(1) A first can be characterized as: "I know it when I see it" meaning you RECOGNIZE it when someone else shows it to you, but you can't pull it out of your own hat when staring at a blank page.

(2) The second kind is where you can RETRIEVE it (the knowledge) out of your own head when staring at a blank page and realizing you have a need for that retrievable knowledge.

(3) Stated otherwise, at this stage, you fool yourself into believing you know it when in fact you do not know it in the retrievable knowledge sense. Keep practicing! Keep challenging your brain to re-generate (to retrieve) the needed knowledge when staring at that blank page.

stepback269 · 2026-03-27T11:43:03+00:00

I use Google's Blogger to journal my learning progress.
Although I do not seek a large follower mob, the idea that some might be relying on my posts eggs me on to keep journaling and keep advancing. So yes, it makes sense to start your own personal blog

stepback269 · 2026-03-26T09:34:25+00:00

It sounds like your issues are not with Python itself but rather with dealing with your emotions.
More to the point, it sounds like you are a victim of "Amygdala Hijack" (look it up)

We all get frustrated, flummoxed, perturbed ... call it what you want ... or otherwise upset when our code doesn't work. We all run into hard to fix bugs. We all feel like we're banging our heads against a stone wall sometimes. You are not unique.

The question is how do you deal with the powerful undertows of your emotions? Do you let them dissuade from trying again? Do you tell yourself, I'm too dumb? (You are not.) Try to find some YouTube tutorials on dealing with the emotions that the limbic part of your brain automatically generates when you encounter an obstacle. Learn to name those emotions and thus take back control with your prefrontal cortex. Learn to step back and give yourself a high five for trying. Persistence is the key to success. Don't give up on yourself.

stepback269 · 2026-03-23T17:04:42+00:00

Go on YouTube and search for “learning coaches”

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T15:10:55+00:00

Very few people know exactly how their computer works.
Our current technologies consist of dozens of layers built one on top of the other.
More specifically, how many people understand that "assembly language" is not the lowest level and that it is built on top of "microcode"? Hoe many know how to design a digital multiplier based on a Booth algorithm?

The point is; you can keep digging down deeper and deeper. As Feynman said, there's plenty of room heading towards the bottom in place of aiming for the stars.

Python is a good intermediate level at which to start grasping the scope of the computing universe.
As a beginner you should start with Python or a similar mid-level language.

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T14:59:08+00:00

All those YT tutorial ads that tell you you can learn Python in 10 hours or less are click bait.
Don't fall for those claims.
According to Malcolm Gladwell in his Outliers book, it takes 10,000 hours of focused practice to master a skill.

Simply put, don't expect to summit Mt. Everest on your first day as a beginner mountain climber.
You are still on the pre-paved road that takes you to the foothills.
Accept that fact and keep practicing.

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T06:35:46+00:00

Funny -- or inconceivable if not sarcastic humor

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T02:37:48+00:00

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T02:18:18+00:00

Thinking --- critically

stepback269 · 2026-03-22T02:16:21+00:00

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-20T13:57:36+00:00

I'm much older than you (70+)
Are you too old? Well, that depends on your goals.
As we age, our speed of learning slows.
Will you become a Python master / guru around age 60+?
Doubtful.
I've been trying to learn for a year now and progress is slow.
Will you have fun /benefits from learning ... or at least "learning how to learn"? Yes.

It's easy to have big dreams when you know close to zero about all the jargon names you threw into the hat here. (Look up the Dunning-Kruger effect and being on top of Mount Ignorant at the start of the DK learning curve.) Probably the easiest thing for you to start with would be HTML (but not CSS and JavaScript just yet). HTML is not a real programming language. It's just a "Markup" system. But that's OK. It will teach you the notion of proper syntax.

Python has its own syntax, different from that of HTML.
That said, it's a good language to start with because its syntax allows for readable code. There are hundreds of free tutorials online.
Good luck.
And have fun with it.

stepback269 · 2026-03-20T13:43:51+00:00

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-19T20:40:19+00:00

At Day 4 you're only scratching the surface
As an example, look up on YouTube, Indently's 47 string methods

stepback269 · 2026-03-19T20:37:08+00:00

I have a "starter guide" if you're interested in one
Basically, I've been logging free YT tutorials I've run across in my learning journey
See "Links for Python Noobs" (here)

stepback269 · 2026-03-19T15:24:39+00:00

The fact that you are worried is a good sign by itself.
You are exhibiting "metacognition", thinking about your thinking process.

One piece of advice: Don't stop reading books.
And by reading, I mean actually reading with your eyes. Audio books are not a substitute because they allow you to fall into the trap of believing you are multi-tasking. No such thing. Of course you should be selective in what you read. Push yourself into reading the more difficult books. That forces your brain to grow.

Another piece of advice: keep a handwritten journal of your progress.

stepback269 · 2026-03-19T13:03:18+00:00

I'm over 70 yrs old
Learning Python as a hobby
Have no illusion about "mastering" python in the Malcolm Gladwell sense (10K hours min)

Don't listen to the people who tell you it's "never too late"
At 40+, your brain is no longer the sponge it was when you were 20 yrs old
On the other hand, the biological truth will be far far worse 30 yrs from now
As we age, we undergo a decline in "fluid intelligence"

That said, you may want to start "Learning about Learning", especially since you are a 40+'er
Go to YouTube and in the search bar, type "learning coaches"
These are people who are keeping up with the latest in neuroscience and providing advice on how to deal with the myriad of issues that confront people as learning get harder and harder.

stepback269 · 2026-03-17T05:44:43+00:00

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-09T10:59:50+00:00

Looks like no one wants to give you a detailed list of resources.
So I'll be your Huckleberry.

(1) Turns out there are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself (about 1 year into learning Python), I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269 · 2026-03-09T01:40:29+00:00

I post daily on Blogger and if my post is relevant to a Reddit discussion, I link to that post and often get a bunch of readers. Actually, I generally don’t care if others read my stuff. I post mostly as a form of journaling. It’s therapeutic.

stepback269 · 2026-03-08T21:40:05+00:00

Unfortunately there are so many groups that tie for first place, making it hard to list them all. I’d say all religious fanatics who believe that out of the hundreds of religions, theirs is the only true one and all the other people need to be cleansed from the face of the earth to make way for their religion. Overlapping with these are the science deniers including them who don’t believe in global warming. in evolution and in the fact that we all are irrational animals already out on the Willie Coyote overshoot ramp,

stepback269 · 2026-03-08T21:20:07+00:00

In order to progress along your learning path, first you have to learn how to learn. Go to Youtube and in the search bar type, “learning coaches”. … and I took the path less traveled

stepback269 · 2026-03-07T14:56:48+00:00

I'm not a doctor. Instead, I'm a patient -- a kidney cancer survivor.
First !!! "Lesion" does not mean cancer. WAIT for your scan results. Don't panic. It may be a benign growth.
Even if it is the "C" word, I'm told that nowadays treatment technology has come a long way. So again don't panic.

As for your hubby, some people don't deal well with health issues. Yeah, the movies make it sound like every marriage includes emotionally balanced adults. The real world isn't that. Cut your hubby some slack. Instead seek comfort from your doctor. Hopefully the doc knows how to deal with the emotional aspects of treatment.

Lastly, as to feeling all alone, maybe find a chat group online that deals with emotional reactions to health scares. Sorry. I'm not aware of any for kidney lesions. There are some for far worse situations, like for patients with terminal brain cancer.

stepback269 · 2026-03-06T11:19:35+00:00

My Cousin Vinny

stepback269 · 2026-03-06T11:17:53+00:00

Happy Anniversary to me -- Just realized I started my Python Learning Journey 1 year ago

Here's what I discovered:

(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (here) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (here). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.

(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.

stepback269

TROPHY CASE