python Learning Python

[mezcalfighter]

Good morning forum,

 

I wanted to learn enough Python for a Job. I am not located in the US so a lot of the offerings in my country require experience.

 

Any advise on learning Python? I want to become a web developer and learn some automation with Python

 

I see a lot of programming bootcamps and I already pay for few sites, but I feel I am in this constant loop of learning.

Edited October 14, 2024 by mezcalfighter

[Slottr]

Will really depend on what you want to do with it. Pythons a pretty versatile tool.

 

once you have some basics down, it’ll mostly just be trying to find solutions to what your requirements are. 

[kirashi]

59 minutes ago, mezcalfighter said:

Good morning forum,

I wanted to learn enough Python for a Job. I am not located in the US so a lot of the offerings in my country require experience.

 

Any advise on learning Python? I want to become a web developer and learn some automation with Python

 

I see a lot of programming bootcamps and I already pay for few sites, but I feel I am in this constant loop of learning.

Advice for learning anything is to learn what piques your interest and/or have some kind of goal or project in mind, even if it's just a fictitious project to "analyze weather data" for the sake of having something to work towards as you're learning. I find learning for the sake of learning results in feeling lost in a sea of "too many pathways" to follow, whereas having an end-goal gives you something concrete to work towards. And of course, this goal can change as you work on the project, or you can set a brand-new goal when you finish the first one.

 

As for bootcamps and courses... You get what you pay for, some are better than others, and many exist simply to convince people to part with their hard-earned money. I usually watch the intro video to get a vibe for the course creator's teaching style too; all teaching styles DO NOT jive well with all learners, so use what works for you. One thing I will say about GOOD bootcamps is they force you to follow a timeline with fellow students, giving you structure and people to bounce ideas off of when completing the work.

 

Coincidentally... Humble Bundle is currently offering a "Learn to Code Python" bundle right now. This isn't an endorsement nor am I telling you to jump on this deal right this very second, but it's something you should be aware of if you're looking into inexpensive courses you can learn on your own time. Keep in mind that these days most entry-level programming concepts can be learned completely free of charge via ThE InTeRnEt™ if if if you have the time and attention span to push yourself through things.

https://www.humblebundle.com/software/complete-learn-to-code-python-and-ml-megabundle-software

https://www.codecademy.com/catalog/language/python

[GalaxyStudios]

What I personally did was use a free course on YouTube to learn the basics and them I went to ChatGPT and Stack Overflow every time I didn't know how to do anything

[BootlessBuck]

I really liked Automate the Boring Stuff. It's free online. It goes over the basics, then gives a bunch of practical real-world ways to apply the various things learned. I'm not sure how up to date it is, but hopefully it's still good enough.

 

https://automatetheboringstuff.com

 

If you're looking to use Python on the web, you'll want to look at Flask or Django. Flask is more free form, where Django is more perspective as to how things are done. I also think having a foundation in HTML, CSS, and Javascript is something a person should have before doing backend web dev work, unless you're literally just making APIs. You'll want to know how websites are put together so you can actually use the backend you make and have it look halfway decent. You don't need to become a front end master and go crazy with React, but you need to have some idea of how the front end works to know where to put the data from your python into the templating system (if you're going to use it).

 

Years ago I started taking the 100 days of Python course on Udemy, which seemed like it was good... but due to some work stuff I ended up skipping about 40 days to learn the Flask stuff for a project I needed to get done, and I never went back to the stuff I skipped, or to finish the stuff after Flask.

[mezcalfighter]

2 hours ago, undergroundbeef said:

I really liked Automate the Boring Stuff. It's free online. It goes over the basics, then gives a bunch of practical real-world ways to apply the various things learned. I'm not sure how up to date it is, but hopefully it's still good enough.

 

https://automatetheboringstuff.com

 

If you're looking to use Python on the web, you'll want to look at Flask or Django. Flask is more free form, where Django is more perspective as to how things are done. I also think having a foundation in HTML, CSS, and Javascript is something a person should have before doing backend web dev work, unless you're literally just making APIs. You'll want to know how websites are put together so you can actually use the backend you make and have it look halfway decent. You don't need to become a front end master and go crazy with React, but you need to have some idea of how the front end works to know where to put the data from your python into the templating system (if you're going to use it).

 

Years ago I started taking the 100 days of Python course on Udemy, which seemed like it was good... but due to some work stuff I ended up skipping about 40 days to learn the Flask stuff for a project I needed to get done, and I never went back to the stuff I skipped, or to finish the stuff after Flask.

Thanks for all for replying. Any advise other that practicing? I stometimes I just don't feel ready because all the companies are asking for too much. I am afraid I am never going to make it or live in this constant learning loop. When should I start applying to companies?

[BootlessBuck]

10 hours ago, mezcalfighter said:

Thanks for all for replying. Any advise other that practicing? I stometimes I just don't feel ready because all the companies are asking for too much. I am afraid I am never going to make it or live in this constant learning loop. When should I start applying to companies?

Have some of your own ideas and projects, not just tutorials that have been followed. I’ve found it extremely helpful to have my own little project(s) on the side where I can apply what I’m learning. It really helps take it from theory to being applied and useful knowledge. At the very least, come up with extra features to add to the projects in the course to make them your own. This is where most of the learning happens. 
 

When working in a job, there won’t be a paint-by-numbers version of the code you need to write, which is the case with most courses and tutorials. The real skill that you need to learn isn’t the code syntax, it’s the ability to break down a problem and solve it using the various tools the language provides (most languages provide the same, or very similar tools). Also, looking at existing code and figuring out how to add a new feature to it. Once you feel reasonably comfortable doing these things, I’d think you could apply for some jobs. 
 

Just know that it will never be like the movies where you sit down and start writing perfect code from your head as fast as you can type. I’m looking stuff up all day long, spending time staring at the code trying to figure out what it does, following the logic in my head, trying stuff, watching it fail, then trying different stuff…. It’s a process. The question isn’t can you effortlessly solve the problem with code, just if you can ultimately do it when it’s all said and done. A lot of people like to sugar coat and skip over a lot of this struggle. Stuff Made Here on YouTube makes hardware, but there is usually a software side as well. I think he does a good job of showing this struggle and iterative side of it (on both the hardware and software). He doesn’t need to be perfect along the way, but gets there in the end. 
 

This is the part you want to make sure you can do, and are ok doing all day everyday, before getting a job. It’s not for everyone. My place wanted everyone who was a sys admin to start coding to automate various things to be more productive. Only a few of us actually made the transition. 10%, maybe less. This is ok, there are a lot of other things that still need to get done and they have expertise in other areas where I’m lacking. 

[riklaunim]

On 10/15/2024 at 3:13 AM, mezcalfighter said:

Thanks for all for replying. Any advise other that practicing? I stometimes I just don't feel ready because all the companies are asking for too much. I am afraid I am never going to make it or live in this constant learning loop. When should I start applying to companies?

 

Junior job market is in a bad spot - a lot of interested but very little job listings for juniors. Yet it's still moving and there always will be room for a good junior. You have to spend some time learning, improving, and asking for feedback. You will have to apply to many job offers before you get something - but if you put in the effort and you have what it takes then you will get hired and start your career.

 

For commercial Python most jobs, especially for juniors will revolve around webdev or some backend/API development. There are also data processing/data science jobs, while mobile/desktop/mobile development isn't really a thing commercially. So you would have to go into for example webdev and get overall experience and focus on getting to know Django and Flask, FastAPI. And if you are interested more in frontend and UX/UI then there are frontend JS SPA frameworks - for a fullstack webdev developer.

 

There are a lot of pure Python tutorials, then the same for frameworks and webdev with them. You can go with courses/tutorials free/paid but you can also look for on-site bootcamps - those will be paid and expensive but having direct contact with a teacher can help you learn basics really quickly and get a good understanding of what's software development. 2-3 months, and after that you still will have to learn and improve on your own. Just note that it would have to be a good bootcamp and not low-quality cashgrab bootcamp of which there are many.

[apoyusiken]

learnprogrammingonline.com

[Ripred]

I'm in the Harvard CS50P online course, its free unless you want the "official" certificate at the end, you tube is nice if you have the discipline to keep yourself on track, otherwise the course has a good structure and the professor genuinely enjoys coding 

[wasab]

Snip

 

this is a necrothread.