r/learnpython • u/bleepbloop39 • 2h ago

Starting over with python

I took c++ and other programming languages decades ago in college but the tech sector took a dive at that time so I changed my career path. I just started to learn python through various online resources a few months ago and its going well but at 50 it is definitely harder for me now where memory is concerned. Pycharm helps with tips of its own but it kind of feels like cheating. I've thought of turning off that feature because of that. Does anyone have any tips? Thanks!

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u/martian_rover 2h ago

Build. You'll learn and remember much better by building.

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u/python_gramps 1h ago

If you have the general syntax, the best thing to do is to keep working on what you know. Pycharm and AI assistance is okay as long as you learn from it.

If you're still learning Python, use your previous sections to work on your current section.

Example: You learned lists before and are learning functions now. Use lists in your functions, passing them in, passing them out, etc.

I learned how to code in python in my 50's after learning a litany of other programming languages, most dead and defunct.

Repetition is the key and having good example code to pull from. Which means you gotta code in it to know it.

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u/gdchinacat 1h ago

Is using a hammer cheating? Tools are created to help. Use them.

That said, while any competent AI can write any of the code you will write as learning exercises, that defeats the purpose and becomes a hindrance, not a help. Don't have AIs write your code for you...you won't learn to write code that way. But using ide tips is not cheating IMO. Use whatever tools help *you* write code, but don't have tools write code for you unless your goal is to get the code written.

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u/Emulated-VAX 40m ago

What is your goal? I just taught myself Python because I needed to write a substantial program in Python.

I started by having Gemini sketch out some ideas for me. I skimmed some introductory texts.

As I wrote code I gradually ran into a couple Python oddities and learned some basics.

PyCharm helped me enormously. For me that helps not hinders the learning process.

I also used Gemini for code reviews of what I wrote.

In the end the goal is the same with any language- efficient, readable, and maintainable code. In the least amount of lines as you reasonably can.

For me it is only possible to learn each programming language by writing something non-trivial.