[JOURNEY] Learning Python to Write Scripts.

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I have downloaded that book. Can't wait to begin once my current code finishes.
Awesome! You're off to a great start, then. I'm confident you'll enjoy every bit of your journey into the world of Python.
 
Update - 1

So I have been working on the course that I had initially brought and to be honest I am quite unsatisfied with the quality I am getting. The content is a lot on this course, but the tutor is not explaining it very well. I searched the same concept on YouTube and got a much better explanation.

After reading all the experiences from everyone here, I understood that i need to build a good BASE.

Through suggestions I have downloaded the books below -

1) Automate boring stuff with Python.
2) Object oriented programming in python from oreliy.

But I am very visual when it comes to learning, so if anyone can suggest a course with a good tutor that can help me build a good base for Python that'll be great,since the one I have isn't helping me personally. I do not mind if the content is tough or boring. I just want to make sure I have a good base to begin with :)

And thank you for the support guys, I appreciate the help from this community.
 
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Update - 2

After going through many different websites and other random stuff online I finally decided to give Oreliys book a shot.

It is a massive book, so I guess it'll be a couple of weeks or months before i finish it.

But I am happy to try new things that might be right for me.

Will keep updating my journey regularly :)

thank you guys
 
First comes the course, then the project. How can i build a house if i dont know how houses are built? First you need to fix the puzzle in your brain, and then build.
People have different approaches of learning
 
I read what you'll learn, but I feel the course is beyond my level. I dont have much knowledge of anything related to programming or science and my maths is weak.
Would you still recommend this for a beginner?
Yes, This is designed for beginners - and if you don't need the "Certificate", you don't need to buy it (or you can take the course from Harvard site directly). It's teaches the principles of coding so you can understand how to implement the algorithms for best results.
 
Instead of going through courses, Please try it project wise.

For example lets say we make a small app to scrape data from a website at regular interval using Selenium, saving things into CSV.

Break it down into smaller parts.
1. Installing Python.
2. Hello World test.
3. Installing Selenium
4. Using Chrome,Firefox or PhantomJs with Python Selenium
5. Getting the page source using Selenium.
6. Parsing HTML using Xpath in Python Selenium.
7.Reading and Writing CSV using python.
8. Cron jobs

You will get 100 errors in each steps. But this is how you learn. I dont believe in course oriented learning any more, atleast not in programming.

I am a PHP developer (self taught). I learned CodeIgniter and Laravel using the method above.

I became a python coder because I wanted to speed up scraping for a project I got. I knew what I wanted to do, I split the project into steps, and solved it one by one. I still have a long way to improve, but I can pretty much do all that I need, or I learn further when I need something.

Please use this method , because I think this is very effective in learning programming. Someone who has the interest to learn programming and copy paste the errors in google can be a programmer.
 
Instead of going through courses, Please try it project wise.

For example lets say we make a small app to scrape data from a website at regular interval using Selenium, saving things into CSV.

Break it down into smaller parts.
1. Installing Python.
2. Hello World test.
3. Installing Selenium
4. Using Chrome,Firefox or PhantomJs with Python Selenium
5. Getting the page source using Selenium.
6. Parsing HTML using Xpath in Python Selenium.
7.Reading and Writing CSV using python.
8. Cron jobs

You will get 100 errors in each steps. But this is how you learn. I dont believe in course oriented learning any more, atleast not in programming.

I am a PHP developer (self taught). I learned CodeIgniter and Laravel using the method above.

I became a python coder because I wanted to speed up scraping for a project I got. I knew what I wanted to do, I split the project into steps, and solved it one by one. I still have a long way to improve, but I can pretty much do all that I need, or I learn further when I need something.

Please use this method , because I think this is very effective in learning programming. Someone who has the interest to learn programming and copy paste the errors in google can be a programmer.
Thanks but my background is off Sports. I teach Tennis professionally.

And personally I have learned that a strong base in anything you do in life goes a long way when you see things long term. Thats how I like to learn and do things per se.

But great advice man. I'll do this once I think I should begin with this :)
 
Honestly all of the three.
Start with Python crash course, then ATBS, and finish by Fluent Python
I am doing like this only. The only order I changed is instead of doing Crash Course,I am doing the full edition with Object Oriented Programming - 5th edition.

But thanks for the order :)
 
Thanks but my background is off Sports. I teach Tennis professionally.

And personally I have learned that a strong base in anything you do in life goes a long way when you see things long term. Thats how I like to learn and do things per se.

But great advice man. I'll do this once I think I should begin with this :)

I used to play table tennis somewhat professionally.

From that point I can say, it is not necessary to practice for loops and if statements like how you would practice top spin and back spin everyday to perfect your shots.

But different people learn differently. I strongly vouch for the method I suggested.

Here is what, follow your method that you follow. If you ever get stuck and demotivated, try my method. Do let me know.
 
Update - 3

So I got really really bored from Oreliys Fundamental book. That is why today I thought to make a To Do List file with the help of a Youtube video.

I was able to understand most of the stuff that was happening, but there is one thing that wasn't explained in the video that I would like to ask some of you who know Python more than me.

In the code below, I do not know how to save my changes.

Lets say I create my tasks that I want to do, but then once i close the program all my details are lost. Is it possible to save the data once I open the file again? The code file is added below in a text, since Black Hat World isn't letting me upload my .py file.

Thanks for the help guys! I am really enjoying building something off my own :)
 

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UPDATE - 4
It's been 8 days since I started this journey but it feels like over a month.

I am trying to go Beast Mode right now since it can be that my work starts soon and I don't have the time that I have right now.

I am giving up to 12 to 14 Hours a day to coding. I started off with O'Reilly's 5th Edition (This book is tough for a beginner).

I don't understand alot of stuff and the author has written it not really for complete beginners, but for people who already have knowledge and want to improve it.

So I started to go for my old course Python Masterclass to learn the functions and begin again with the goal.

My goal is to finish The course and the book by the end of this month and begin with Automate boring stuff book.

1) Course 50% Done.
2) Book 30% Done.

(I believe once this journey is over, I'll work towards making money with the skills that I learn from this journey.)
 
UPDATE 5

So I have started to really push myself to study python all day everyday. I usually start at 02:00 Pm and go until 03:00 in the night. With small breaks for food and house work.

Other than that I am covering Functions now in my python course. Something have started to become quite tough. The author taught a BlackJack game and that went over my head because I have never played it.

But no worries, it happens.

Other than that giving my best to my journey and hoping it brings results in the future.

Average Study time = 8 to 12 Hours a day.
Course = 60% Done.
 
UPDATE 6
So we are few weeks into the journey!

So fast in this week I almost finished my Udemy Python course. I am leaving it at 70% done, since the information left is either to go over Python3 or Sqllite.
My dad called today and told me, that he wants me to start learning Mysql for his database work, so I guess while learning Python I will also be learning Mysql from now.

Tim Buchalka's Udemy Course = Finished (100%)
Automate Boring Stuff with Python = (2%), done only. Just started doing it today. Most of my focus will be on learning Mysql and hopefully use it very very soon.
Mysql Bootcamp course (20 hours) = (0%) I will be starting with this course from tomorrow.


So far grinding hard. I am thinking of maybe getting a small part of online job since Corona is alot in my country and I do not think that my job that I was working in before the corona will start anytime soon. But lets see how that goes, since only my dad is the only one earning atm. If anyone has any small jobs that anyone with common computers skills can do, just hit me up :)

Stay happy & healthy guys!
 
I recommend you to not go through an entire course but for example learn only statements if/elif/else and make 30 python challenges on it. Then learn lists and learn how to manipulate them and do 30 challenges, then do while/for loops and do another 50 challenges. then make a challenge with all 3 of them after good foundation you will be able to build hangman/tictactoe/guess num game etc.

This is how you learn python, at the beginning I was only going through courses and I thought i was actually learning but that doesn't work.
 
I recommend you to not go through an entire course but for example learn only statements if/elif/else and make 30 python challenges on it. Then learn lists and learn how to manipulate them and do 30 challenges, then do while/for loops and do another 50 challenges. then make a challenge with all 3 of them after good foundation you will be able to build hangman/tictactoe/guess num game etc.

This is how you learn python, at the beginning I was only going through courses and I thought i was actually learning but that doesn't work.
Your advice makes sense!

Where were you when I had started doing course XD
Jokes aside, now I already have all the basic knowledge of Python. What would you suggest I do now?
I am thinking of doing Automate boring stuff with Python in a way where I just see the question or the flowchart and make the program myself, and if i get stuck somewhere then only I see the answers.

Which projects would you suggest I start with other than the books or courses?
Any website made to give you project challenges that you might suggest?
 
I don't think automate the boring stuff teaches you how to code well but it just gets the job done.

the book is a bit of a cult classic although relatively new there's even a second addition coming out. I've got a dead tree copy and I'm not even a python programmer.

Hopefully, there will be a Go spin-off like there is for Black hat python (Blackhat go - Which is pretty damn awsome!)
 
Your advice makes sense!

Where were you when I had started doing course XD
Jokes aside, now I already have all the basic knowledge of Python. What would you suggest I do now?
I am thinking of doing Automate boring stuff with Python in a way where I just see the question or the flowchart and make the program myself, and if i get stuck somewhere then only I see the answers.

Which projects would you suggest I start with other than the books or courses?
Any website made to give you project challenges that you might suggest?

Do something you enjoy or well something you think is interesting the easiest way to kill off a new developer to a language is to give them a really boring project.
 
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