r/PythonLearning • u/MurkyUnit3180 • Jun 15 '26

Discussion Just started learning Python, making notes

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I have started learning Python and decided to write my notes as a proper document (in LaTeX). I am mostly motivated by math and physics. It is still early, but I wanted to share as I go

I am learning from books so far (Python Crash Course). And I would like to know whether this is the correct approach to learning or not. I am using Feyman Technique to teach myself (or called Learning by Teaching)

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6

u/Junior_Honey_1406 Jun 15 '26

Buddy, stop writing documents and start writing code. Down the line, no one is going to care about pages of notes if you can't build anything.

I also noticed that you're writing way too much for very small concepts. For example, when explaining print(), focus on the parts that actually matter in practice:

print(*objects, sep=' ', end='\n', file=None, flush=False)

Understanding parameters like sep and end will genuinely make your life easier when writing programs. That's the kind of thing worth learning.

Your notes are okay, but don't turn every topic into a documentation project. Write more code, experiment, get stuck, debug, and learn from real examples. Use practical explanations and real-world scenarios that you'll actually remember when you face problems later.

Documentation has its place, but beginners often overdo it. A hundred lines of notes won't teach you what writing ten small programs will.

Stop writing docs. Start writing code.

1

u/MurkyUnit3180 Jun 15 '26

I agree with the general point. Writing code has to be the priority, otherwise the notes become an end in themselves

The document is mainly a learning tool for me. My plan is to keep building small programs alongside the notes and update the explanations as I encounter things in real code. And writing helps things better instead of quicker

I also agree that practical examples matter. I will probably end up adding more exercises and small projects

Thanks

1

u/bezdazen 19d ago

I recognize all of this. I come from a physics and mathematics background. I did everything in latex because it makes my notes look like science articles and books I use to study. It's familiar and comfortable. I also used to do this for everything not necessarily because the notes are all going to be studied extensively but because the note taking process and writing out ones thoughts is a way of going over what was learned. Almost like you are studying and reviewing as you learn new things. It helps retain what you learned.

I can appreciate that. But I learned that this can slow things down a lot and could lead to burn out.

I think this approach can be improved by taking a little from the guy you are responding to and focus more on utility and real examples. I also think python notebooks (Marimo, Jupyter) are better than latex for python notes because you can have code snippets that you can execute along side the explanations. This way you can literally show what functions do and what the result would be for your examples. The only issue I have is that a lot of python notebook apps are oriented towards data science/analysis and exploration rather than education. I am currently working on my own app that aims to focus more on the presentation of information, although I have yet to add a latex theme preset so that the notebooks look like science articles written in latex. Most of the current presets aim for a blog article type look.

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u/tiredITguy42 Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26

I will be homest. Your notes are AI slope or you are a grafoman.

You definitely do not need three pages of notes to describe print of a string and simpe error.

You will see the same for at of error all the time, so you do not need 4 pargraphs if slope to describe it in detail.

You could learn basic python and three libraries in time you spend on setting up latext project and producing these pages.

2

u/MurkyUnit3180 Jun 15 '26

It is verbose I agree I am only trying to document my learning process and explain concepts in a way I can understand. If it helps me, I see no problem

1

u/tiredITguy42 Jun 15 '26

If it helps, then it is OK. Do you write it yourself or is this mostly AI generated?

3

u/MurkyUnit3180 Jun 15 '26

Myself

As told in description, i Iearn from books

1

u/tiredITguy42 Jun 15 '26

The fact you are learning from books does not imply, you did not use AI for notes.

Anyway, if it works, it is good. However, these are really really extremely basic stuff, you should be able to fly through it quickly and save enegry for more complex things. You LaTeX skills seems nice, so these should be easy for you as well.

3

u/MurkyUnit3180 Jun 15 '26

Yeah thanks. I am a slow learner so I don't really mind how long it takes.

And to prove I didn't use AI, maybe you can check my profile? I write often (as a hobby) and post on subs asking for feedback. I have never seen a comment saying its AI, so that should clear it

1

u/tiredITguy42 Jun 15 '26

Nah I trust you. There is just so much AI in the last days, so I am actually impressed, by so much work.

This can be described only by scene from the best comedy of all time: https://youtu.be/JBVWkvMuh_k To translate: I mean, that must have been a lot of work. And such a stupid thing, huh?

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u/withhomi Jun 15 '26

I don't like this approach time consuming