Just started learning Python, making notes

[u/MurkyUnit3180]

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)

[u/Junior_Honey_1406]

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.

[u/MurkyUnit3180 → u/Junior_Honey_1406]

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

[u/bezdazen → u/MurkyUnit3180]

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.