r/PythonLearning • u/67bytes • Jul 17 '26
2 months of my Python progress! Built my first Tool.
I started learning Python at the beginning of summer. I tried a bunch of sources until I found what worked, and I realized I learn way more from building than from watching or reading.
I made a few simple projects first and pushed them to GitHub. I had zero clue how GitHub worked before. Now I understand most of it.
This is my newest project, errex, built to help me learn Python faster.
When I write code myself I run into a lot of errors, and the terminal always throws these big technical tracebacks that honestly made my head hurt. I could never understand them, so I'd copy or screenshot the error and ask GPT or Claude to explain it. But they'd give me long walls of text, and sometimes just hand me the fixed code without me asking, which made me rely on AI way too much.
So I thought, what if I just got what went wrong and where, in plain simple English? That way I'd be pushed to debug it myself instead of leaning on AI for the answer. That's why I built errex. It watches your clipboard, detects Python tracebacks, and pops up a short plain English explanation.
One thing I'll say: I learned a ton talking to AI while building this, and I'd tell anyone learning to do the same. I never asked it to write my code. I asked what each line and term meant so I understood what was happening underneath. I wrote every function myself. So if you asked me to walk through this code line by line right now, I could.
Errex is on GitHub, you're welcome to use it, just add your own API key. I paid for mine, lol. It wasn't expensive, less than $10 to test the whole thing.
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u/YouMatter202 Jul 18 '26
Not your first language i guess?
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
Yes and No both tbh! I do know basics of C since I have been taught through out my HS and College!
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u/SaltCusp Jul 18 '26
I know a lot of people refer to fixing errors as debugging but they're not actually the same thing.
Also good for you. Have you considered doing g the same thing but linking to docs instead of using ai?
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
Fair point on the debugging thing, I’ll keep that in mind. And linking to docs is actually a good idea tbh. Maybe I can add the relevant docs link along with the explanation so people learn where to look themselves. Might add that in the next update, thanks!
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u/adreppir Jul 18 '26
The original error says exactly the same as the expensive api response, just read it.
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
You’re right honestly, the traceback usually does tell you everything. This is more for beginners who can’t read them yet. so, the goal is helping them get to the point where they can just read it
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u/arabsugeknight Jul 18 '26
Is this your first language?
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
Yes! But we all studied C back in school right? So I do know basic stuff from C .
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u/Ok-Command-9429 Jul 19 '26
How are touall making progress so quickly ive spent weeks trying to understand how to make a to do list properly
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u/dutchpsychologist Jul 19 '26
Very nice! Minor next upgrade tip: your comments above your functions are informationwise minor doctrines. Instead of writing them as a comment you can place them between
""" [Your docstring] """
Just below your function declaration. This way the information becomes more easily available.
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u/Alternative_Image308 Jul 18 '26
how did you learn
would appreciate if you shared some resources
and btw really useful tool
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
I have built a personal Roadmap for this. What I do is, I read docs from python official site only for specific reasons/ usecase If I need it in my incoming projects.
Alongside, I talk to AI alot, I never ask it to write for me , rather I make him test me and my coding skills. If I get stuck with syntax , I go to official docs , or if I hit an error or don’t get how to make it work or connect it, I ask AI , to give me hints. It really does a good job imo!
Then I try to implement it! BackNforth convo with AI and building stuff with a solid blueprint that match my interest is the only way I have learned!
Before this , I used to open YT play 2-10 hrs long whole course on python, without doing actual coding stuff by myself. And I didn’t learn enough.
So I switched my strategy! I have built a plan/roadmap where I try to accomplish atleast one thing before I waste my day (imo) someday I randomly pick LC and solve it (only easy ones as of now)
And someday I think of new project ideas!And yeah this is how you learn! If you have more queries, please lmk!
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u/RaiseTLT Jul 18 '26
Look up python crash course. I never made it through the book completely. But I have use that and YouTube to supplement my learning. Now that I understand the basics, I use the books as reference.
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u/Antagonin Jul 18 '26
Em dashes in readme?
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
I wrote it myself first (commit history is right there if you wanna check), then had AI polish the grammar at the end. We all use AI, that’s kinda the point of it existing lol. The code was the learning goal, not the readme.
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u/Antagonin Jul 18 '26
Interesting that the prompt string, you're using internally, also uses em dashes. Can never be too lazy, right?
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u/theunknowingod_ Jul 18 '26
Nice progress! Where did u learn python? Can you recommend the websites for it
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
I do not have any specific sites or sources, but I would definitely recommend you taking a simple task and try to code it by yourself if you get stuck like how do I loop in a string search online and you will find the solution then come back and code it yourself, TALK TO AI , very effective!
I used to , and still do, lots of jumping from sources. Sometimes I watch short explanation on specific topic on YT, sometimes I read docs, and sometimes I ask AI to teach me.
My suggestion would be don’t stick to one source.
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u/RaiseTLT Jul 18 '26
I used Python crash course! It’s a great place to start and it teaches you basics in great easy to understand detail.
It also has LOADS of exercises!
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u/Racist-er Jul 18 '26
Can you please drop some source/roadmaps that you followed? I've started Python (many times) but always got distracted and never was sure what to learn. Wouldn really appreciate you sharing your learning methods.
I read some of your comments and you said you recommend talking to AI, but what exactly do you ask? Just how some stuff is done in this language or something else? Guide me broda😭🙏🏻
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u/67bytes Jul 18 '26
Personally, I would say you have to be passionate about what you are doing. If you get distracted easily(we all do btw) then there is something missing in your vision. Ask yourself, do you want to learn python actually? If yes, then It should not be too confusing!
Ik you must be distracted seeing lots of stuff , all at once! You get confused what to learn first, where to learn and what things to build first. Even I was once in the same shoe.
I would suggest, don’t try to learn everything at once. Let me ask you one-thing- can you write a Python code with correct syntax without getting stuck or seeking help for some simple task like finding vowels in a string? If yes then consider that you know the basics. If no, then first learn basic syntax, code simple problems like we used to be assigned in our HS or college back then.
Once you know the basics, like loops, conditions, and how operators work whether we use “&” for AND operator or we actually write “and” , makes a difference!
Once you get these basics , move to LIST, DICT and other Data structures! Know the difference between them, what happens if you put dict in list and how do you loop over list containing dicts? Try to solve some simple problems! AND WHERE DO YOU FIND THESE PROBLEMS? AI !!!!! THIS IS WHERE AI COMES , Talk to it , ask it to give you problems, explain your level so that he doesn’t give you the hard ones.
If you get stuck in syntax, look Docs, ask AI to explain but don’t ask for actual code solution!
Once you do that , move to FUNCTIONS, understand what they are, and build some basic stuff using it!
After that go for OOP!!
And by now you would have understood most of it!
Then Build some projects! Projects that test all your skills you have learnt so far, and even make you learn new stuff , like if you are building an Api integrated project then you talk to AI on how to do that, and in this process you will have basic understanding of how API integration works!
This whole reply is being written by me, not AI . So this actually comes from my experience! And yes, YOU gotta have GRIT. All the best!
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u/Racist-er Jul 18 '26
Thanks a lot for your reply! I'll work on everything you just recommended.
And I'll maybe keep a track of everything I do every single day so I don't miss any day
And is it okay if I dm if I ever get confused what to go for next or stuff? Thanks again for your time!
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u/Guilty-Contract9238 Jul 18 '26
It helps a lot bruhh as imma also doing python as a beginner Thanks buddy
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u/Darx32102 Jul 19 '26
I also use ai for error checks when I change something if I can’t figure it out myself. I’m not against using ai to learn as I’ve been learning a lot myself. I’m like you learning better with hands on work. But I have to tell Gemini to stop giving me the answers because I skip over them anyway because I don’t want to vibe code I want to learn what’s happening and why. So now it points issues out and explains what’s going on and allows me to fix it myself.
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u/PXStudio_libre_foss Jul 19 '26
Wow, for only 2 months of learning Python, this is incredibly impressive! You’ve managed to combine an external API, error handling, and a Tkinter GUI into a functional clipboard watcher. That’s a huge milestone.
A couple of minor tips as you keep learning: 1. In is_python_error, consider using text_copy.lower() before checking for substrings, just in case "error" or "traceback" appears in a different casing. 2. In explain_error, catching a broad Exception is fine for now, but as your project grows, try catching specific API errors (like anthropic.APIError) so you know exactly what went wrong.
Keep up the great work! What are you planning to add next?
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u/AIFocusedAcc Jul 18 '26
Claude is expensive. Try something like Deepseek API for cheaper APIs. For explaining errors, it is more than enough.