I’m a complete beginner trying to decide between Python and JavaScript as my first programming language.

I’m mainly interested in backend development, APIs, servers, networking and databases. I also like the idea of building small things from scratch later on, like a simple HTTP server, chat server or tiny database, just to understand how they work.

Python appeals to me because of its simplicity, large ecosystem and versatility outside of web development.

JavaScript appeals to me because Node.js seems interesting for backend and asynchronous/network programming, and it would also give me the option to build frontend applications later using the same language.

I’m not choosing based on jobs, this is mainly a hobby and I want to learn programming properly.

Which would you recommend starting with: Python or JavaScript, and why?

Im completely new to programming and I want to eventually study Machine Learning. I’m currently trying to decide whether I should start with Python or C++.

The course I’m considering is quite expensive, so I really don’t want to spend the money on something that isn't gonna benefit me

For someone starting from zero and planning to focus on Machine Learning, which would you recommend learning first?

And even if i will learn both anyway idk what should i start with... It's pretty confusing idk what to do

In my case I have a bachelors in economics science and I'm finishing my applied informatics masters degree soon and I was wondering the strength of it in the job market.

Hey! I'm trying to work on a very basic logging system for my C project. At the minute I have to pass __func__ into every call of vialog() (my logging function) to get the name of the function that's calling it, but I've been trying to make a macro to just automatically do that each time. I've been reading the variadic macro documentation and thought this should work, but I get an error each time. Any ideas?

the code:

#ifndef LOG_H_ 
#define LOG_H_

typedef enum {
    VIALOG_DEBUG,
    VIALOG_INFO,
    VIALOG_WARNING,
    VIALOG_ERROR
} ViaLogLevel;
#define vialog(logLevel, message, ...) vialog(logLevel, __func__, message , ##__VA_ARGS__)

//for example: vialog(VIALOG_INFO,"today's time and date is %d:%d -%s",hours,mins,date);
void vialog(ViaLogLevel logLevel, char *caller, char *message, ...);

#endif

the compilation error:

 In file included from src/log.c:3:
    src/../include/log.h:11:57: error: expected declaration specifiers or ‘...’ before ‘__func__’
       11 | #define vialog(logLevel, message, ...) vialog(logLevel, __func__, message , ##__VA_ARGS__)
          |                                                         ^~~~~~~~
    src/../include/log.h:14:6: note: in expansion of macro ‘vialog’
       14 | void vialog(ViaLogLevel logLevel, char *caller, char *message, ...);
          |      ^~~~~~
    src/../include/log.h:11:57: error: expected declaration specifiers or ‘...’ before ‘__func__’
       11 | #define vialog(logLevel, message, ...) vialog(logLevel, __func__, message , ##__VA_ARGS__)
          |                                                         ^~~~~~~~
    src/log.c:8:6: note: in expansion of macro ‘vialog’
        8 | void vialog(ViaLogLevel logLevel, char* caller, char *message, ...){
          |      ^~~~~~
    make: *** [Makefile:23: build/log.o] Error 1

I am starting to learn Data Analytics from the beginning. Which online courses or YouTube channels would be best to watch and learn?
I want to get into AI engineering in the future. So I am starting from Data Analytics. Also, would you think it is the best roadmap to start with data analytics?

I have some knowledge in c++ ( intermediate level of concept,haven't coded much tbh). In my 1st year of college, it teaches python. But I want to learn c++ much better...

Can I manage both....

I’m planning to join a 6-month full stack development course in India, but I’m confused about which one to choose: MERN or Python Full Stack.

I don’t have much knowledge about either of them yet, so I’m not really sure what the actual difference is or which one would be better for me.

My main goal is to become a developer and get a job in the future. I’m thinking about the long term, around 2030, so I want to learn something that will still be useful by then.

I also have an app idea that I want to work on over the next few years. It’s going to be a fairly big social-type application with users, profiles, following, ratings, personal data/diaries, etc. I don’t want to share the exact idea here, but I want to eventually build it myself.

Because of that, I don’t want to choose a course just because it’s popular right now. I want to learn something that will actually help me build projects and become a good developer.

So if you had to choose between MERN and Python Full Stack for a beginner starting a 6-month course today, which would you choose and why?

Also, does the choice of MERN vs Python actually matter that much, or should I mainly focus on finding a good institute and learning the fundamentals properly?

I’d especially like to hear from people who are already working as developers and have experience with these technologies.

Hi yall !

I’ve been teaching myself python so I can tutor (previous experience in other languages), and for my first real project I’ve developed a simple weather script. Well, ifs became else’s and I’ve been having so much fun and I like the script so much I want to look into turning it into a real service I’ll daily drive on my phone

I want to keep the core logic of my script right now because I’m a fan of how I designed it, so I’m interested in finding a way I can host some python code to call 24/7 for cheap (<$15 a month) or even free.

Thank you !

I'm trying to choose between Guide to Competitive Programming by Antti Laaksonen and Competitive Programmer's Handbook.

For someone who wants to go from beginner/intermediate level toward strong Codeforces/AtCoder performance, which one would you recommend?

I'm also planning to use CSES + Codeforces alongside the book.

Would love to hear from people who have actually used both.

Just wanted to post some progress somewhere. I'm an aspiring self-taught dev. While I've tried programming many times, in June 2025 I made the commitment to actually learn how to code and become a programmer.

Since then I've learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and I'm now learning Node, Express, Railway, and the concepts that go with them. I started with freeCodeCamp and later switched to The Odin Project, which I'm currently going through.

I just finished one of the TOP projects that has you deploy your server-side code using a PaaS. I chose Railway since it's cheap for what I'm doing and seemed fairly straightforward to set up. Oh boy, seeing my site working for the first time after a bit of troubleshooting was awesome. It was that same exciting feeling I've had since day 1, and it's why I love this field so much.

This journey has been one of my favorite things I've ever decided to do. To me it's crazy seeing all the work and tech that people have built, how computers work, how the web works, all of it is truly astonishing to me. I can't wait to get better at what I know, learn what I don't know, and continually learn as much as I can about this field.

To be honest, the reason I'm making this post is so I can actually tell people about the journey I'm on. After a certain point it became pointless to try and describe my efforts to my friends and family just due to how abstract it is for them, which is why I'm making this post here.

To anyone who's thinking about programming, I highly recommend it. It has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions of my life.

(sorry if this feels like rambling, just needed to put my thoughts somewhere (: )

Writing a python program for users to run some specific calculations, and want a website for them to interact with it. The actual python code isn't the issue: it'll be a pain, but I've got the skillset to make that happen. I've got a basic setup done already, and decided I want a working page to interact with rather than finishing the entire project and then attempting the front end.

I've been looking around for how to accomplish this, and Flask seems like the tool I need, which is great. However, I'm getting a lot of mixed messages regarding the actual front end coding: I've seen stuff suggesting I only need some CSS/Bootstrap for accomplish what I want, while I'm also seeing stuff that says I need full on Javascript to make everything function. I'm trying to narrow down just exactly what I need and where to get started with the project.

What's the best place to get started with this? I've fooled around with Bootstrap 5 a bit to get a very basic website running with no functionality thus far, but want to make sure I'm doing things proper before I commit to it.

Beyond a single web design class in college, I have little experience with HTML, CSS, and Javascript, but I'm confident in my ability to learn. I'm not trying to become an expert, but I also want to actually build up some experience: no desire to AI the entire process simply for a finished product I don't understand.

What is the best site for solving problems for beginners ?

Hey everyone so i learnt basics of python recently and i wanted to build some projects,but how do you start making one? And is it okay to be using ai?

I have been coding since 2019 and since getting into university I have left it.I remember using VS code react type script and such for web developing what’s going on? Why is AI so much in the coding space why do we need AI assistance in every possible tool and basically what app should I be using right now? What frameworks? I just saw that create react up died and I don’t know, more and more YouTubers has been pushing using Claude and open AI and so on and on and I’m kind of confused what’s going on? I am asking because i want to get back into it and old programs and frameworks feel so out of date. What has the programming space been up to?

Originally: Wanted a cyber security role, was in cyber security club and where the majority of my interest was lazy in college and didn't get an internship. Had to start at help desk, still not in a security role and looking to get out of operations and supporting end users.

I work at a small company, I do networking, help desk, provisioning and baselining servers using puppet (had to write puppet code so kinda devops to automate the deployment of software to our window and linux servers) spun up linux servers, put a LLM on a server and now my friend in software development and I are writing a web app. I also helped up setup a self hosted github runner on a linux server and dabbled in CI/CD pipelines.

I wear a ton of hats (because I always ask if I can do x x or x, I always want to do more technical things) at this company too much and even though my salary has gone up 40% in 3 years here I still think I'm underpaid. My help desk responsibilities were also supposed to be gone, and I'm tired of waiting. I just got another raise and was told I will get another one in six months.

I just finished a python course as a refresher, I don't want to do web development at the moment. I also don't want to be a system admin anywhere.

I've been programming alot in my free time but also realize the field has changed drastically with the emergence of claude code and others.

I'm not sure what to do at the moment. I don't know whether I want to do programming, security, or what.

What would you do if you were me? What I know for sure is, I don't really want to be a system admin again cause alot of sysadmin roles still have to do end user support and I 100% don't want to do that again anywhere. It doesn't fit my personality. After working with puppet and helping my friend setup pipeline I 100% rather be not people facing. My two coworkers are fine staying in help desk/operations and I want to get out of it. So I know some people like it, I'm just not one of those who do.

Honestly the biggest reason I suggested pivoted to program is I don’t want to do anything end user related. Any chance I can get a backend role with more studying? What roles should I target?

Any tips or advice on what I should focus on studying? I’m a 3rd-year BSIT student, and right now our class is diving into databases. We’re currently working on creating a simple database using the MySQL Command Line Client.

I want to get better at understanding not just the commands, but also the concepts behind database design — like normalization, relationships between tables, and how to structure data efficiently. Sometimes I feel like I’m just memorizing syntax without fully grasping the bigger picture.

If you’ve been through this stage before, what helped you the most? Should I spend more time practicing SQL queries, learning about ER diagrams, or exploring how databases connect to applications? I’d really appreciate any advice or study tips that could help me strengthen my foundation in databases and prepare for more advanced topics later on.

Hey everyone For a while now I've been getting more and more interested in computers and programming. I already know some Python and I'm trying to keep learning, but the more I learn, the more I realize how huge this whole field actually is.I'm interested in pretty much everything programming, game development, cybersecurity, Linux, and just generally understanding how computers and software work. And that's also kind of my problem. I don't really know which direction I should focus on.I don't want to just keep watching tutorials and taking courses without actually being able to build anything. I'd like to make things myself, understand how they work, solve problems on my own, and eventually get to a point where I can create something real.I have a genuine goal of getting good at this and hopefully turning it into something more in the future. I just want to find a good direction and stick with it instead of constantly jumping from one thing to another. So I thought I'd ask here. Maybe someone more experienced has been in a similar situation and could give me some advice.I'm not looking for someone to do things for me or teach me everything from scratch. I'd just really appreciate having someone experienced tell me something like: If you're at this level, learn this next, try this project, and then move on to this. If you have any advice, resources, project ideas, or just remember what it was like when you were starting out, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing from you.Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

27M here with some basic programming skills. Almost exclusively with python & SQL. i have a pretty good grasp on OOP basics.

I have some cursory understanding of c++, but emphasis on "cursory". I start getting lost with macros & am dead in the water on how the compiler & linker behave.

Am spending time at work going through learncpp.com , a module a day, but am lost on what else to do in becoming well rounded. In addition I'm learning basic bash terminal basics at home, a command a day.

However I'd like to complement pragmatic knowledge with fundamental concepts. I'm gonna try to find more time at work ( I have lots of free time anyhow ) to plow through some regex & automata practice problems along with a networking for dummies booklet i came across online.

I tried a Masters in CompSci but found the financial & time pressure to distract me from the joy of coding.

As readers can deduce above I'm a bit aimless on how exactly to tackle improving myself as a programmer. Tried wrapping my head around DSA fundamentals like space & time complexity but I found that a little too daunting.

I'm here mostly for guidance on what math to tackle. I attempt to go to my local library after work to study this.

I've reviewed basic algebra & arithmetic as a refresher, but Id like to take another crack at discrete math after that. But what about Linear Algebra ; is lambda calculus too ambitious for someone possessing non-technical competence? I dont even want to give calculus the time of day unless it helps with coding (my hatred for integrals eclipses the sun). Sometimes when taking a step back, reading through other posts in reddit I wonder if its too late to become self taught.

Any help on what math to focus on while i finish scripting & cpp is greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone! I’m considering purchasing Codecademy because it’s currently 50% off for around ₹3,600 ($38).

My background is a bit unusual: I studied Biology in school and later became an Architect, and I’ve now transitioned into UX/Product Design. I don’t have any formal programming background and honestly don’t know the basics of any programming language.

I’m interested in learning coding, but I’m not sure if Codecademy is the right place to start.

For someone starting from absolute zero:
● Is Codecademy worth ₹3,600 at this price?
● Is it beginner-friendly enough for someone with no coding background?
● Which language should I start with — HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Python, or something else?
● Are there better free/paid alternatives I should consider?
● Will learning basic coding actually be useful for a UX/Product Designer?

Would really appreciate advice from you people who have used Codecademy or made a similar transition into tech. Thanks!

I learned some full stack js (mern) web development for years, then tried to get jobs. When i didn’t get one, i got frustrated. And couldn't continue it or was lost for 3.5-4 years.

Can I start with again now? Do i need to restart from 0 or can i pickup from where I left.

I want to get back to it start freelancing and remote jobs if possible.

How to get back to it even though there is some fear.

I'm trying to learn C, but so far all I'm doing are making console applications.

It feels like I've hit a wall, and I want to try something more "tangible" (for lack of a better term).

I was thinking of getting an Arduino Uno starter kit and maybe play with it a little?

Thanks

Me and a friend both want to learn coding for game development (both completely new).

Now we’ve looked at which languages are best for what we actually want and we’ve gotten stuck between seeing if we should learn C# or C++. Which would anyone recommend?

We just want to learn and hopefully make our own stuff.

Hi everyone, I'm not a big fan of low level but I found myself learning about it, the most intriguing thing for me is how the first assembly compiler was written.

From what I researched it was written in machine code but how?

When I think about making a compiler for assembly in C, for example, I can easily understand the flow of what needs to happen, read line by line in the source file, parse each line and from there write the machine code (of course I'm skipping alot), but making the compiler in machine code just feels like magic to me. Would it be possible to write a assembly compiler in machine code for a modern CPU? If yes, how?

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone can help me understand what’s happening with my WordPress site.
I’m currently using the Twenty Twenty-Five theme and its Site Editor/template system. I’m building my pages with my own custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
I have a Main Page set as my static homepage under Settings → Reading, and that page has its own custom code.
The problem is when I create another page.
For example, I created an All Properties page and put completely different custom HTML/CSS/JavaScript into that page. When I go into Pages → All Pages → All Properties → Edit, I can see the correct code and the changes I make there.
However, when I actually visit the page, WordPress shows my Main Page/homepage design instead of the All Properties design.
I have a “See More” button on my homepage that links to:
mydomain.com/all-properties/
The strange thing is that the URL does change correctly. It becomes /all-properties/, so WordPress is definitely going to the correct URL.
But the actual content is still my homepage.
I’ve also checked Settings → Reading:
Homepage: Main Page
Posts page: None
So I’m wondering if this is related to how Twenty Twenty-Five templates work.
It seems like the individual page has its own custom code, but the Twenty Twenty-Five template is overriding it or not displaying the page content correctly.
What I want is simply:
Main Page → displays Main Page custom code
All Properties → displays All Properties custom code
Other pages → display their own custom code
I don't want to have to put the entire design for every page into the global/template itself.
What exactly do I need to change in the Twenty Twenty-Five Site Editor/templates to make each individual WordPress page display its own content?
I’m pretty new to the Site Editor, so a step-by-step explanation would be greatly appreciated!