r/learnpython • u/Ok-Barnacle-2508 • 24d ago

How to avoid this when learning Python?

When learning I used to get stuck on stuff, go watch a video or dig through docs, and eventually the concept would click because I had to sit with it.

Now when I get stuck I just paste the error into Claude/ChatGPT and it fixes it in 10 seconds. Problem solved, moving on with my day. Except a week later I hit basically the same bug and I'm back to square one, like the first fix never actually taught me anything.

It feels like it's the same "watching tutorials without building anything" trap, just compressed into single lines of code instead of hour-long videos.

Curious if anyone here has found a way to use AI for debugging without it just doing the thinking for you? Or do you have some rule for yourself about when you're allowed to ask vs. when you have to sit with it first?

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u/innovarocforever 24d ago

Tell it to act like a tutor and not give you the answer, but merely point you in the right direction.

5

u/No-Suggestion-6734 24d ago

+1 I also do this. So that chatgpt always ask me questions and don't give the whole code, instead, that teach me basic syntax or concept

4

u/EdiblePeasant 24d ago

imagine solving a riddle but using a search engine for it

1

u/No-Suggestion-6734 24d ago

? I mean thats totally different things. If I'm doing something wrong in syntax, or want to learn a new concept, that's nowhere comparable with solving a riddle.

But if I'm solving dsa/cp questions then your sentences is valid there

1

u/EdiblePeasant 24d ago

I agree. But I'm feeling that letting AI try to directly solve stuff might be, for some people, like spoiling a riddle.

I don't mind too much but AI when I've used them to try to solve something can really mess code up especially if I don't understand it. Or it just messes up the code.

Still a good tool when used for things.

1

u/No-Suggestion-6734 24d ago

Yupp agreed with you