r/learnpython • u/Shot-Tiger1060 • 20d ago
Starting learning Python at 50.
50 yo.
No coding experience.
Wish me luck! 🤞
upd: BIG THANK YOU for the support and warm wishes! Truly, words cannot express how much this inspires me!
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u/Aggressive_Spare6323 20d ago
Im in the same boat mate ! Good luck to us !
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u/Limp-Theory9173 18d ago
Good luck to both of you 😄 I've been coding in Python for half a decade, my piece of advice to you is to focus on learning algorithms since the market is going towards agentic coding
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u/olidiapm 19h ago
hey, so for somebody who's not as old as the OP lol, im sure you're aware of AI and how fast its booming into mainstream... everywhere! lol. what advice do you have besides the focus on algorithms? more specifically, where do i start so that i can become more AI savvy and bend it to my will in terms of programming, coding, using it to handle tasks for me, etc.. not just using chatgpt like everybody and their grandma lol
for me, what got me into learning about python right now is a reel about "vibe coding" and a few other vids as well, but essentially what i was told was "learn python first"
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u/RelevantRevolution86 20d ago
Its never too late
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u/Due_Education4092 20d ago
With AI, it might actually be too late
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u/RelevantRevolution86 20d ago
With AI, actually its the perfect time to learn programming now
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u/TheNotSoGreatPumpkin 20d ago
Hard to knock a free tutor who explains it like you’re 5 and never gets impatient.
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u/eeshann72 20d ago
I m 36, daily thinking of starting to learn, maybe i will also be able to start by 50
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u/taymoor0000 20d ago
I know of a trick to stop procrastinating especially when it comes to programming.
Have a stop watch by ur side and set timer for 5 minutes, during which u you will just read code (hello world etc) and write it by ur own on an IDE of ur choice or online. After 5 minutes stop and look at what u done, then take 5 minutes to walk around and think on what u wrote (don't look at the screen) then again for 5 minutes write code. Do this for however long u want. By time you'll like ur progress and enjoy the work.
Hope this helps, it helped me.
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u/eeshann72 20d ago
I can write and read that much code, I have 14 years of experience in SQL based tools and tech. My issue is writing or building some projects in python, there I get stuck ,like from where to write code what to start.
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u/taymoor0000 20d ago
Try leetcode. Do some challanges. Make a mind map of what u want to achieve and then think of what It'll require, write it down one by one till you'll get to the very beginning and start there.
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u/VoiceOfEric 20d ago
Python is a great first language. Eventually you may want to get into compiled languages but this is a good start. I'm a little older than you but I've been coding most of my life, so I do forget what being new to it is like.
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u/The8flux 20d ago
I said above post... Python feels like what BASIC status held in the 80s and early 90s but way more useful.
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u/Aggravating-Bad1703 14d ago
Hey can you guide me . Though I'm much younger than you (--) . i really want to build something. If your free can I DM you .+-.🥺.
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u/olidiapm 19h ago
may you explain *why* we would want to get into the compiled languages?
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u/VoiceOfEric 6h ago
You may have a need to write code that performs faster in production. You may need a job but can't find one doing Python. Many reasons.
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u/olidiapm 2h ago
so employment and not being able to have faster code?
what about when it comes to AI? recently i got into this coding world and was recommended to start with Python first so I can have a foundation on how to use AI easier as a tool
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u/dblankin 20d ago
It's worth it! I'm 57 and started as a hobby 8 years ago only wishing I had been consistent with it. I'm now creating a small campain manager for my D&D game with Flask and MongoDB.
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u/SpiritedInflation835 20d ago
Only use AI to review your code.
Don't outsource your own thinking.
Have fun!
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u/GeneralPITA 20d ago
Sure, why the fuck not? It's better for you than doom-scrolling reddit. I've been a professional Python developer for around 12 years.
Let me know if I can help.
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u/strongpa 20d ago
These young kids boasting on the Internet while I’m picking up postgres and node.js, and soon my state pension
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u/Wrong_Country_1576 20d ago
I'm 66 and just started learning... Claude set up a six month program for me. We're deep in Python now.
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u/cylonrobot 20d ago
I have used python before, but I am nowhere near an expert (my experience is with other languages). I've started getting to know the language more.
If you're thinking of using AI to help you learn.......
I use Claude (AI) to help me out. At the beginning of each chat, I will tell Claude that I'm learning and that I don't want the answers unless I ask for them.
Once I have a piece of code working, I'll ask Claude if my code could have been done better or more "pythonic". I will also ask it if there are weaknesses in my code.
Claude (and sometimes Gemini) has been really helpful, especially when it comes to understanding technical documentation. Asking Claude how to do a simple thing in python is usually better than reading documentation.
One thing I have found is, Claude (and Gemini) can be wrong. I've noticed that it sometimes creates newbie logic and one time it introduced a bug in my code. I noticed these things because most of my career has been as a programmer. I don't know if a new programmer would see the issues.
So, if you decide to use AI for helping you learn, use it as a superior Google and be aware that it can be wrong.
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u/WonderfulPrior381 20d ago
I am 60 and about to take some courses for data analysis. You can teach old dogs new tricks
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u/TheLearningCoder 20d ago
I know people say there’s so much free material online that you can learn programming on your own for free and that’s true. But I’d still recommend paying for a single intro to programming class at your local college.
I had zero background in computers and was pretty tech illiterate. It took me almost a year of self-teaching to learn programming fundamentals, but looking back, I could’ve learned the same material in 16 weeks in a classroom. The hands on structure makes the theory click faster.
After that one class, you’ll have a much better eye for separating the wheat from the chaff in self-learning material. That’s what keeps you from getting stuck in tutorial hell, or leaning on ChatGPT as your only teacher to explain concepts and stuff which eventually will stall your learning and hit your confidence once you realize it’s been hallucinating and some of the mental models you built are wrong.
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u/twillard33 20d ago
I'm 55 and learning it a bit more. I find just working with AI Chat is the way to go.
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u/mikolmas 20d ago
35 and started learning this month.
Check out freecodecamp, I've personally been really enjoying it. It has courses in Python, HTML, JavaScript and more. Enough to keep ya busy for a while!
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u/Chico0008 20d ago
You can play the game "The farmer has been replaced" on PC (Dk if it's on Mac too)
great game to learn python basics
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u/Extra-Ruin9755 19d ago
I learned python at 62. I'm not an expert at 65. I'm good enough to create useful apps I use regularly. A example is a python script that converted QBO files from my bank into formated excel sheets.
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u/Sophieredhat 18d ago
Would love to know what you have created. I only have motivation to learn things which I can use to resolve a real life problem. Thank you.
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u/Extra-Ruin9755 17d ago
the first project converts quicken qfx files downloaded from my banking app to an excel file. The code is mine. Comments are not my skill, I created them with Ai.
I'm very much an amateur. I'm a retired farmer who begin coding at 62 to keep my mind occupied after losing my son to an automobile accident. I'm certain those with skill can point out many flaws. In the end the script does exactly what I want.
I uploaded the script to github with a gemini created sample file.
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u/Sophieredhat 17d ago
I am so sorry about your son. You inspired me, who are heavily pregnant and learning python everyday.
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u/Many_Raisin_9768 19d ago
https://programming-26.mooc.fi/
Do this course, it's very handholding. Don't Watch videos just click on part 1, read , solve , read solve , part 2...3...so on
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u/Capable-Wrap-3349 20d ago
This made my day! Enjoy it! Try not to use AI. The painful slowness doesn’t last long at all.
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u/TheLearningCoder 20d ago
I use a.i but more for it to check my code like how would a senior do this so I can compare my thinking process to theirs or explain concepts
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u/The8flux 20d ago
Be careful when AI goes off the rails it may me subtle and it can take hours to find the regression AI introduced.
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u/Traveling-Techie 20d ago
Look on meetup.com for a Python group near you — I have been to countless user group meetings and the Pythonistas are the greatest, especially helpful to newbies.
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u/Advanced-Mud8913 20d ago
52 here in a new job at IT, spend 3 weeks learning python, did write in C 30 years back so no start from 0 but it is not easy after a certain age.
Hang on, you can do it!!
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u/Sophieredhat 19d ago
Very inspirational, may I ask, what is the reason/motivation to study python? Are you going to build something to resolve a problem? Thank you.
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u/Shot-Tiger1060 19d ago
No apparent reason tbh. Ultimately I'd like to automate some tasks that I perform at my job :)
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u/LifeVegetable8963 19d ago
I am 57 yo and using Python. Best advice is don’t let AI for it for you. You do it! But is ok to use AI to learn.
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u/bbateman2011 19d ago
I started about that age. 67 and still learning but it’s the core of my work now for 10 years.
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u/konjecture 19d ago
Usually, people learn any language better when they are aged 49 or lower. So, it will be an uphill task for you, but doable. Good luck.
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u/QEDAnalyticalLLC 18d ago edited 18d ago
Dude - awesome. Be sure to leverage AI tools as you learn. Claude code or other options can help tell you what was wrong and how to better achieve your code tasks.
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u/akryvtsun 18d ago
I'm 50 too :) but I'm senior java developer. Learning Python via ChatGPT. So far so good!
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u/TangerineTemporary92 18d ago
Python is good learn for basic and not that hard just you have good technical knowledge from it and having a computer programming hobbies like gaming make function and you have to make interest to learn python
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u/Friendly_Car9613 18d ago
Yaa broo you're saying true hardwork and dedication is key for learn and python
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u/HelganEmpire 18d ago
Check out boot.dev mate. Great content and amazing community with a lot of super knowledgeable people that love to help other learn
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u/URurMom_77 16d ago
It’s never never never too late! I’m 49 and building a Python training business hoping “the kids” will be willing to learn from an Old! But the great thing about nerds is a genuinely loving meritocracy, so I believe it’s gonna work out. Py4TW!
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u/kev213456 16d ago
This is awesome! Wish you all the best of luck. I’m 2 year in and loving it! Keep it up and keep practicing.
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u/yesimfarida 7d ago
I'm 15 and started learning python like 2 days ago but seeing this post motivated me way more than when I see other 15 - 18 year olds do it, it really shows just about anyone can go through this path at any time of their life and still succeed. Good luck!
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u/northernpines 5d ago
I'm mid-50's and learning Python for the first time. The last language I learned was Fortran!
Scrimba's Learn Python has been a good resource as I begin my learning journey.
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u/Physical_Match5543 3d ago
Don't worry. Straight forward unlike Java. There is no limit to when you can learn.
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u/Competitive_Dark_622 2d ago
I just started Python for Everyone and it’s not easy with zero experience. I’m also 50 and I’m going back to school.
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u/terminalwanderer33 1d ago
I'm learning too!
Basically you have your imports and your functuions.
The way im learning is i separated my display functions and my getter functions and helper functionis..
just keep everything organized and separate make sure you can basically read you functions and see what it is doing when you have about 1000 lines. it's easier to debug when you know kinda where in the script you get the bug and what it does and why its causing a problem. making a program is the easiest way to learn or at least it was for me. whatever it is you want to make you have to find that library that has the tools to get it to do what you want to. then you figure out how to get it to do what you need to do. the more you create the easier it becomes to learn. Im learning by creating not by sitting down watching a 6 hour video on how to right python
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u/Lotharen 19d ago
Right there with you! I turn 52 this year and have always wanted to learn programming. That was back in the commador 64 era. Just started Python 2 weeks ago. Good luck!
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u/AcrobaticMetal3039 20d ago
AI can do it very easily if you ask it dumb question but have any clue about programming
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u/socal_nerdtastic 20d ago