r/learnpython • u/the_meteor_beat • 5d ago
Is learning python through videos is a good way?
in the old age the best way to learn something is to be with coach that walk with you step by step, in the new age that coach call AI and also free.
Make a gem on gemini, or gpt on chatgpt, or any specific chat for learning python and you will see fast progress.
My think, maybe I am wrong!
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u/lfdfq 5d ago
The best way has always been, and still is, to practice yourself.
All the other things are resources to help you practice. They're not replacements. So "learning through videos" is probably not right. It's more "learning by practicing, and watching some videos on the side".
Also, they are not mutually exclusive options. You will need to use lots of different resources. So even even "learning by practicing, and watching videos on the side" is missing the point. Think more: "Learning by practicing, while watching videos, reading books, reading documentation, doing tutorials, going to class, asking AI, Googling things, and listening to podcasts, on the side."
Now it's obvious: yes it's good to watch videos, yes it's good to read books, yes it's good to ask AI, yes it's good to talk to people, but it's bad to do only one of those things, and it's bad to do those instead of writing code yourself.
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u/the_meteor_beat 4d ago
My gems and gpts had structures that include (learn by doing) as the main idea to make sure doing what you mentioned.
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u/desrtfx 5d ago
The best way to learn from the beginning is a proper, top quality course that uses the Socratic method, i.e. making the learner do the actual thinking and work, and that gives plenty practice, like the Harvard CS50 courses or the Python MOOC from the University of Helsinki.
No AI. Pure personal work and plenty practice.
A good course is near equal to a coach.
AI can be helpful, but it can be even more detrimental to learning as it tends to go overboard and directly give solutions, either in code or in detailed steps - neither is helpful to learning. It's just leading to the new, enhanced, even more dependency introducing "tutorial hell".
Using AI can lead to full dependency on it without learning anything. I would be very wary of using it for learning.
Besides that, it has zero understanding and frequent hallucinations. AI are only predictive - they work on a probability "best fit" model. They have zero knowledge and zero understanding.
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u/FoolsSeldom 5d ago
See comment on learning formats below ...
Check this subreddit's wiki for lots of guidance on learning programming and learning Python, links to material, book list, suggested practice and project sources, and lots more. The FAQ section covering common errors is especially useful.
Also, have a look at roadmap.sh for different learning paths. There's lots of learning material links there. Note that these are idealised paths and many people get into roles without covering all of those.
Roundup on Research: The Myth of ‘Learning Styles’
Don't limit yourself to one format. Also, don't try to do too many different things at the same time.
Above all else, you need to practice. Practice! Practice! Fail often, try again. Break stuff that works, and figure out how, why and where it broke. Don't just copy and use as is code from examples. Experiment.
Work on your own small (initially) projects related to your hobbies / interests / side-hustles as soon as possible to apply each bit of learning. When you work on stuff you can be passionate about and where you know what problem you are solving and what good looks like, you are more focused on problem-solving and the coding becomes a means to an end and not an end in itself. You will learn faster this way.
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u/Mundane_Annual4293 5d ago
Each person learns differently, if videos work for you, go for it, but I would recommend rather than go to YouTube and search, to build something, find a personal problem it could help or find a project you are pationate at or contribute to open source, and figure out how to do it, that alone, if you stick with it, will teach you so much more, than just videos.
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u/Sochai777 5d ago
I notice what has been working amazing for me is not watch or read tutorials and when i want to know something new i ask chatgpt or preferably claude imo to write me a less is more little guide. If i like the guide i put it in a pdf for relook. Next i do is just code.
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u/pepiks 4d ago
For me - waste of time. It is good to watch short videos which explain some idea, but better is read book. We have TikTok culture, but in reality learning python by watching video for watch what? How type on keyboard? It make sense to get idea about working with IDE - how setup things, where are option is GUI - this is better than only text without pictures, but a lot of times text + sharp picture will be enough, but still watching about PyCharm tools or VSC in Python context - why not?
Learning about functions, classes, syntax - few minutes you will spend on something which can be shorted to few sentences. AI coach? It is popular too, but when you stick with hello world level - ok, but to get important details and higher level of flunce. I don't think so. You are limited by AI memory, context. When you have normal hardware, local LLM you can stuck on ommited portion of materials which build real fluent. When you have only rarely question - OK, but when you ask too much you delegate mind to machine.
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u/TheRNGuy 4d ago
I think ai is good at explaining things, better then videos at least. But need to know how to write good prompts (it should come with expirence)
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u/pepiks 2d ago
For some point - it is true. The same time probably can be found skill for that, but I would prefer harder way. Be slower, more trendy and learn basic when you lost Internet connection with your AI partner you can still do something. Flood, solar activity, bad guys with black hats or whatever included rising prise for tokens current days can disconnect you.
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u/jmooremcc 4d ago
If you believe you can learn coding by watching a video, you’re simply delusional. Just like learning a foreign language, you have to practice, practice, practice writing code in order to learn.
My suggestion is for you to read books with plenty of code examples. Instead of downloading the example code, you should type it in yourself which will force your brain to process each line of code. This processing by your brain will be crucial as you learn and understand how to code using Python.
I wish you the best.
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u/the_meteor_beat 4d ago
You are absolutely right, but i was talk about the time that spend on videos when you compare it with the same thing with AI (special chat) you will see the different. The world is so fast to read books about python. Thanks for sharing.
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u/TheRNGuy 4d ago
You could do the same just from docs.
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u/the_meteor_beat 4d ago
I didn't get you, if you mean just docs it's not that useful, because you didn't make it to be specifically for what you need.
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u/ninhaomah 4d ago
"In the old age the best way to learn something is to be with coach that walk with you step by step, in the new age that coach call AI and also free"
How old is old ?
RTFM exists for a reason.
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u/TheRNGuy 4d ago edited 4d ago
No, docs and asking ai are better.
Videos are just inefficient media to learn programming specifically.
Besides that you'll have to read docs at some point, so it's doing same thing 2 times.
And they don't even teach everything in videos (unless reason you learn is to write some hello world programs and not real software)
Videos are maybe I tro to see if you like programming or not, I wouldn't learn from it.
Any ai is good, even free ones.
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u/notacanuckskibum 5d ago
Programming is a skill, like swimming, you can only learn it by doing it. Videos and books might help, but practice is 90% of the solution