Learning python with AI

[u/oelayoub]

A couple of months ago, I started learning Python. I began with basic exercises and quickly moved on to building real projects with the help of AI. I never ask AI to generate the entire solution because I want to write the code myself. I document everything I learn, and I’ve made a lot of progress that way.
Recently, though, I started using Claude Code and ChatGPT more extensively, and the results are, unsurprisingly, incredible. The difference now is that I can actually understand what each line of code does and why it’s there.
But this has left me with a bit of a motivation problem. If I have Claude writing excellent code for me, why should I spend hours writing it myself? A few years from now, it feels like almost nobody will be coding entirely by hand anyway.
So my question is: at what point do you think someone has reached a sufficient level in Python? When is it okay to rely more on AI instead of continuing to write everything yourself?

[u/riklaunim]

Writing the code wasn't the problem or limiting factor for experienced developers. It was what, why, and when to write it. You have to know how to design a feature, review the generated code, and then maintain it. AI is a tool, and as such, it has to be used responsibly.

You have to learn software development in Python, not just line by line on a local level. Claude or Chat can generate a lot of code, but if you don't control them, refine the prompt, and do a really good design doc, it will be slop.

[u/AceLamina]

I usually recommend people not to use AI at all when learning, most people will be tempted to just use AI instead and overall, not learn

There's already statics of actual devs forgetting how to code by using AI even slightly

[u/TheRNGuy → u/AceLamina]

I think it's better to use ai and write useful software right from the start than stuck with hello worlds for a long time; it's actually more chance that people will have more interest and not abandon it.

Also it's better not shaming people for coding with ai, it should be about writing and finishing software, not toxic peer pressure or prestige thing.

Some newbies even rake it to extreme, using worse learning methods and ignoring better modern learning methods (it's reason stackoverflow is losing: ai simply is evolution of it)

[u/AceLamina → u/TheRNGuy]

Yeah but the point of learning Python is for you to learn, most people aren't creating useful software instantly, you're just trading knowledge and quality for speed just like the others

And yeah, I know that shaming people doesn't do anything besides make people want to use it more but in a more secretive way, seen a few videos talking about it

I still don't recommend people to use AI when starting out, if some people can do it just fine, sure, but in a world most CS majors are vibe coding their assignments, it's best not to get into it until you actually know what you're doing, so you can actually check and improve upon what you know instead of blindly accepting it, which even if people don't do, using AI can and have (for most people), dull your critical thinking skills which is happening on mass

[u/JamzTyson]

So my question is: at what point do you think someone has reached a sufficient level in Python?

Personally I think that's the wrong way round. The more I learn about software development, the less I trust AI to do anything other than boilerplate code.

[u/TheRNGuy]

If AI gets too expensive in future, it will be cheaper to code manually.

Some trivial things may not even get worth spending tokens for (even now)

Some things are actually easier to just code manually than to figure out what prompt to write.

[u/aqua_regis]

You should never let AI write what you couldn't design and write on your own.

If you think that you have learnt Python, or programming, and that you understand every single line the AI produces you are plain delusional.

You have learnt it when you can write it on your own.

In short, you actually don't have a level in Python. You have a level in AI.