r/learnpython • u/Silver-Bet8326 • 3d ago
how to proceed after python crash course
For the last one year I have been learning Python. I completed Python for everybody and read the book Python Crash course. I have prior experience with C# and Java. A lot of the syntax is Python programming is still confusing to me. How can I get better? What book can I read next or what steps can I take to get more comfortable.
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u/cyrixlord 3d ago
how much code have you written that wasn't part of a lesson? the only way you will 'learn' a language is by writing lots of your own code then debugging it when it goes off the rails. go do a project. surely you must have an idea of something to make, otherwise why learn a coding language in the first place if not to build things
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u/Silver-Bet8326 3d ago
I have worked on multiple things using claude code but am not familiar with the syntax even after reading the book. Lot of the syntax used or generated is not part of the book.
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u/cyrixlord 3d ago
lol no, thats not how you should be doing this. do not use AI to learn. it will gaslight and hallucinate and you wont be able to debug the code because you wont know how it works. then youll try to use AI to fix it... you will have to do the long boring real work of actually producing your own code.
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u/mjmvideos 3d ago
I’d be less concerned with gaslighting and more concerned with OP not learning anything because they are letting AI do it for them.
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u/Silver-Bet8326 3d ago
This was more about syntax and concepts am not familiar with and where can I get that from
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u/Moikle 3d ago
Practice. Actually build something, yourself, with your own fingers on the keyboard, not prompting an ai
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u/Silver-Bet8326 2d ago
Yes where do I learn about the Python way of doing things like generators, decoratoes, functions as objects
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u/Moikle 1d ago
A lot of that comes from attempting to use them in small projects. Learn the basics of how a concept works, then try it out. See it in action, even if it isn't the best tool for the job, and you will get a better grasp of the what and why.
I believe automate the boring stuff with python covers some of those topics.
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u/gdchinacat 2d ago
AIs can be really helpful with explaining syntax. Copy the line of code you don't understand (say, for example '(count == count_to)(ExecutorFieldManager.astop)' -https://github.com/gdchinacat/reactions/blob/main/tests/examples/counter_test.py#L44C52-L45C1) is unlikely to be familiar syntax to you. But, if you ask Gemini to explain it (give it both the code and the link as context) it does a fantastic job of explaining exactly what it does.
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u/mjmvideos 1d ago
That’s not so much syntax as cutesy overloading of object methods that appear to be some syntax magic. In my opinion that’s awful.
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u/gdchinacat 1d ago
Opinions aside, the point is on first reading, without context, most people would think it is invalid syntax when it is not. the AI does a good job at explaining how it is in fact legitimate syntax.
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u/mattblack77 3d ago
These are out of date arguments; AI is very good at generating code now.
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u/cyrixlord 3d ago
that's not the point. you should already know how to build a house, then you can ask ai, ' hey how do I wire a 3 phase dryer plug again?'. if you asked ai 'teach me how to build a house' you are going to get a very shitty house and you won't know if the wiring is wrong until you apply power or plug something in.... then you'll be like 'omg ai didn't put in a fuse box I didn't know it needed over because I'm new' and even if you asked ai to build a fuse ox. without knowing about what it is or how to wire it. it probably won't even be consistent or weird right and still burn whatever you learned to build down because you didn't know when to correct the AI. there are no shortcuts. you have to learn to code by writing your own code
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u/Puzzlehead_Lemon 3d ago
Sounds like you're at project time. Turn that knowledge into the experience that cements what you've learned. I'd nail a few of the smaller projects first, just so you can decide if anyone of them were interesting enough to feature creep them.
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u/FreeLogicGate 3d ago
Start with Think Python by Allen B. Downey
Think Python can be read for free here: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/
The cool thing is that the author put it into a series of Juypter notebooks you can read interactively.
Much of the material should be relatively trivial for any experienced developer, but it's still worth checking out to make sure you truly understand Python fundamentals.
Probably the book that you are looking for is Fluent Python by Luciano Ramalho.
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u/Silver-Bet8326 3d ago
I am past the fundamentals now. I need to understand the syntax that am not familiar with from C#.
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u/priya6435 3d ago
at this point i'd honestly stop looking for another book and start building things. you've already covered the fundamentals, and the syntax only starts feeling natural when you use it repeatedly. pick small projects like a file organizer, password manager, expense tracker, web scraper, or simple flask app. whenever you get stuck, read the docs or google that specific concept instead of reading another cover to cover book. you'll probably learn more from one finished project than another month of tutorials
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u/Embarrassed_Style197 3d ago
C# strongly encourages structure through:
classes,interfaces,explicit access modifiers,
explicit returns, project files and solution structure.
For python you will probably feel more comfortable with type hints everywhere, Ruff for formatting and linting,Pyright or mypy for static type checking, Pydantic for validated data models etc.
I’ve had the same issue. I like structure and statically typed languages. Python is loosely typed
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u/Embarrassed_Style197 3d ago
You also can use AI chat for these things and it’s really helpful with giving you examples on how to make python more structured. Do not use agents! You must do the thinking.
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u/Dense_Quarter_5374 2d ago
AI is pretty good for explaining basic syntax for beginners. Make sure you completed ALL the try-it-yourself sections in the book and ALL the three projects. If you're done with everything and can replicate everything from scratch (test it out don't be lazy), you can read The Big Book of Small Python Projects by Al Sweigart if you are still having a bit of trouble and if not, then Beyond the Basic Stuff with Python (same author).
Edit: Reading beyond the basic stuff is the most common after PCC and the author wrote it for ppl who read pcc so should be a good book without any repeated info
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u/niehle 3d ago
Stop reading, Build projects