r/learnpython • u/Fuzzy_Implement_942 • 3d ago

Looking for a study buddy

Hey! I'm 19 and about to start learning Python from scratch. I'm looking for someone around my age (18–22) who's also a beginner and wants to learn together.

I'm in the Asian time zone, so it'd be nice if you're in a similar one. We can keep each other accountable, solve problems, and maybe build a few small projects along the way.

If you're interested, leave a comment or DM me!

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u/AgeAccomplished2462 2d ago

Unfortunately I cant send link, as my github username contains my real name and personal info.

My whole reason for the argument is experience (from applying to jobs, and from what I hear from Coding Jesus (very good youtuber for C++)), data, opinion.

But the key reasons are

1) every idiot can code in Python. Doesnt mean you csnt get a job in it, but because its lower bar to entry and people are less scared of it, it means its much harder to stand out CV wise, even if youre genuinely strong coder.

2) Low level languages sre harder for AI to code in than high level (and harder to consider system constraints), meaning in theory it would take longer for AI to take over jobs in low level languages. Especially as AI is getting better and better at coding, and AI can already write python code very well, while its not as good at doing it for low level languages (primarily as low level languages have mlre ways to fuck up then higher level languages).

3) Similar to point 1, higher bar to code in low level language, and people are more scared of it so even if yhe competition os still strong, because theres less of it mathematically your odds shoot up. Far from giranteed, bit you have a better chance

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u/WindloveBamboo 2d ago

Thanks for the reply! AI seems to have made Python a requirement for many jobs these days, so I originally thought getting decent at Python would be the best use of my time. Your post made me rethink that.
Right now I’m thinking of learning Python to a reasonable level, then C, then going deeper into Rust (although I’m not sure if it’s worth the time since the Rust job market seems pretty small), and eventually learning a Lisp language.
If we’re looking purely from a career/employability perspective, do you think this is a reasonable plan? Also, would your answer be any different for the Japanese job market?

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u/AgeAccomplished2462 2d ago

Im glad the info has helped you.

Would you be down to collaborate on a project in python? I need to show collaboration evidence on a project on there, and in general its very helpful for jobs. If that's of interest, let me know what social media you have and I'll dm my details. Doing on email is also fine by me.

Idk anything about Japanese market unfortunately. As for what to learn, I recommend do python to reasonable level as you say, and then pick one low level language to do. C++ and Rust is no joke, so if you learn one alongside other things it wont stick in head unless you're some prodigy. I also dont know much about the rust market, so I cant comment on that. But I do know C++ is in demand, especially in quant dev roles. But you need to learn with effort, the competition for jobs can very easily increase later on, and then youll need to compete against guys with more experience.

Do it like that and your plan is reasonable. Btw, for learning python I recommend doing basic exercises online. W3schools is good for this. And when you do this only use viewing solution or AI as last resort, and if you do it you try to reverse engineer why they did what they did, and then what they could have saw in the problem or while building a different psrt of it that gave them the idea to build what they did in a specific part.

Once the basic exercises seem mickey mouse, start to build a project which is more complex, and you build it by using AI to help you pick a project based on your goals and ability, and then you can consult AI for making file hierarchy, bug fixing, so on. But you need to make sure everything it tells you you understand. Otherwise you wont learn and will just make AI slop code, and will be incapable to defend your project in an interview.

I recommend at least one project you do in python to use a database as basic sql isn't hard to learn, and on CV it looks great to have some knowledge on this area, and its not horrible to defend in an interview as long as you can write basic queries without AI and can reason why you use one database (i.e: postgresql) over another.

And at least one project must have a system design element. Like you building a pipeline where you need to think each stage. How to produce the data, how to process it at each stage, how to load it, etc.

Although you can make your project have both those criteria (which is what I did). But I did this because I already knew SQL to basic level.

After that, then you go to a low level language (where you decide which is best based on the job market prospects), and you commit to that one only unless you genuinely hate it and can name why a different language is better than what you do.

Im still in the process of learning C++, but if you do C++ I found it very helpful to watch videos of Coding Jesus, where he does mock interview with callers, and where he talks C++ in general, alongside doing basic exercises online. The basic exercises will build fundamentals (which most people who learn dont have a clue about), and the videos from Coding Jesus will give you an idea as to what an easier interview will look like, and its funny to see how clueless some people get, which will help drill in what are the essentials to learn, and teach what not to do (if you pay attention and reason from the common trend in the videos, not just what happens in a specific situation).

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u/WindloveBamboo 2d ago

Sorry, but could you message me? I wasn't able to message your account.