One of the most common questions we receive from our readers is Whats the best way to learn Python?
In this article, we will offer several learning strategies that will help jump start your journey of becoming a rockstar Python programmer!
Make It Stick:
1. Code Everyday Consistency is very important when you are learning a new language. We recommend making a commitment to code every day. It may be hard to believe, but muscle memory plays a large part in programming. Committing to coding everyday will really help develop that muscle memory. Though it may seem daunting at first, consider starting small with 25 minutes everyday and working your way up from there.
Check out the First Steps With Python Guide for information on setup as well as exercises to get you started.
2. Write It Out As you progress on your journey as a new programmer, you may wonder if you should be taking notes. Yes, you should! In fact, research suggests that taking notes by hand is most beneficial for long-term retention. This will be especially beneficial for those working towards the goal of becoming a full-time developer, as many interviews will involve writing code on a whiteboard.
Once you start working on small projects and programs, writing by hand can also help you plan your code before you move to the computer. You can save a lot of time if you write out which functions and classes you will need, as well as how they will interact.
3. Go Interactive! Whether you are learning about basic Python data structures (strings, lists, dictionaries, etc.) for the first time, or you are debugging an application, the interactive Python shell will be one of your best learning tools. We use it a lot on this site too!
To use the interactive Python shell (also sometimes called a Python REPL), first make sure Python is installed on your computer. Weve got a step-by-step tutorial to help you do that. To activate the interactive Python shell, simply open your terminal and run python or python3 depending on your installation. You can find more specific directions here.
Now that you know how to start the shell, here are a few examples of how you can use the shell when you are learning:
– Learn what operations can be performed on an element by using dir():
The elements returned from dir() are all of the methods (i.e. actions) that you can apply to the element. For example:
# This script demonstrates how to use the dir() function in Python to learn about the available methods for a given element.
# First, we assign the string "hello" to the variable s.
s = "hello"
# Next, we use the dir() function on the variable s to get a list of available methods for strings.
# The result is stored in a list and assigned to the variable methods.
methods = dir(s)
# We can then print out the list of methods to see what operations can be performed on the string "hello".
print(methods)
# The output will be a list of strings, each representing a method that can be applied to the string "hello".
# For example, the method '__add__' allows us to concatenate two strings together.
# The method '__class__' returns the class of the object, in this case, it will be 'str' for string.
# The ellipsis '...' represents other methods that are available but not shown in the list.
# By using dir(), we can explore and learn about the different methods that can be used on a given element.
Notice that we called the upper() method. Can you see what it does? It makes all of the letters in the string uppercase! Learn more about these built-in methods under Manipulating strings in this tutorial.
– Learn the type of an element:
Use the built-in help system to get full documentation:
# Import the math module
import math
# Use the built-in help system to get full documentation on the math module
help(math)
# The help function displays the documentation for the specified module or function
# It provides information on the purpose, usage, and parameters of the module or function
# The math module provides access to mathematical functions and constants
# It is used to perform mathematical operations in Python
# For example, we can use the sqrt() function to find the square root of a number
# We need to specify the number inside the parentheses
math.sqrt(25) # Output: 5.0
# We can also use the pi constant to perform calculations involving circles
# The pi constant has a value of 3.141592653589793
# We can access it using the dot notation, as shown below
radius = 5
area = math.pi * radius**2 # Output: 78.53981633974483
# The help function can also be used to get documentation on specific functions within a module
help(math.sqrt)
# The sqrt() function returns the square root of a number
# It takes in one parameter, the number whose square root we want to find
# It is a built-in function, so we do not need to import any modules to use it
Import libraries and play with them:
Run shell commands:
4. Take Breaks When you are learning, it is important to step away and absorb the concepts. The Pomodoro Technique is widely used and can help: you work for 25 minutes, take a short break, and then repeat the process. Taking breaks is critical to having an effective study session, particularly when you are taking in a lot of new information.
Breaks are especially important when you are debugging. If you hit a bug and cant quite figure out what is going wrong, take a break. Step away from your computer, go for a walk, or chat with a friend. In programming, your code must follow the rules of a language and logic exactly, so even missing a quotation mark will break everything. Fresh eyes make a big difference.
5. Become a Bug Bounty Hunter Speaking of hitting a bug, it is inevitable once you start writing complex programs that you will run into bugs in your code. It happens to all of us! Dont let bugs frustrate you. Instead, embrace these moments with pride and think of yourself as a bug bounty hunter.
When debugging, it is important to have a methodological approach to help you find where things are breaking down. Going through your code in the order in which it is executed and making sure each part works is a great way to do this. Once you have an idea of where things might be breaking down, insert the following line of code into your script import pdb; pdb.set_trace() and run it. This is the Python debugger and will drop you into interactive mode. The debugger can also be run from the command line with python -m pdb
Make It Collaborative:
6. Surround Yourself With Others Who Are Learning Though coding may seem like a solitary activity, it actually works best when you work together. It is extremely important when you are learning to code in Python that you surround yourself with other people who are passionate about learning as well. This will allow you to share the tips and tricks you learn along the way.
Dont worry if you dont know anyone. There are plenty of ways to meet others who are passionate about learning Python! Find local events or Meetups or join PythonistaCafe, a peer-to-peer learning community for Python enthusiasts like you!
7. Teach It is said that the best way to learn something is to teach it. This is true when you are learning Python. There are many ways to do this: whiteboarding with other Python lovers, writing blog posts explaining newly learned concepts, recording videos in which you explain something you learned, or simply talking to yourself at your computer. Each of these strategies will solidify your understanding as well as expose any gaps in your understanding.
8. Pair Program Pair programming is a technique that involves two developers working at one computer. This can be especially helpful when learning Python because it allows you to learn from someone elses experience and get feedback on your code. It also helps prevent common mistakes, as both developers are responsible for catching errors in the code.