If you’ve never programmed before and want to start programming in Python, you’ve made an excellent choice.
Python is a simple yet powerful programming language.
The ease of learning Python makes it an excellent choice of language for beginners.
What is it that you want to build?
Is it a mobile app, game or machine-learning model?
You can build whatever it is you want to build taking advantage of the numerous tools and frameworks available in Python.
Because the language is beginner-friendly, almost anyone can pick it and master it within the shortest period of time.
I have seen people master programming in Python within a space of 6 months.
You too can!
But first:
Why do you want to learn Python?
Knowing why you want to learn Python is as important as learning how to program in Python.
Are you seeking to get a job as a developer?
Do you want to launch a start-up?
Perhaps, people have been saying pretty things about coding and you just want to give it a shot?
The clarity with which you answer these questions determines your commitment to learning.
The truth is that there is so much to learn and so many people lose interest along the way.
If you don’t have enough whys for becoming a Python developer, it’s easy to lose motivation.
Whatever your reason, you have to go all in.
Programming like every other profession demands a serious amount of commitment.
As you embark on this journey, the following tips or guidelines will help you achieve your aims faster than you imagined.
1. Learn the basics
If you really want to master any skill, be it driving, cooking, drawing and likewise coding, you must know the basics.
So many young programmers are in a hurry to build the next Facebook.
Most times overlook the basics, only to discover much later that they cannot advance further because they lack the requisite knowledge.
It’s just like skipping algebra in mathematics to learn calculus.
Indeed, you will be stuck along the line.
This explains why a lot of “self-acclaimed developers” end up copying codes from StackOverFlow or looking for sample codes to tweak.
In their haste to start building stuff or bearing the title “software developer”, they ignored or paid little attention to the basics.
So, how do you go about learning the basics?
What should are you required to know or learn?
The truth is that you don’t have to know everything in Python.
But you should know enough to solve basic programming problems.
This requires you to:
- Learn the syntax of the language.
- Understand how to control the execution flow of programs.
- Have a good knowledge of algorithms and data structures.
2. Read the right books
Learning the basics lays a solid foundation for future learning.
You’re required to spend a good amount of time reading.
If you’re not working and don’t have much to do, you can spend at least 6 hours every day reading and coding.
There are tons of good resources on the internet that will help you learn Python.
Of course, you cannot read everything.
And learning without context and application will lead you nowhere.
In this regard, you need good books that will give you direction.
Also, you need books that are not only easy to understand but beginner-focused.
The following books will be of immense help.
Python Crash course by Eric Matthes is focused on complete beginners and will help you quickly understand the basics of Python programming.
Though, not very comprehensive will get you up to speed by having you write programs as you read.
From here, you can proceed to read a more comprehensive book.
Learning Python by Mark Lutz is quite detailed and will give you an in-depth introduction to the core Python language.
Now, this is the time to learn more about problems solving.
It’s time to learn about data structures and algorithms.
Data Structures and Algorithms by Michael T. Goodrich, Michael H. Goldwasser and Roberto Tamassia provide a comprehensive introduction to data structures and algorithms.
When you are done reading these three books and solving the exercises at the end of the chapter, you can confidently call yourself an intermediate Python developer.
3. Don’t follow tutorials
Indeed, videos are a great way of learning.
Unfortunately, most videos are not comprehensive enough for beginners with little or no prior knowledge.
A lot of times, the tutors oversimplify topics in order for learners to follow along, thereby, skipping important concepts that really matter.
This requires that you watch a lot of other videos to get the missing pieces.
This way, it is easy to get on the train of never-ending tutorials.
You might get burned out and perhaps decide to quit programming altogether.
The truth is that there are so many wonderful video tutorials, especially on YouTube, but I would recommend that you read the books first.
Books are not only more in-depth but undergo thorough editing and review processes before they are published.
The contents are far more polished and comprehensive than most of the content you find on YouTube and in video courses.
Perhaps you only need a good book to find all that you want in a programming language.
For videos, you need to watch as many as possible.
As you become more knowledgeable in programming, you might consider learning from video tutorials.
4. Practice, practice and practice
The best way to learn any craft is through practice.
Reading alone will not give you mastery.
Without practice, it is easy to forget the things that you’ve read.
By practising, you solidify the knowledge on a deeper level.
While reading, ensure that you type in the codes and run them.
Don’t glance over codes or read them verbatim.
As you type in the codes, you will frequently encounter bugs that will make your code not run.
This could be a mistake on your own part or on the authors.
Discovering and fixing these errors teach you things that nobody can teach you.
Also, make it a habit to solve all the exercises in the book.
It is fun to read the examples or code the examples thinking that you’ve understood the concept.
Solving the exercises will broaden your problem-solving skills.
If your code doesn’t work on the first attempt, try again.
Keep trying until you get it working.
And while doing this, don’t be in a haste to run the search engines in search of answers.
Doing that will be your last resort when you’ve exhausted your mental strengths or reread the books and still couldn’t solve it.
The benefits of learning through practice are enormous.
You gain confidence knowing that you can solve problems.
5. Solve problems
The ability to solve problems not only makes you valuable but highly sought after.
In fact, one of the major requirements for employment is the ability to solve problems.
Without this skill, it is almost impossible to get jobs, especially in the tech industry.
The crux of many interview processes is centred on determining whether the applicant can solve problems.
With regards to coding, most interviewers don’t really care if your codes are correct or not.
They just want to see your thought process and gauge your problem-solving skill.
That is why from the beginning, you have to get your hands dirty by solving problems.
You can go to sites like leetcode and hacker rank and put your knowledge to the test.
Try solving as many problems as possible.
When you’ve become confident, you can try out their coding contests.
The essence of engaging in competitions like this is not to win the first prize but to improve your confidence.
You don’t necessarily have to win but ensure that you solve all the problems presented in the contest.
Also, you can put your knowledge into use for problems solving in your day-to-day activities.
You might decide to use your programming knowledge to automate sending and receiving mail.
You can build an app to track your income and expenses, making sure that you are living below your income.
If you’re in the field of sciences or mathematics, you can write codes for solving mathematical or scientific problems.
Solving problems not only makes it easy for you to master the programming language but also sharpens your intuition.
By looking at a piece of code, you already know what it does without having to read through it.
When presented with problems, it is common to find out that you already know the concepts to apply in solving the problem.
The solution pops up in your head without an effort to think about it.
6. Build projects
Becoming an expert in a field is not an overnight success.
It requires a mix of in-depth knowledge and experience.
As much as knowledge does not compensate for experience, the best you can do for yourself is by indulging in projects and solving a lot of problems.
Challenge yourself with cool and interesting projects.
There is nothing more exciting and fun than seeing your project working or seeing others use applications developed by you.
It’s so refreshing and rewarding.
Start from simple projects and then progress to bigger ones.
Below are good projects that you can give a try:
- Ticktacktoe
- Guessing game
- Simple calculator
- Zip extractor
- Word Counter
- Contact book
- Interactive quiz
- Password generator
- Url shortener
- Web crawler
7. Choose the right career path
Python is vast and diverse with so many career paths.
There are so many options to choose from and it’s important that you choose the one that resonates with you.
Do you want to develop web applications, games or mobile apps?
Are you interested in artificial intelligence or data science?
Are you inclined to sciences and want to use your knowledge in Python for scientific studies?
The choice is yours to make and the choices you make determine which Python frameworks and libraries to learn.
For instance, Django is for web development, TensorFlow and Keras are for Machine learning and Panda and Numpy are for data science.
These frameworks provide you with domain-specific tools to write and deploy your programs.
Having mastered Python programming, it’s time to learn the frameworks used in your chosen career.
You can start by reading the online documentation for these frameworks.
Unfortunately, some of these documents are too broad and overwhelming to read.
In this regard, I would recommend that you enrol in a course or bootcamps in Udacity.
For instance, Udacity offers a NanoDegree in AI Programming in Python.
In this program, you will learn Python, NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, PyTorch, Calculus, and Linear Algebra.
If you’re interested in data science, you might enrol in Data Science in Python.
8. Get industry experience
Real mastery comes from experience.
Even if you are interested in entrepreneurship and wouldn’t want to work for anyone, you still need some industry experience.
There are many open-source projects available in Python.
By participating in these projects, you get the opportunity to learn and grow.
Through critiques and reviews of your codes from more experienced developers, you will learn to write clean and optimized codes.
You might also consider working in a tech company, even if it is just for a few months.
This will give you the opportunity to experience how the industry works and the opportunity to network and connect with other developers.
With the growing popularity of remote jobs these days, you can work anywhere from your home.
There are many remote jobs for Python developers including TopTal, Turing, remote.io and so many others.
Apply for jobs on these platforms.
Undergo their tests and interviews and if successful, you will be matched with employers.
Learn as much as possible from the jobs.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and don’t hesitate to ask important questions.
Conclusion
Python is a simple programming language with broad applications.
Learning Python doesn’t have to be hard if you do it right.
When done wrongly, you will waste a lot of time, yet be unable to account for what you’ve achieved with your time.
Becoming an expert in any field is not an easy feat.
It requires patience, commitment, diligence and discipline.
If you follow the tips in this article, within a period of six months, you may consider yourself an expert in Python.
Most importantly, you will become a highly sought Python developer.