r/learnpython • u/[deleted] • Oct 09 '24
How do I learn Python.
I am from non technical background, I have no prior idea of any coding language or anything like that. My objective is to become employable. From where should I start and which free resources I can use ?
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u/Apatride Oct 09 '24
Don't. The market is already saturated and with AI tools and people from countries where salaries are cheap, the competition, especially at junior level, is already quite fierce and is going to get worse. Now that does not mean nobody should start a career as a dev now, but people unable to spend a few seconds looking for the hundreds of posts on that exact topic and/or check the faq/wiki simply don't have the right mentality to be successful.
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Oct 13 '24
Thanks, you helped more than anyone. because of you I am now aware of faq/wiki, AI, competition, cheap labour and my mentality.
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u/Apatride Oct 14 '24
My comment was a bit harsh and I am glad you took it positively. Taking criticism well is important, and if you can change your mentality when it comes to finding solutions, the good news is that you will definitely stand out considering how many junior devs are expecting to receive answers without any effort. Even if you do not become a dev, trying to figure out things by yourself before asking for help is an extremely useful skill to have.
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Oct 09 '24
You summed up my entire ethos here 👍🏻 I have grown tired of a lot of subs I am part of purely at the influx of people "wanting to learn" but seem incapable of using Wikipedia and/or Google, or even the Reddit search button, to search for an answer to a simple question! I've come to believe that people have just become extremely lazy and have no desire to sift through a few pages to find an answer, how do they expect to sift through potentially 100's of lines of code to find an error? I'm trying to learn python for my personal ideas, I do have qualifications in I.T. but mainly in networks and hardware, I haven't done any real programming since 1996 (Turbo Pascal and Some C) so things have progressed a lot, saying that the same principle elements are still there. I pity the person that can't type "learn programming" into a search engine 😁
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u/FoolsSeldom Oct 09 '24
Read the learning guidance in the wiki for this subreddit. It has lots of information about learning programming and learning Python, including links to a wide variety of learning material.
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u/JamzTyson Oct 09 '24
Read the learning guidance in the wiki for this subreddit.
Direct link: https://www.reddit.com/r/learnpython/wiki/index/#wiki_new_to_programming.3F
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u/m0us3_rat Oct 09 '24
I am from non technical background,
My objective is to become employable.
From where should I start and which free resources I can use ?
This isn’t necessarily possible or achievable, at least not in the medium to long term, if ever. Unfortunately, there's no direct path from learning Python to landing a job.
Without networking and experience, such as internships, no one will hire you off the street just because you learned some basic skills from a free online course.
Sorry to be blunt, but if you still want to pursue this route, some people do make it.
There’s a curated list of free resources in the wiki of this subforum that can help you get up to speed.
I also recommend checking out the free courses from mooc.fi and cs50p, both taught by expert instructors.
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u/TanManWithaPlan Oct 09 '24
I beg to differ with your theorization. One can learn python, do some projects on their own or find probo work in their neighborhood or online communities. After that they can go to a ton of recruiting companies that are consulting services for large corporations and work on small or large projects that just require 1 skill like python. I know many of these firms because i have hired from them for specfic skilled IT individuals to assist in projects such as dba's, engineers, developers of specific languages like java and python.
You sound like someone whose been locked in a certain corner of the industry and has no perspective of what the corporate world looks like. There is an opportunity for everyone of every skill. Stop speaking on behalf of the entire job industry as if you are out there hiring people. "No one will hire you off the street just because you learned some basic...." Well myself included, there are many ppl who have hired bright ppl off the street and given them a chance a.d have succeeded. I have hired several people with 0 experience in IT who were smart and are now making 130k after 5 years.
@OP if you need information on some firms that will hire you as a consultant or mercenary (as i like to call them) after you get your python skills up, then reach out me. They are national and global firms that will place you for small 3-6+ month roles in projects. If your good enough sometimes you get hired fulltime.
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Oct 13 '24
Thanks a lot for your time and effort. Your insights and opinion are not only valuable but it also gave me hope.
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u/m0us3_rat Oct 09 '24
One can learn python, do some projects on their own or find probo work in their neighborhood or online communities.
would you bet your house on OP finding work this way? i wouldn't.
some do .. but you can count them on a hand. the reality is most don't.
even for scraps.
always has been more ppl fighting for the same job at lower levels than ppl for the high lvl.
if you have 100ppl doing incredible discounts for the same minuscule thing.. your chance is null.
you would have to hit a d100. with disadvantage since nobody knows who you are. which is valid for everybody else in the same position.
I know many of these firms because i have hired from them for specfic skilled IT individuals to assist in projects such as dba's, engineers, developers of specific languages like java and python.
then you should ask them what are their hiring requirements.
some of them .. especially for the entry point jobs are ridiculously demanding, since it's such a large pool of ppl looking for entry jobs .
they can be extremely picky.
seriously.. ask them.
There is an opportunity for everyone of every skill.
that's anecdotal evidence.
sure, you can be an astronaut. i mean that is a real possibility that you have.
will you .. i wouldn't hold my breath on it.
some do.. since we do have astronauts so .. duh.
Stop speaking on behalf of the entire job industry as if you are out there hiring people.
we do. everybody does. networking events.internships and so forth.
it's very easy to check.. try to apply yourself for an entry level position, just to see if anybody even responds to you.
position yourself as the OP.. and see how many offers do you get.
seriously.
I have hired several people with 0 experience in IT who were smart
that sounds like a marketing venture.
you can't guesstimate IT skills.
"No one will hire you off the street just because you learned some basic...."
i know of many places that will not let you into the doorway without references, and extensive networking and experience.
exceptional cases may occur but that isn't the norm.
tl:dr point is.. if you try to learn python to get a job .. isn't the right way to go about it.
there are plenty of jobs in AI but you would have to face stiff competition against phd-s that went to fancy unis or bootcamps and have done already plenty of networking , while you struggle to learn from free resources.
no going to happen.
maybe you get a million dollar app idea and strike it big.
that has a higher chance of happening that you getting a job for python only learned from free resources without any networking.
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u/TanManWithaPlan Oct 10 '24
My point clearly flew above you as you tried to argue and fovus on something im not even speaking to. To reiterate with a more comprehensive explanation, there are consulting firms that place you on job sites at corporations they have ontracts with. Im not telling anyone to apply to an entry level position. One such company WiPro, for example, will have a fleet of java coders. When a company like for example Estee Lauder is working on developing a new app or a migration project from C++ to Java or anything they will contract WiPro who will send their consultants over to do the work on a short term basis. Will i bet house on it? No need to because i already did bet my house amd my life amd the family i supported on it early in my career. I worked for an consulting firm that sent to me a hospital one month, ducati dealerships another month, then Elektra records, then Verizon all because i knew one skill, to do one basic thing, and i got paid 30/hr with overtime as a consultant for no health benefits. I can see this is a model you are not used to or aware of but in the corporate world its what is the majority. We hire thousands of consultants for projects for 1-2 year or 6 months amd then retain maybe 10% of them and the rest move on to bigger projects.
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u/m0us3_rat Oct 10 '24
One such company WiPro, for example, will have a fleet of java coders.
all i was asking is .. are you aware of the requirements to even apply to such a job for a "of the street" person?
no internship no connections.. just brand new.
if you think a company that has workers on lend doesn't take extra precautions since they would bet their image and potential clientele on this worker.. yea.
if they made the bet on you .. then you made the cut.
newly married with young kids? hard worker type?
you did sure.. how many years ago? how many ppl apply for the same job? what are the deciding factors in hiring for this job?
if you tell me some funny projects you copy and post on github .. no.
sometimes we ask to explain some part of it to see even if they had the decency to look them over.
i'm a cynic because ppl lie. they always have always will. you test them in person.
we are still talking about entry jobs right? higher lvl jobs don't need personal projects on github.. do they?
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u/TanManWithaPlan Oct 11 '24
Lets go even more specific. I had one friend, no IT experience other than MS Office, i referred him to Accenture. They hired him, though no salary or pay til he was placed in a project. They told him take some online courses they offered to learn how to do some sql statements. Dude gets placed at a large corporation to walk around everyday with 150 other consultants across all their buildings and offices. They see whose sitting in what seats at what times for auditing for space, called "spacial observers". Goes back to his desk every cycle and updates a table with the information using some sql amd some gui. Pulls reports with queries occassionally. He gets paid 35/hr.
Does this for 6 months...
Next gig they send him to a hospital network where he has to go around and do local updates to PCs on a .NET patch. Its a little involved takes about 3-4 hours per PC amd cant be scripted or automated because of bugs. Get paid 40/hr
Does this for 6 months...
Then hes off to a bank cause of his sql experience and the IT guys are slammed there so they hire Accenture to help with a migration. They need auditors to check tables and fields to migrate to Oracle for faster performance. Get paid 55/hr running complex queries and learning more...
Does this for 1 year...
Now dude is making 600-700/day 4 years later and refuses to go full time because consulting has more freedom, less taxes with expenses, higher pay and unlimited vacation.
This is a path many are in now and is the way for most.
Companies like RHI, KFORCE, Accenture and many more all offer this model.
You and i were never in disagreement, we were talking past each other only because there is some fruit out there you havent tried yet ;)
And yes 100% people lie and i HATE it. I know when they lie even on resumes and in person. It grosses me out to think youd have to work with anyone who is sneaky, gets ahead by lying, and will use social engineering rather than skills and helping others to progress.
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Oct 09 '24
Or he could learn python and build a small portfolio to get hired?
Pretty sure that is realistic
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u/m0us3_rat Oct 09 '24
Or he could learn python and build a small portfolio to get hired?
Pretty sure that is realistic
false hope is horrible.
would you be willing to host and feed and support OP in your household if he DOESN'T get a job in let's say .. 1year based on your hopeful advice?
let's say we find a binding contract .. would you be willing to sign it?
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u/nog642 Oct 09 '24
Maybe if it was still 2015
Nowadays you'd probably need to get very lucky, have connections, or have a very impressive portfolio, not just a small beginner one.
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u/MrSisterFister23 Oct 09 '24
it certainly is, previous reply is unnecessarily discouraging.
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u/m0us3_rat Oct 09 '24
would you bet your life on OP finding a job after he learns python from free sources within a short period of time.. let's say half a year?
this type of hopeful advice isn't realistic.
there is nothing wrong with wanting to make OP feel better, but false hope on a weird notion that all is going to be 'ait is horrible.
anywho , again i hope you are right and OP does find his job.
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u/cetpainfotech_ Oct 09 '24
Hey! It's awesome that you're starting your Python journey. Don’t worry about your non-technical background—Python is one of the most beginner-friendly languages!
Here’s how you can begin:
1. Start with Basics:
Use free resources like W3Schools and Sololearn to get a basic understanding of Python syntax.
YouTube has some great tutorials. Check out free courses like Programming with Mosh or Corey Schafer's Python series for beginners.
2. Practice Hands-On:
After learning the basics, start practicing! You can try simple exercises on platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, or Kaggle.
Google Colab is great for writing Python code without needing to install anything.
3. Free Courses:
Codecademy (free tier) and Coursera (audit free courses like Python for Everybody by the University of Michigan).
Real Python offers great beginner-friendly articles and tutorials.
4. Projects:
Start building small projects (a calculator, a to-do list app). It’ll help you get comfortable with real-world coding.
Since you're aiming to become employable, focus on learning data structures, basic algorithms, and even dive into web development or data science using Python. Consistency is key—practice daily, and you'll see progress in no time!
Good luck! Feel free to ask anything whenever you hit a roadblock. You've got this! 🙌
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u/subassy Oct 09 '24 edited Oct 09 '24
If you have literally no programming experience at all you might consider MIT's Scratch as an intro. That will introduce things like booleans, variables, data types, and loops. Spend 10 or whatever hours on that and then start on a book or tutorial.
You're looking at literally hundreds of hours here. Split that up into months or years how you can. Just saying it'll be a while and require much patience. That's just to get started. There's people on this sub who've been programming Python 40 hours a week for 5 years who still say they're beginners. And you've got that much time before you might get a professional position probably. Unless you get an internship or something.
Edit: I tried this search on Google and came up with a few links. Each one will have further resources. I mean if need more than this one thread and the wiki.
how do i learn Python site:www.reddit.com/r/learnpython/
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u/radio787 Oct 09 '24
Read a couple of guides, view a couple videos. Try some easy python project where it shows step by step to get used to it. Then learn more in depth so you can make the easier project on your own.
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Oct 09 '24
For non technical people, taking a course will help understand the basics . You can use books like automate the boring stuff with Python to get down the basics . Then you can build from there . Try to make things that interest you with the language . You can show potential employers these projects through your GitHub and explain about them on your Cv . You can try having a blog to write about things you learn along the way . It can help build a personal brand for you which is beneficial in the long run.
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u/notfinch Oct 09 '24
I was like you once. Kind of. Business owner, with a tech background (not coding, really) and problems that I knew programming would help with.
I picked a language and broke down my problems into small steps and searched: “Python geospatial data” or “Python drill core data” and then went from there. You can learn theory as much as you want - that’s cool - but you need to work on solving your own problems that you actually care about.
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u/MidnightPale3220 Oct 09 '24
Sorry, currently the IT industry is in decline for much of its parts.
Learning a programming language will not make you employable, you need something much more, out of which Python is just a side requirement.
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u/dgsggtb Oct 09 '24
I’m learning python while finishing my masters in unrelated topic. It’s hard. Is your goal just to make money? If so it’s gonna be hard. Or do you want to genuinely learn it because it’s interesting and thus working with it, something you like?
Then it’s still gonna be hard but at least enjoyable.
I really recommend the course 100 days of python by Angela Yu on udemy. Goes on sale a lot of times for 10-15$ which is worth it imo
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u/dryheat122 Oct 09 '24
You will find that Chat-GPT is very good at telling you why a Python program isn't working correctly and what you did wrong. It's a good learning tool in my experience.
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u/sizable_data Oct 09 '24
There are definitely people who learn Python and apply it to their non-technical role for things like automation, analysis and custom tools. You can often pivot your role within your current organization as you prove value with these tools. The title change and experience can help with a job. If you want to totally pivot and become a software developer immediately, you’ll need a CS degree.
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u/mord_fustang115 Oct 09 '24
I think you should understand that python alone will not get you a job. Most junior developer roles expect you to know much more, and have at least taken discrete math
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u/Next-Entertainment63 May 27 '25
Beginner’s Guide: Getting Started with Python in Replit https://youtu.be/3XS7jvhtg70
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u/Steinshark Sep 17 '25
I tried my best to help out with this question. After I was trained in college, I wanted to share how I got there. I made a tutorial that you might find helpful, and I'd like to hear if it was useful to anyone!
It's a 3 min short setup to get anyone going on Windows.
3 Min Python and VSCode Setup
Thoughts? (This is the start of my YouTube endeavor as well)
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u/indahsaf May 20 '26
I also came from a non-technical background. Start with Python basics first (variables, loops, functions) and don’t rush into advanced topics. Free resources that helped me:
freeCodeCamp CS50 Python by Harvard W3Schools for quick practice YouTube channels like Programming with Mosh
After basics, build small projects like calculator, to-do app, or simple automation scripts. Consistency matters more than speed.
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u/MiniMages Oct 09 '24
Have you considered putting the book under your pillion, power water on the pillow and then sleeping on it. Then through osmosis the knowledge from the book will transfer to your brain. xD
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Oct 09 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sephass Oct 09 '24
I second 2). Did some python courses, bounced off some of them, similarly with the books, but this is the best course I've taken so far. Really comprehensive, plenty of good exercises, feels like you really get a good grasp of language after finishing both modules (intermediate / advanced).
Many online courses just make you fill in a line / few lines of code and that's very hard to actually remember stuff afterwards. I feel like UoH really strikes a great balance between writing plentiful of code, but not being repetitive to the point when you're just blasting the same code instead of learning.
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Oct 09 '24
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u/Lightning_Winter Oct 09 '24
I dunno why ur getting downvoted, but it depends on ur experience level. If you have little / no experience, do what seems interesting. My first project was just making connect 4 (and then writing a little bot for it).
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u/[deleted] Oct 09 '24
Im also learning python and come from a non technical background. I’m just finishing the university of Helsinki intro to programming python course. I think it’s great. Started it back in August and have been working at it most 5days per week for 1-3 hours per day. Would recommend!