Ask HN: What's the best resource to learn Python?

5 points·rahulvarshneya··5 comments

I've never written code in my life but am interested in programming. What resources would you suggest which could really help understand programming fundamentals and of course, developing on Python?

View on HN

Learn Python the Hard Way should be the place for you to start, considering you haven't written a code in your life.

http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

Online book is free: http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/

I usually recommend Learn Python the Hard Way to people who want to learn Python, but I'm very wary of recommending it to people who have never written code before. There's a lot that LPTHW glosses over or assumes you know that can be very very frustrating and discouraging for beginners.

That said, I'm not really sure what to suggest as an alternative. I know Codecademy has a Python course; perhaps somebody here could comment on its quality?

As co-author of Real Python, I suggest a combination of Learn Python the Hard Way and Real Python. Our courses focus on practical, learning by doing exercises, while Learn Python the Hard Way focuses on getting the syntax down.

http://realpython.com

Best!

I had the advantage of having taken a Java course in college, but I found Udacity's CS101 all I needed to pick up Python. I Googled on from there.

I learned CSS and JS through Codeacademy, so I'd vouch for that too for Python.

http://codecondo.com/10-ways-to-learn-python/

Reply on news.ycombinator.com