Which language to start as a beginner with hobbyist interest.... help

welshdragon

welshdragon

welshdragon

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Afternoon all,

As the title really, looking to develop some knowledge and understanding of coding and doing some mini projects. Mainly as a hobby, but also because I like learning and to help guide my son in time.

I has originally intended to go down the swift route, and still might, as I have a MacBook air and playgrounds breaks you in nicely to core concepts and theres a ton of resource.

Before I do though, my main rig is a pc and I wonder out loud if another language would serve me better as hobbyist as swift is tied down to apple and essentially apps etc

So, my search so far has brought me down to Python, C# or maybe Javascipt.

What would people recommend as a beginner language? Should I stick with swift (?) as I feel something else might be more versatile with a wider range of hobbysit projects etc

Help very much appreciated
 
Helô, sut mae! ;)

Python would be my recommendation - very broad usage and lots of places for hobby use too.

JavaScript is used in lots of similar places, but is a pretty messy language coming from a pretty unstructured origin and having the classical code elements added at later date, so could be harder to learn as you will find something are confusing to learn, just because they are confusing to anyone!
 
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Noswaith dda

I think I feel the same. It comes down to Python and Swift and maybe down the line swift will be fun I need something broad and like you say, lots of projects opportunities.

Now then do they do a python version of 'hackingwithswift' :-)
 
I hate to say it, but to learn coding, you have to learn to learn coding...! Ie it's not about one language, but about learning to quickly pick up new ones - there's always something new coming along, so I'd dive into python and you'll be learning something else in 12 months!
 
katie279 said:
I hate to say it, but to learn coding, you have to learn to learn coding...! Ie it's not about one language, but about learning to quickly pick up new ones - there's always something new coming along, so I'd dive into python and you'll be learning something else in 12 months!
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I'm up for this. I want something on the friendly side to start with projects and applications I can use to be interested before maybe going down another route.
 
I started with C++. Wouldn't recommend it.

Friendlier ones are by far python and VBA of the others that I used.
 
I was a bit in this space a few years back. I started with a goal (to write a specific Android app that I wanted, which didn't exist) and plotted a route. So, for me it was to learn Java first.

What I would say about Swift, I felt most languages were generally quite similar, but Swift seemed completely different to my amateur mind.

As for methods, do you have a budget? If you're prepared to spend a little then it opens options. I learnt a lot through Udemy courses (£13 each, but some up to 60 hours in courses). Now I have access to licenses I've done a few bits on Pluralsight which were good, but I think that's in the region of £30 a month...
 
Happy to spend some money . I guess I’m looking for the Angela Yu of Python courses so any recommendations we’ll received.

Edit: so 3 choices are starting to appear

  1. 100days of python its a $12.99 udemy purchase which is fine and its Angela Yu who seem's highly regarded?
  2. freecodecamp
  3. Microsoft learn - came in from the left but free and has a number of pathways and I like the video on getting setup
Leaning towards MS Learn then into 100 days, what do people think?
 
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I think you should use this other tool to give you short challenges. You can stick to just one language and do this along side your chief learning course. It really helpful and remember not to try over-do the learning, start off with 30 mins spells and work your way up to no more than an hour of concentrating a day.
 
gpuerrilla said:
I think you should use this other tool to give you short challenges. You can stick to just one language and do this along side your chief learning course. It really helpful and remember not to try over-do the learning, start off with 30 mins spells and work your way up to no more than an hour of concentrating a day.
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Cheers dude, that looks great! Any thoughts on the above 3 paths?
 
I personally have found you can overdo the videos and go on a slippery slope of lots of courses.

You do not want to spend lots of time watching/consuming, but invest that time in doing. Try not to follow the tutors copying what their doing but restrict your info so that your trying your own way for a bit so that you remember the logic and style.

I would take advantage of the 'free' stuff at first. Sample bits. Other than a course or two I also like to have a book to accompany the basics. Al sweigart has a few nice ones and you can even go through it online without buying the book.
 
If you want to learn to code and look to help your son learn too, then Python is a good language to start with, as it's now part of the curriculum. My daughter's been learning it.
 
So, I think I will give the MS Learn pathway a go. It's a 4-hour introduction to basic concepts and vscode and jupyter. From there hopeful its a gentle intro and I will either go into something like codewars or find a more in depth course to expand the basics?

@gpuerrilla what do you think? THIS is their basic path. It almoist seems too short but hoping im right and thinking basic means basic then I progress from there?
 
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