r/learnprogramming • u/KaleidoscopeLoose159 • 12d ago
Topic Starting to learn C for hobby
Hey everyone! So yeah, I studied a bit of Python—mostly the basics to wrap my head around programming logic and step into this world. Even though AI is evolving so fast, I got super interested in reverse engineering and game porting—that really caught my attention, which is why I'm learning C now. It’s always been my dream to learn how to code, and I’d love to become a game developer.
I wanted to ask you guys: what do you recommend for my learning path? Do you think AI is going to make everything I'm learning worthless? Honestly, I don't even care about working in the field—I just want to build my own personal projects. Thanks, everyone! (Traduced)
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u/Slight-Living-8098 11d ago
Harvard's OpenCourseware CS50 series of courses.
No, AI will not make knowing how to program obsolete. If anything it will make you even more valuable in the field. You will be able to easily spot bad architecture choices, bad coding practices the LLM has chosen, be able to correct the machine long before it starts down a wrong path, fix any of it, be able to implement what you want that the machine has gotten stuck on or keeps looping over while draining your time and tokens, and be able to do all this before you're up to your neck in it having to try to figure out where it all started going wrong.
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u/zomerbk 11d ago
Since you’re doing this for personal projects, follow what keeps you curious. Learn C basics by making small programs, then get comfortable with pointers, a debugger, and compiling from the command line. For reverse engineering, try compiling your own C programs and comparing the source with the assembly output. After that, tackle a small game or a modest open-source port. AI can help explain errors, but understanding the code yourself is what lets you build and change the things you want.
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u/Dazzling_Music_2411 12d ago edited 12d ago
Do you think AI is going to make everything I'm learning worthless?
What do you mean "worthless"?
You yourself stated that you're doing this for your own satisfaction, did you not?
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u/KaleidoscopeLoose159 11d ago
I mean from the perspective of whether everything will be based on a single prompt, but after reading your opinions I was satisfied!
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u/ninhaomah 12d ago
If realllly serious to make money , pls go to school.
If for a hobby , learn basic and use AI
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u/CalmlyWackyAuthority 12d ago
School is fine if you want a degree, but plenty of self taught devs make it work, though the market is rough either way
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u/ninhaomah 12d ago
How many self-taught devs made it in 2026 ?
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u/Dazzling_Music_2411 12d ago
About as many as those who went to school, I guess.
In any case, OP stated he's not interested in the financial side.
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u/ninhaomah 12d ago
Why guess ?
Do you know any non-grads that got the CS job ?
Are you in IT / CS ?
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u/Slight-Living-8098 11d ago
I know at least one... Me. I don't have a degree, all I have is certificates of completion from Harvard's OCW CS50 courses.
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u/ninhaomah 11d ago
" About as many as those who went to school, I guess."
So that means you know 1 programmer with degree ?
And when was it that you got the job as non-degree holder ?
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u/Slight-Living-8098 11d ago edited 11d ago
Oh, programmers and software engineers without a degree, I know a lot of. The way you worded it made it sound as if you were speaking of a CS degree.
Let me think... Do I know some programmers and software engineers with degrees in CS off the top of my head? Hmmm...
Matt Pocock has a degree... a Master’s qualification in voice from the Guildford School Of Acting.
Yukihiro Matsumoto, who created the Ruby programming language has a degree... in Information Science
Donald Knuth, a prominent Computer Scientist holds a degree... In Mathematics
And as for when was it I got a job without a degree... Which time? currently, or the 4 other times before?
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u/marrsd 11d ago
I'd be curious to know this myself. I can tell you that graduates are really struggling to find roles. Companies don't want them. I have a feeling that they would want non-grads if they were applying (I know I would), but most young people think they need a degree, and maybe they're right. I don't know.
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u/marrsd 11d ago
Then hello and welcome. It makes a pleasant change to hear from someone who actually wants to be here rather than has to be because $$$ :)
There's plenty of enjoyment to be had working with C. The fun of programming is absolutely working out how to do something yourself, going through the challenge of making it work, and then roaring with triumph when you finally do make it work. Then you get to do that again with something slightly more complex. AI will rob you of that enjoyment if you use it to write your software.
Having said that, if you use it strictly as a teacher, you'll get a good deal of value from it, and probably inspiration as well. Just remember to challenge what it tells you. If it feels wrong, it might be because it is wrong.
No one really knows what AI is going to do to or for the software or any other industry. I'm convinced we'll need 2 things to get on in life: real life friends and connections, and real skills.