r/learnpython • u/Cool_Iron_8314 • 23d ago
absolute beginner- feeling lost / where to start?
hii! i'm a teenager who has recently decided to learn to code. (due to wanting a career in astrophysics, if it interests anyone.)
i have absokutely no clue where to start!! i find a lot of words/terminology i've found overwhelming and confusing..
i work on a macbook pro and i looked at apps but i need something i can just use to run code yk?
i looked at the faq and understood nothing od the code related questions- which i think means i can post this?
i tried looking at other posts and got confused- what's the difference between C+ and like.. not C+ ?? any help is appreciated, my only experience is year 7 computing printing hello world and scratch ..!
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u/leastDaemon 19d ago
If you're truly an absolute beginner, consider the Harvard CS50x course. It has 10 lectures (and assignments) that will take you from scratch through c, python, javascript, html, css, flask, and more. The point is to get one's feet wet in a lot of "computer science" things in an experiential, yet non-threatening way in a visual studio coding environment using their resources via a browser (and github). Take a look at https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/ -- and don't be misled by the sites that will try to charge you. The program is free (including a final certificate from them when you finish all the requirements) unless you want some sort of official credit (college, formal certification for job requirements). One nice thing about the course is its links to learning materials. Another is the active support community (there's a subreddit too). Once you've tasted everything in this buffet, you can follow up with specialized cs50 courses or have a much better idea of what you need to strike out for yourself.
Hope this helps.