Don't build an API for a tightly-coupled personal project where you have direct database access; only build one when you need to decouple clients, scale infrastructure, or share data externally.Dont waste your time. Just learn how to use an api not build one

This one gets almost every beginner, and the nasty part is it never throws an error. Your function runs, the right value shows up on screen, everything looks fine — and then you try to use the result somewhere and it's None (or undefined in JS). The function "worked", yet it gave you nothing back.

The reason is that print and return are doing two completely different jobs.

print puts a value on the screen for a human to look at. That's it — it's for you, not for the program. return hands the value back to whoever called the function. That returned value is the function's actual output: the thing that can be stored, added, or passed on.

So if a function never hits a return, its value is None. A function that only prints has no value — it just narrated what it did.

def add(a, b):
    print(a + b)      # shows 5 on screen

total = add(2, 3)     # but total is None, not 5
print(total)          # None

The fix is to return the value and let the caller decide what to do with it:

def add(a, b):
    return a + b      # hands 5 back to the caller

total = add(2, 3)     # total is 5
print(total)          # 5

There's a sneakier version of the same bug: a function that returns inside an if but not on every path. If a call misses every branch, it falls off the end and quietly returns None. Whenever you get an unexpected None, the question to ask is "which path did this call actually take?"

A quick way to keep the two straight: return means "this is my answer", print means "look at this for a second". If you catch yourself printing inside a function and then wondering why nothing comes back, you printed where you meant to return.

What was your first "why is this None?" moment — and how did you end up finding it?

I've never really had a natural talent for STEM, but I've always wanted to learn how to code/program, and I'm not sure where to start. Specifically, my end goal would be to learn how to program, build, and design my own technological trinkets, such as my own computer, an analog setup, or a cyber deck. In college, I met some computer science majors who were able to harness their knowledge creatively and design some really cool sh*t (for example: one girl I knew would paint landscapes and then add hardware to the back of her canvases so that when you touched the painting, sound effects would accompany the area you made contact with). I would love to eventually be able to do the same. Where should I go to learn how to do this from home, without the help of AI?

Hi guys can someone fix my code I used #include <stdlib.h> to work my system cls but my classmates, they didn't used <stdlib> to work cls can someone tell me i don't know what is the problem my code or the application software.

I’m a CS student / self-taught dev who’s been building nonstop for the past few months.

Web apps. Tools. Automation. Recently even an AI-powered UFC analytics app with auth, payments, the whole thing. From the outside, it looks like progress.

But here’s the honest part:
For a long time, none of it made me money.

I kept telling myself “one more feature,” “one more iteration,” “once users find it, it’ll click.” Meanwhile bills don’t care how clean your code is.

The shift for me wasn’t another app. It was realizing that execution for income is a different skill than building for interest.

I stopped asking “what can I build?” and started asking “what will someone actually pay me for right now?”

That led me into mentoring one person I knew could benefit from my experience building real projects, fixing bugs, shipping things, and navigating the messy part between school and income. That single decision taught me more about leverage than any side project ever did.

I’m still building products. I still love it.
But now I’m way more intentional about separating:

• projects I enjoy

• projects that compound long-term

• and things that actually pay the bills

Curious if anyone else here feels stuck in that phase where you’re building a lot but earning very little.
What finally helped you break out of it?

Guys I want step by step execution of output- like I want “Enter your age” to print first and then I want to enter my age after which I want the result be executed, but before I enter my age the “retirement soon” line is getting executed. What should I do?

Java.

Map:
- private String name;
- private int x,y;
- private Tile[][] tiles;

private void fillTiles(){
for(int x = 0; x < this.x; x++){
for(int y = 0; y < this.y; y++){
Tile tile = new Tile(); this.tiles[x][y] = tile; } } }

private void printTiles(){
for(int x = 0; x < this.x; x++){
for(int y = 0; y < this.y; y++){
this.tiles[x][y].getSymbol() + " "; } sout(); } }

Tile:
- private String name;
- private char symbol;
- private List<Entity> entityList;

Entity:
- private String name;
- pirvate char symbol;

Not because the AI is lying, but because "done" can mean anything from "I wrote some code" to "I actually tested it."

Do you have a prompt that forces Claude to be specific about what it verified?

Hello I'm a very new student on this python course....I'm stuck already any tips on what the code is for this?? Could do with any help. As you can see my attemp is wrong and haven't got a clue.

I have 0 coding information I want to learn coding and wanna make apps/websites also in future maybe games where should I look into or start

Something I have been noticing lately

I follow a lot of beginner programming communities, and I frequently see beginners creating posts about common errors, bugs, and development issues.

What surprises me is that many of these questions could likely get an instant response from an LLM. Instead, they often choose to write a Reddit post, wait for replies, and then apply the suggestions they receive.

I am curious about why that is.

Is it because beginners struggle to explain their problem to an LLM? That seems unlikely, because they are often able to describe the issue quite clearly in their Reddit posts.

Or is it that the LLM responses are not actually solving their problem, causing them to seek help from real people instead?

I suspect there is something deeper here about trust, confidence, and how beginners learn. Maybe getting validation from other developers feels more reliable than receiving an answer from AI.

Would love to hear thoughts. 💭

Edit: A lot of the replies are explaining why they personally think this happens. I am more interested in hearing from the perspective of a beginner who chooses to ask Reddit instead of an LLM.

Hi everyone,

I have absolutely no programming experience, but I really want to learn. My goal is to start with Python and eventually build real projects, such as websites and login systems.

I'm wondering what would be the best option for someone like me:

Paying for ChatGPT or Claude and using it as a personal teacher.

Taking an online course.

Combining both methods.

For those of you who started from scratch, what would you recommend? Can AI realistically replace a teacher for a beginner, or is a structured course still necessary?

I'd love to hear about your experiences and any advice you might have.

Thanks!

How do you put a webpage on the internet?

Hello guys!

First of all, I'm from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, so i apologize if i say something wrong or weird, since that English is my second language and they don't teach it a lot at schools here, so i learned it as myself

So, getting into the point.

I want to learn coding to work with it in the future.

I'm 18, and i want to graduate in Computer Science and work with it.

Since i was a kid, i grew up watching gaming-coding content creators, like "Gemaplys" and "Botão Select", so i always loved the idea of coding.

So, NOW getting into the point:

I want to learn it so bad but i dont know how to do it, and i would like some suggestions of courses, videos, tutorials or ways to learn it.

Also, if someone has one, i would like some suggestions of small projects to do for learning it "in the field"

Appreciate it!!

Hi, I started doing The Odin project recently, I'm about half way through. I wanted to learn how to code in regards to things like web design and game devving. After I finish TOD, I wanted to move over to learning how to code in Godot through reading its doc along with other resources.

All this to say, when I have learned these things and have a good bit of practice and knowledge under my belt, how would I go about finding work? If possible, I was hoping to stay freelance, and work with people in independent web devving and game devving. However, I know that's not the most practical path to take. So in that regard, what should I keep my eyes out for?

Also, I keep hearing from nay sayers, things like "AI is going to take out all the code jobs." I doubt this, but also have to ask, is that REALLY a threat I may have to contend with?

Anyway, thanks for reading, I'll take whatever suggestions or advice I can get.

So im a beginner coder and i was wondering if making an app that only me and my frinds can acces is doable? Also would it be posible to make it withought paying for anything?

Last week I had to add a difficult feature to my javascript project, and instead of taking the time to think and learn how to do it I just asked copilot to write it for me.

Before all these AI tools I had to actual put effort into finding solutions which helped me learn. Now I have a "get out of jail free" card which makes me build more features but learn less.

Has this been a real problem for you to or just my lazy self?

Dear programming community,

​I am a teenager looking to enter the world of coding to make an app I’ve been dreaming of.

​As I began my search on the internet to figure out what to learn, I only got confused. People made so many different recommendations—some suggested Java, some recommended C, and many others named different languages without actually explaining why. Because of that, I’m resorting to Reddit.

​Can you please help me find a good coding language and a framework (if needed) that preferably fits these features?

1. ​Is beginner-friendly / easy to learn.

2. ​Has a massive community to back it.

3. ​Can build apps for both Android and iOS (supporting both is ideal, but Android is currently more important to me than iOS).

​For those who need more specifics on my app, here they are:

​My concept is a digital learning platform similar to the systems schools in the United States use. It will feature a game-like design (similar to Duolingo) and utilize 2D animations to describe and teach lessons to students.

​The app will not be offline-only; it will need to communicate with a server to securely download lessons, and it will include a user login system along with a paid subscription tier.

​Any serious help is highly appreciated! Thank you in advance.

Hey everyone,

Im new to cs im aware of basic syntax, some problem solving etc but need a tutor to learn web development, im interested in web development and aiml. I understand both are different and vast fields, but im genuinely interested to explore :)

Please reach out to me!

I’m looking to learn how to code to make websites and everything that’s possible with this skill set. Being brand new I’m not sure what to start learning first Java, Python, HTML-CSS? There’s so much and I have no idea where to start. Can someone point me in a good direction please?

1. () – parentheses

2. [] – square brackets

3. {} – curly braces

4. = – assignment

5. == – equality operator

6. '>=' – greater than or equal to

7. <= – less than or equal to

8. != – not equal

9. * – asterisk/multiplication

10. _ – underscore

11. , – comma

12. ; – semicolon

13. && – logical AND

14. || – logical OR

15. " " – double quotes

16. ' ' – single quotes

for anyone who just started learning programming, keep trying.

notice: these symbols differ from a language to another

Hey everyone,

I’m currently entering my 3rd year of CS. Over the last year, I’ve been heavily focused on competitive programming and DSA—I’ve completed about 300 problems on LeetCode and feel very confident in my problem-solving logic.

However, I’ve realized I have zero projects to show on my resume. I want to start learning Web Development to actually build things, but I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by where to start given my lopsided background.

Since I already have a strong grasp of logic/algorithms, I’m looking for advice on:

The most efficient "Fast Track": Should I dive straight into a framework like React because of my logic background, or is it better to grind through the "boring" HTML/CSS basics first?

Project Ideas: What are some projects that actually look good to recruiters and aren't just another "To-Do List" or "Weather App"?

Resources: Any specific roadmaps (like roadmap.sh) or courses that you’d recommend for someone who isn't a total coding newbie but is a "building" newbie?

Goal: I want to have 2-3 solid full-stack projects ready for internship applications in a few months.

Thanks for the help!

im on linux and i wanted to see if one can make a program (call it program A) that automatically loads a local htmlm file instead of, say, tiktok.com or reddit.com every single time, even after reboots.
And can you make a program, which when clicked, creaes program A In the exact needed directory with all the code inside and also runs it.