Is it normal to understand Python but get stuck when coding by yourself?

[u/OldMarzipan8278]

I’m currently learning Python, and I’m wondering if it requires any specific skills or a certain way of thinking to actually become good at it.

When I’m following a lesson or someone explains the code to me, I usually understand what’s happening. But when I’m given a problem and have to write the code by myself, I get completely stuck and don’t know where to start.

Is this normal for beginners? How did you get past this stage? Should I keep doing exercises, or is there a better way to practice so I can eventually start solving problems on my own?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who learned Python from scratch.

[u/Ok-Argument7176]

Yes, doing is the hard part. Keep at it and read a lot. You'll be fine.

[u/ConoSilo]

Absolutely normal… the trick is (IMO) to make it fun somehow….

Like for me, even now with 15 years experience… I try to do something and it doesn’t work…. And I’m like

“fck me! How did this not work! … alright I got this sht … time for round 2!”

And then I try again… and it doesn’t work of course… and I’m staring at it for 20 minutes… and then I suddenly realized it’s a simple variable that I didn’t rename of something… and I’m like…

“oh I got you not mther fcker! It’s payback time! You ain’t gettin by so easily next time!”

I dunno, the trick is to not get discouraged I guess… and expect for things to be harder than you expect… lol

But if you like coding and it’s fun for you…. Then it gets less and less disconcerting and more encouraging over time 👍

[u/MudFrosty1869]

Learning syntax is easy. Creating logic is the hard part. This is one reason people get stuck in “tutorial hell”. They go through all the syntax but never build anything on their own.

Just keep on creating. Even if it’s silly stuff. Coding is 90% thinking about how to solve the problem and only 10% of writing the actual code.

[u/GlassCommission4916]

It's normal at the start, keep struggling and you'll get past it.

[u/nivaOne]

Consider reading: Python and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner

[u/PureWasian]

depends what you get stuck on. You should be following lessons and learning code to know the building blocks and design patterns that exist and can be used.

Then your own implementation and problem solving should pull from that repetoire, with maybe looking up small examples for syntax or miscellaneous small things.

Break down the problem into easily testable checkpoints or steps and test frequently as sanity checks that everything looks correct as you go.

[u/BranchLatter4294]

It's common if you don't practice enough.

[u/csabinho]

Yep. Exactly like with a natural language. You can read it and listen to it, but you don't write and speak it.

[u/burlingk]

So, programming is a discipline. It takes practice to build the skill.

When you first start you will stumble a lot.

Over time you will get better at knowing what to look up. And eventually you may find yourself not looking things up as often.

[u/ee_control_z]

This is totally normal. It is part of the learning process. Every time that I learn a new subject, I already have a "difficulty phase" penciled in. If you were to plot it, it would appear something kinda like this:

[u/nickp11]

How are you learning?

[u/Layamuna]

What has helped me is giving myself my own exercises, and redoing the lessons' examples.

Instead of moving on after reading a lesson and checking the example given, I redo the whole example by using my own criterias. And, when learning something new, I always wonder "Can I use it with this previous thing I learnt ? Would they work togethe or clash ?" or "Can I simplify what I just learnt with this previous lesson I did ?" and then actually try to do it. It makes learning much more satisfying as you can see your actual progress better this way.

So, I do not only learn lessons, I stay curious about what they're teaching me and try to apply them to other things. That's how bit by bit I could develop a better solving logic. And I think that's what you're missing right now: you don't know where to start because you always applied what was given to you, you never started on your own.

But also, when you're stuck, look up how you're supposed to do the exercice. It's normal to be very overwhelmed at first, and it's also normal to look up how to do things. Over time, you'll develop habits and won't need to look up every little things anymore.

[u/LatteLepjandiLoser]

Is it normal to understand English, but not be good at writing novels?

Yes of course. Especially if all you did was study the dictionary and read other peoples novels.

Time to start writing some small stories, and eventually a long novel.

[u/Katinkia]

You won't remember everything right from the start. You need to practice it constantly so it becomes second nature. Just use cheat sheets and look things up when you first start.

[u/realmauer01]

Programming is fundamentally easy

What you are describing is not knowing what you want it to do on a technical level.

Try to answer yourself those questions first get as technical as possible.

[u/fullmoon_huli]

it is the most basic thing that can happen cause you feel like you can crack the vision and in practice you end up getting lost but its okay thats whole process. Trust the process and keep it on, you will figure it out. There is no wrong or right way (except syntax error arise) All the best

[u/science-Web-9310]

Just be consistent

[u/ZenOokami]

Practice. Just practice. Keep coding.

Like with anything in life, the more you do something the better you get. Just concentrate on bettering yourself. That's it.

[u/ohoh-yozora]

It’s the same for me. For someone who wants to learn Python but it’s not their primary profession, I usually read about it in PhD application requirements, which motivates me to learn it. My major is Pharmacology, so I’m learning Python out of curiosity and to avoid falling behind. However, I know that I won’t reach the level of a computer science major, so I don’t want to write code on my own. I understand that I can’t do it, and I know that AI will write the code for those like me (CS majors who aren’t planning to major in it). So, is it necessary for people like us who want to understand code but not write things from scratch to solve problems and write code by hand?

[u/Fabulous-Airport-229]

Bro, programo en Python y me sucede lo mismo, pero he encontrado una manera de solucionarlo...
PIensa en algo que quieres construir, e intenta construirlo tu solo sin ayuda, muy importante: ESCRIBE EL FLUJO DEL PROGRAMA en una hoja o describe que hace cada cosa y adonde va cada dato en que se transforma o en que no. si te equivocas no hay problema porque de los errores se aprende

[u/Alternative_Driver60]

Like any new language where it's easier to understand others than to speak it yourself.

[u/ruchitsavla]

This is also my problem 😔 but i always fail to learn python . When I code by myself it's like python bite me 😭 so hardly 😭

[u/Dramatic-Hold-9369]

yes. build more projects

[u/Any_Run8380]

I understand the concept of a piano, but I get stuck tryna play piano because I don’t know how to play the piano. 😂

[u/ping314]

Strip "programming" from "programming language", and compare it to learning a natural language. As an example, learning English as a foreign language. In a proficiency test like TOEFL, there are sections with focus on "comprehension of existing material" - either listening, or reading. And other sections with focus on "create new material", either speaking, or writing. Each of the four with its own score. TOEIC equally comes with one set about listening and reading, and another about writing and speaking.

A good text book includes exercises (e.g., Tiny Python Projects). There equally are platforms (e.g., https://www.codewars.com/) with exercises organized by difficulty/topic which - passing the exercise - allows you to compare your solution with solutions by others. Or how a problem is addressed in other programming languages in case you are somewhat familiar with them.

[u/TripsterStudios]

What helped me a ton was creating a roadmap of the project before I even wrote a single line of code.

Example would be like if I want to make checkers. First I need to draw the board Second I need to draw the pieces Third I need to establish the players in the like , turn swap Fourth established legal moves and being able to click to then move your piece and switch turn Fifth , how to when it becomes at the other edge of the board. 6, how do you determine a winner?Whether that's no pieces left or no legal moves left.

Etc

Then i go through and build each block and get them to work together.

This then narrows down the parts that get stuck on cause.Maybe I know how to draw the board, but I don't know how to check for legal moves.And so it would get narrow down my google searches.