How to Learn Python Without Any Programming Background

You are not a programmer. You have zero coding experience. You probably consider yourself “not a math person”. So let’s find out how you can learn Python, even if you’ve never had any exposure to a programming language.

You’re Embarking on a Great Journey

First of all, congratulations! You’ve made a great choice! 

Python is the perfect programming language for people without any coding experience. It has a simple syntax, which makes it very accessible to beginners. Scripts written in Python are “human-friendly”: you can read Python code as you would read English commands.

Furthermore, Python is a very versatile programming language that can be used for just about anything. Do you want to automate routine tasks? Are you interested in data analytics and visualization? Would you like to become a web developer or mobile app developer? Python is great for any of these tasks.

Thus, deciding to learn a programming language like Python is a huge step towards a more successful career.

How to Start Learning Python

So, you’ve decided to learn Python, and that’s great! But most likely learning Python is not going to be your only task. Chances are you also have a full-time job, you’re a student, or you need to take care of your family. Or all of the above. 

You probably won’t have time to read thick textbooks and take detailed notes. You definitely need to find the easiest way to learn Python. 

Here are some ways to spend less time on studying and still get great results:

How to Polish Your Python Basics

Create your own practice projects! After you feel more confident with the basics of Python, start on your own projects. This will give you additional motivation, since you can select a topic that you’re excited about. Working on a project will give you a chance to apply your knowledge to real-world tasks. And it’s inspiring when you can do something useful with code. 

Finally, you are likely to encounter challenges when working on your project. This may mean dozens of tries before code starts working and quite a few questions asked on Stack Overflow. But it also means that you’ll learn lots of new things.

Where to Learn Python

These days, the number of study resources available online is overwhelming. Platforms like Coursera, edX, Udemy, and Udacity offer tons of Python courses. However, these often lack interactivity and might be too challenging for learners without an IT background. 

On the other hand, websites like HackerRank, TopCoder, and Coderbyte allow you to practice your skills. Unfortunately, they usually lack explanations, which makes them less suitable for beginners. (It might be a good idea to visit these platforms after you’ve built some programming foundations.)

Vertabelo Academy offers very engaging courses in Python, R, and SQL. Here are their major advantages:

1. These courses are accessible to beginners, especially those without an IT background.
2. There are hundreds of interactive exercises, so you’ll get lots of practice.
3. Each exercise comes with a detailed explanation and help if you need it.
4. You can discuss exercises with the learning community and Vertabelo’s experts.
5. The learning experience is carefully crafted, with structured courses that are specifically designed to build your coding confidence.

Source: “Python Basics. Part 1” - Exercise 3

If you are at the very beginning of your Python journey, start with:

1. Python Basics Part 1 
2. Python Basics Part 2
3. Python Basics Part 3
4. Python Data Structures in Practice
5. Built-In Algorithms in Python

If you’re interested in data analytics and data science, we also recommend the Introduction to Python in Data Science.

Check out the other fully interactive courses available from Vertabelo Academy. Or read about How to Use Python Dictionaries: The Vertabelo Guide

Happy learning!