Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

General Discussion

Chris Nelson
Chris Nelson
4,603 Points
Posted by Chris Nelson
Chris Nelson
4,603 Points

What to do after learning beginner Python?

So I've spent all this time going through the beginner track of Python. I've really enjoyed it and I've learnt a lot. I'm starting to reach the more intermediate courses and I find my interest slipping a little bit. Maybe I need to slow down. It's just perhaps too much information all at once. So then what?

I feel like my biggest problem, and I'm sure many have struggled with this as well. I have a really hard time converting the idea in my head to the Python language. I can't figure out how to create what I'm thinking in my head. I could have a general idea of how it may work and I go to code it out and it just fails. Nothing works and I have no idea where to begin now.

What would you as a community/teachers recommend doing once you've learnt a decent amount of a programming language. I once read that the most successful programmers are the one's that learn for a purpose. Whether it be an app, game, website, etc; they had a goal in mind. Something to work towards. But what if you don't have that? I'm very interested in this field, but I just don't really know what to do with this new information.

3 Answers

Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points
Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points

Your problem in creating something is you are going straight from the idea to the code. Programming is a tool. If you go to build a house and immediately grab a hammer you will run into the same issue. You need more then a general idea of hmmm let me build xyz. Start off with just a pen and paper or notepad.

What are you trying to build? Got that idea in your head? Make that the title.

Now break down the idea. What are the parts? Is it a webpage? Desktop software? An app? Now you know what technologies are available to you. aka Swift, Java, objective c for an app.

What features does it have? What can it do? Those are your main points.

What programming language is best for those features? Is there a prebuilt library? A template? Is it faster? Does it have a community around it to answer your questions?

Now that you have a language what else do you need? A framework? Specific libraries to help you? An editor? A compiler? Get all of that set up.

Break each feature down into parts each with a specific goal. If you want to allow login look at storing users in a database, registering new users, email confirmations, password resets, password security, session management. Plan to build or use a library to get these features. Outline each one on paper.

Start coding! Work through and test each of your new features and pull them together.

Clean up any code and boom now you have a finish product!

See how small of a part coding the project is? The rest is whats missing. Goodluck!

Duraen Kingsley
Duraen Kingsley
3,743 Points

Thank you for your response, Ricky! Many are struggling with this like Chris.

Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points
Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points

Thanks Duron. That means a lot. I tried to do my best to give detailed answers that helpped. It really means a lot that you noticed and took the time to say thank you.

Jimmy Sweeney
Jimmy Sweeney
5,649 Points
Jimmy Sweeney
Jimmy Sweeney
5,649 Points

I appreciate this response. I have a similar question to the OP but am wondering what track or course to continue on after completing Beginner Python. I jumped into intermediate Python but I feel like I am missing some prereqs. To give some context, I am very new to programming in general. I am at a beginner level in Python and JS.

Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points
Ricky Catron
Ricky Catron
13,023 Points

Hey Jim, I can't speak to treehouses curriculum. What do you feel like you are missing? I always think experimentation is a great way to learn and try new things. Takes a lot of googling but you build something even something simple from the ground up youself.

Jacob Mishkin
Jacob Mishkin
23,117 Points
Jacob Mishkin
Jacob Mishkin
23,117 Points

To piggy back on Ricky Catron I would add that you should create things that are in/just outside of your scope of knowledge. This will help you learn and reinforce the knowledge you have already learned.

Helena Clarke
Helena Clarke
222 Points
Helena Clarke
Helena Clarke
222 Points

Not sure this will help, but I was reading a piece on building apps today and it said that basically you should treat an idea as a movie. You create storyboards and a framework and then you use the coding to make those things happen. Have an actualy treatment. Not sure if that will be useful to you, but there it is.