Today I will be talking to you about the question of how long it takes to learn Python and to a larger extent, how long does it take to learn to code in the Python programming language. This is one of those questions where there isn’t an exact answer. I can’t tell you specifically whether it will take 10 days or 30 days or 50 days or more. But by the end of this blog, I will try to give the best estimation possible. You are not necessarily going to have a moment in time where someone waves a magic wand and says, “you now know Python go forth and write code” so no one is going to make you a real programmer. It’s something that happens over time, so you should probably expect that.
Python Learning Curve Levels
Here is what happens when you learn to code, people learn at a different pace. You might learn faster or slower than the other person learning Python with you or someone else and that is normal. Different people have different learning curves, and it cannot be the same for everyone. It is also about setting your expectations and what you can expect when you sit down and learn to code with Python. Now, as far as programming languages go, Python is one of the easier ones to learn. It has a lot of design decisions that make it feel easier and simpler and a little bit nicer than certain other programming languages. Compared to other programming languages like C and Java, Python is much simpler to learn.
There are different learning levels, so part of this question is how long it takes to feel comfortable with the idea of programming and writing Python code. And then how long does it take to feel like you are good in Python programming. Finally, you might wonder how long it takes before you can let get a job writing code with Python. Each of these levels will have different learning durations.
Get Started with Python (Half an hour or less)
It takes approximately half an hour or less to go from zero to writing your first line of Python code when you are just getting started. This is called the “Hello world” python program, where you have to install Python and then write a simple program that just prints Hello World. That is almost the entire program, you simply type it in and then run the Python command to run your source file. You can figure out how to do that with a decent tutorial, and half an hour or less is all it takes from going not programming to programming.
Python Fundamentals (2 to 4 Weeks)
After that, you have the next level to learn the basics and start writing real Python programs. You can start learning the Python basics in two different ways. In the first way, you can refer to a tutorial that will take you through fundamental ideas such as variables, if statements, methods, objects, control flow, etc. There are multiple tutorials out there that will help you step by step to learn the basics of Python.
In the other approach, which I would say is more favourable, is taking you through building an actual software program in Python. And as you are building that program, you are learning the fundamentals on the way. I like this approach better because you can put the Python essential topics into practice right away. Because ultimately, learning to code is about taking the ideas in your head, typing codes on your keyboard and executing the codes. Codes in Python have to be formatted in a certain way and you have to know how to run specific commands, but a lot of that is just the practice of typing python codes so that it becomes comfortable for you.
Whichever route of learning you choose, I would say it takes at least a couple of weeks of daily practice. You need to spend about 10 to 20 hours of actual typing and writing Python code and figuring out what went wrong when the code doesn’t work to get comfortable in Python basics. But practically speaking, it probably takes 2 to 4 weeks to kind of get to that level.
Python Expert (3 to 6 Months)
Now, what about getting to a level of competence where you feel like you can write software and do this for other people professionally. I mean a level of competence and expertise that you feel good about it. So practically speaking, probably something like 3 to 6 months of on-the-job experience sounds about right to get into a Python expert level. But it usually takes about a year or two on the job to feel comfortable and to feel like a Python guru.
How long does it take to learn python?
So, you could say it probably takes you one hour just to get started with Python, and then it probably takes like 10 to 20 hours (2 to 4 weeks) to feel like you understand what programming is about, and you can do some of the coding in Python. And then if you practice coding for long enough and build some software with it at about approx. 200 to 500 hours (3 to 6 months), then maybe you will be at the point where you can probably go sensibly get a job on Python. Once you get to mark, say 2000 to 4000 hours (1 to 2 years) of professional experience, you are probably like a competent developer who can make software and applications in Python with ease.
In general, it comes down to how much you are going to practice and how much you will write codes in Python. The best habit you can have is writing Python code every day to feel routine and regular.
Final Thoughts
If you are going through tutorials, give yourself like a month or two to work through some basic tutorials and feel a little bit comfortable with Python. Then give yourself 6 to 12 months of practice to feel like you are getting to the point where you could do something professionally. And then, once you are a professional, give yourself a year or two of professional practice to feel okay, I am an excellent programmer now and I am capable. That is the kind of trajectory you will have while learning Python and then after that, it is just learning more and getting more practice, building bigger applications in Python and just kind of like learning as you go.
