c/coding-for-beginners

Update: How I used to write CSS vs. now after 6 months of Tailwind

Back in March I was still hand-writing all my CSS classes for a small project, with tons of media queries scattered everywhere. Then I tried Tailwind on a client site in July because they specifically asked for it. At first I hated the long class names in my HTML, but after about 3 weeks it clicked and my styling got way faster. Has anyone else made the switch and felt like it changed how they approach layout decisions?

0 comments

calebc40•15h ago

Debated between Python and JavaScript for my first real project, picked Python, and now I'm stuck at week 3

I was trying to build a simple tool to rename a bunch of music files in my collection, and I figured Python was the way to go because of all the tutorials. But man, getting the path names right in Windows has been a nightmare, I spent like 4 hours on Friday just debugging a single slash. Meanwhile my buddy started a JS project and already has something working on his browser. Has anyone else picked one language only to wonder if the other would've been smoother for a beginner project like this?

2 comments

dixon.james•1d ago

Rant: Went from writing code in Notepad to VS Code and now I can't go back

Back in 2018 I was building entire PHP scripts in plain Notepad like some kind of digital caveman, no syntax highlighting or anything. Upgraded to VS Code last year after my buddy laughed at my setup, and now I spend more time organizing my color themes than actually coding. Anyone else feel like a tool 50% of the time with all these features?

2 comments

gavin228•1d ago

Debate: should beginners learn HTML/CSS first or jump straight into Python?

At a coding bootcamp in Austin last summer, the instructor split us into two groups: one started with HTML and CSS for a month, the other went straight into Python. By week 3, the Python group was making simple calculators while the HTML group was still arguing over div spacing. But then the HTML group built their first webpage and looked way more excited. What do you think is the better starting path for someone who's brand new?

2 comments

blair_nguyen•1d ago

Spent 4 hours debugging a missing semicolon last night

I was working on a basic JavaScript project for my online class, just a simple calculator to add numbers. For like 3 hours I couldn't figure out why it kept returning undefined. I checked the functions, the variables, even rewrote half the code from scratch. Turned out I forgot a single semicolon after a line in the middle of the script. My roommate who codes for a living walked by, glanced at my screen, and pointed it out in 10 seconds. Made me feel both stupid and grateful at the same time. Anyone else have a tiny syntax error eat up your whole evening?

2 comments

sage_moore37•4d ago

Stuck between Python and JavaScript for my first real project and I'm losing my mind

I spent like 3 hours last night going back and forth on whether to build a simple to-do app in Python or JavaScript for my first portfolio piece. I ended up picking Python cause I'd already learned some of it but now I'm wondering if I made a mistake since literally every job posting seems to want JS. Has anyone else dealt with this paralysis over what language to start with?

2 comments

blair_nguyen•7d ago

That "Learn Python in 24 Hours" course I laughed at actually taught me loops

I was super skeptical when my coworker Dave swore by this $12 Udemy course he found. I figured no way could you pick up real coding in a day. But last Saturday I was bored and gave it a shot, and by hour 4 I had written a basic calculator app that actually ran. The instructor just explained things in plain English without all the jargon. Has anyone else had a cheap course turn out way better than expected?

3 comments

the_brian•7d ago

Three years ago I tried learning Python with a textbook. Last month I tried again with YouTube videos. Big difference.

Back in 2021 I bought a thick Python textbook and made it through 2 chapters before giving up. Last month I searched "Python for dog groomers" and found a series that showed how to build a simple appointment scheduler. Seeing the code do something useful right away made it click for me. Has anyone else had luck learning coding through projects tied to your actual job?

2 comments

elliotm57•10d ago

Switched from watching tutorials to reading documentation and it clicked

I spent 3 months following YouTube tutorials for JavaScript and kept getting stuck when something slightly changed. Then last week I forced myself to read the MDN docs for array methods and finally understood why .map() works the way it does. Has anyone else found that tutorials hold your hand too much?

3 comments

sage_moore37•11d ago

I finally fixed my infinite loop bug at 2am

Was working on a project for a local library website. Simple contact form. Had a while loop checking form inputs. Ran the test script and my laptop fans went jet engine loud. Browser froze solid. Had to hard reboot the machine. Forgot to add a break condition in the loop. Stupid mistake but I stared at the code for 45 minutes before seeing it. The fix was literally typing 'break' on one line. Felt like a genius and an idiot at the same time. Anyone else waste hours on a one word fix?

3 comments

king.eric•13d ago

Changed my mind about using a debugger after a 3 hour hunt for a missing semicolon

I was working on a simple Python script last Tuesday night in my home office, just trying to scrape some weather data. I had a loop that kept breaking and I spent almost 3 hours adding print statements everywhere, trying to see where the logic went wrong. Finally around 11 pm I got frustrated and opened the built in debugger in VS Code, something I always told myself was overkill for beginners. I stepped through the code line by line and found it in under 5 minutes - I had a semicolon at the end of a line where Python doesn't need one in a specific spot, which was throwing off the next line's indentation. The whole time I thought it was a logic error but it was just a silly typo that the debugger caught instantly. Ever since that night I've used the debugger on every project and I feel like it saved me from quitting coding altogether. Has anyone else had a moment where a tool you avoided turned out to be the solution?

2 comments

taraross•14d ago

Bought a $50 Python course and it left me more confused than before

I mean, I finally caved and bought one of those beginner Python courses on Udemy after seeing it on sale for like $50. Felt like a good deal at the time, but man, the guy who made it just assumes you already know basic programming terms. He uses words like 'instantiate' and 'iterate' without explaining them first, like you're supposed to just pick it up from context. I spent more time Googling what he said than actually coding. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like if you're gonna call something 'for beginners' you shouldn't need a dictionary to follow along. Has anyone else wasted money on a course that was basically useless for actual newbies?

2 comments

claire_davis31•15d ago

Finally got my first API call to work after 2 hours of console.log spam

I was sitting in my kitchen at 11pm trying to hook up a weather API to my little project. Kept getting a 401 error until I realized my API key had a hidden space I copy pasted from the docs. Fixed that and suddenly rain data for Seattle popped up on my screen. Has anyone else wasted hours on something dumb like a typo or a hidden character?

3 comments

jadej50•15d ago

Finally figured out why my code kept breaking - it was a missing semicolon after 3 days of staring

I spent last Tuesday night pulling my hair out over a JavaScript loop that kept throwing errors. Turned out I forgot a semicolon after a variable declaration line, something I always skip because I thought it didn't matter in modern JS. My buddy from a coding meetup told me to use a linter called ESLint, and it caught the issue in two seconds. Has anyone else had a tiny syntax mistake like that waste hours of their time?

3 comments

sanchez.mary•16d ago

Put $40 into a one month Codewars premium subscription and it finally clicked for me

I was bouncing between free tutorials for months and nothing stuck. That first week with the structured challenges forced me to actually write code instead of just watching videos. Anyone else find that paying a little cash made you take it more seriously?

3 comments

nancyjones•1mo ago

Spent 4 hours debugging a missing semicolon in JavaScript

I was following a tutorial on making a simple to-do list app, and my code just wouldn't run. Console kept yelling 'unexpected token' at me lol. Checked everything like 3 times, then my buddy looked over my shoulder and pointed out I forgot a semicolon on line 12. Felt so dumb but also learned why people say to use a linter. Has anyone else wasted a ton of time on a tiny typo like that?

3 comments

the_wendy•1mo ago

TIL you can debug CSS by drawing boxes with borders in a specific color code

Anyone else use a weird trick like that to spot spacing problems faster?

3 comments

christopherw34•1mo ago

Went to a local coding meetup and walked out after 20 minutes

Hit up a beginner coding group at the public library downtown. The guy running it spent 10 minutes explaining how to print "hello world" in Python. Then someone asked about making a simple game, and the leader just said "read the docs." No demo, no code walkthrough, nothing. I get that you need to learn basics, but if the leader cant show a real example, what's the point? Three other people left before me. Has anyone else had meetups that just waste your time like that?

3 comments

laura_chen41•1mo ago

Pro tip: Finally picked Python over JavaScript for my first language

I spent 3 weeks going back and forth on whether to start with Python or JavaScript for my first coding language. I went with Python and honestly the syntax is so readable that I already built a little calculator app in just 2 days. Any other beginners struggle with this choice or have tips for what to try next?

4 comments

king.val•1mo ago

Overheard my coworker say "just use w3schools" and it clicked for me

I kept trying to learn Python from these huge textbooks and YouTube series that were 40 hours long. My coworker was teaching himself JavaScript on lunch breaks using just w3schools and random blog posts. He told me "stop trying to master everything, just build something broken and fix it as you go." That changed my whole approach. Has anyone else found a really simple resource that finally made coding click for you?

4 comments

amy_craig28•1mo ago

Debate: Should beginners learn Python or JavaScript first? I used to think Python all the way until a senior dev told me otherwise.

For the first 6 months of learning code, I was all in on Python. I thought it was the easiest to read and get stuff done. Then a senior dev at a meetup in Denver told me JavaScript is better for beginners because you can see your results in a browser right away and it forces you to understand how the web works. Now I'm stuck between two camps: learn the simple syntax first with Python or learn what actually powers websites with JS. Has anyone else gotten feedback that totally flipped how they tell new folks to start?

3 comments

carter.joseph•1mo ago

Tried learning React with just a YouTube playlist, got way more confused than with the docs

Everyone says YouTube tutorials are the best for beginners, but after 3 days of bouncing between videos I couldn't even make a button work. Reading the official React docs straight up taught me more in 2 hours than those 12 videos did, has anyone else had better luck with written stuff over video?

3 comments

jana881•1mo ago

Switched from VS Code to Notepad++ for a week and it broke my brain

Okay tbh I was getting frustrated with all the bloat in VS Code for tiny little projects. So I decided to go full minimalist and use Notepad++ for a whole 7 days straight. No syntax highlighting, no auto complete, no nothing. Day 3 I spent like 45 minutes trying to figure out why my Python code wasn't running. Forgot I needed to manually save the file as .py and run it from the command line. Has anyone else ever tried stripping down your tools only to realize you just made everything harder?

3 comments

finleyl39•1mo ago

PSA: I spent 4 months debugging a typo in a CSS class name

Finally noticed I wrote 'calender' instead of 'calendar' in 12 different files across my project. Has anyone else wasted hours on a single letter mistake like this?

3 comments

keith_bennett•1mo ago

Just learned that Python's default recursion limit is only 1000 calls

I found this out when my Fibonacci function crashed at 999 recursions and I totally didn't expect such a low number for a 'beginner friendly' language, has anyone else hit this wall while learning?

3 comments