Finding My New Coding Passion: A Journey into Python
Alright, let's give this a shot then...
For a while now, I've been traversing the development landscape, looking for something that would pique my interest. Through many, maaaaany years of doing this job (gosh, I'm old, lol) there was a whole slew of technologies I went through. All sorts of applications I've made. From web apps to mobile games, from database systems to IoT projects – you name it, I've probably dabbled in it. So finding something new that I would take on as a hobby was a bit of a challenge.
Now I think I may have found it.
Python. That language that seems to be everywhere and powering just about everything we touch in this modern AI-laced world, and yet somehow... I didn't really come across it. Aside from that little bot I made for Mastodon, which I named Marvin, and which served as a little automated news collation and posting tool. Because I wanted to have a few news articles to read every morning with my coffee. But alas, it was a short little script and hardly anything to write home about.
The Plunge
Lately, I've been studying Python in depth and exploring how to solve my gripes with tech, AI, and development by using it. What started as curiosity has quickly turned into fascination. The simplicity and readability of Python code is refreshing, especially after years of wrestling with more verbose languages.
Here's what's got me excited about Python:
- Versatility: From streaming video to super quick RESTful APIs (Django anyone?), from AI to automation – Python seems to do it all and then some.
- Rich Ecosystem: The abundance of libraries and frameworks is absolutely mind-boggling. Need to scrape websites? There's a tool for that. Want to build a neural network? Python's got you covered.
- Community: The Python community is vast, welcoming, and incredibly helpful. It's like joining a new family of tech enthusiasts.
And once I started researching and prototyping, I realised I'd stumbled onto a wealth of possibilities. Each new project idea seems to open doors to three more. Seems like every few minutes I grab my laptop and start researching some idea, and I've yet to stumble onto something that I didn't find to be possible. It's like being a kid in a candy store, but the candy is code (sans the cavities, luckily).
So, um, what's next?
So here we are! I'm at the very beginning of this exciting journey into Python, and I can't wait to jot it all down here. Expect to see posts about:
- My learning process and resources I find helpful
- Small projects and experiments I'm working on
- Insights and “aha!” moments as I delve deeper into the Python ecosystem
- Comparisons with other languages and how Python is changing my approach to problem-solving
Stay tuned, fellow code travellers! This old dog is learning some new tricks, and it's going to be one wild ride. fastens seat belt