Was learning Python syntax for 3 weeks until I realized I should just copy real projects and tweak them instead

I spent all that time memorizing loops and variables without building anything and then last Tuesday I copied a weather app someone made on GitHub and changed the colors and API key and suddenly it clicked way faster for me, so is it better to learn by copying and breaking things or by grinding through tutorials first?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandra7151mo ago

Yeah copying is just how we learn anything, nobody builds from scratch without stealing ideas first.

wendy6741mo ago

Wait, you spent THREE WEEKS on just syntax? Like loops and variables for three whole weeks before touching a real project? That's wild to me. I've been there too though - I spent a whole month reading a JavaScript textbook and couldn't even make a button change color until I stole someone's modal code and broke it like five times. That weather app thing you did is exactly how it clicked for me too, copying something and then just breaking it to see what happens teaches you way more than memorizing how to write a for loop from scratch.