Is Boot.dev a Good Choice for Learning Programming as a Hobby?
Asked by
MellowPine47
I'm interested in learning programming purely as a hobby, not because I'm trying to enter the software industry. I have almost no current coding experience aside from some very basic C++ scripting I did more than ten years ago, and I barely remember it now.
I can afford a subscription and have enough free time to follow a structured curriculum. I recently tried the free lessons and found them engaging and enjoyable, especially the gamified approach and the clear learning path.
My long-term goals are to write bots and scripts for automating everyday tasks and games, understand how AI tools can work with Python, and learn enough Linux to move away from Windows confidently. For anyone who has used Boot.dev—or has experience learning these topics—would paying for a few months be useful as a starting point? I don't expect it to cover every goal, but I'd like to build a solid foundation before branching into more specialized resources.
Answers
I started with very little experience and found the platform challenging but effective. There are plenty of points where you may get stuck, but working through those problems is part of learning. It’s less about being given every answer and more about building the habit of thinking through programming problems yourself.
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If you can afford it and the trial was genuinely enjoyable, subscribing is reasonable. The material itself may be available elsewhere for free, but the structure, exercises, and gamification can make it much easier to stay consistent. For a hobby, actually finishing an engaging course can be more valuable than collecting free resources you never use.
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It’s a strong beginner-friendly platform and covers a useful range of fundamentals. The guided curriculum removes the guesswork about what to study next, which is especially helpful when you’re starting from scratch. It should give you enough Python and general programming knowledge to begin making simple automation scripts and then branch into bots or AI-related projects.
It probably won’t take you all the way to your Linux and automation goals, though. Treat it as an entry point rather than a complete solution, and use other resources once you know which areas interest you most.
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For your goals, it could be a decent fit. You don’t need extremely deep programming knowledge to start writing useful automation scripts, and the Python and AI-related material may give you a practical foundation. The gamified format is also worth paying for if it keeps you coming back and working through the lessons.
The Linux coverage is relatively light, so plan on using separate tutorials, books, or a hands-on Linux environment when you’re ready to make that transition. You could subscribe for a couple of months, see how much progress you make, and then switch to free resources or books if you outgrow the platform.
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You can learn the same concepts through books, videos, documentation, and free tutorials, so a subscription isn’t strictly necessary. However, the value here is the curated path and the accountability of having interactive exercises ready to go. Since you already completed the trial and wanted to continue, that’s a good sign that the format works for you. If it helps you stay engaged and learn consistently, the cost is probably justified for a hobby.
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MellowPine47: That’s pretty much how I was viewing it—as a structured way to get the basics before exploring more specific topics. I’ll also look at learning roadmaps, although some of them seem intimidating while I’m still unfamiliar with the terminology.