I'm currently on day 4 of the 100 Days of Code: The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp, and I'm starting to have doubts about whether my code is efficient. I'm worried about writing unnecessary duplicates and just overall efficiency at this early stage. Should I be focusing on that right now, or is it okay to prioritize making my code work first? Thanks for any advice or insights!
4 Answers
Worrying too much about efficiency can lead to 'premature optimization', which is a trap many newbies fall into. It's hard to predict what will actually be slow in a finished program. Get your code working first, and then think about making it faster if needed. Tools like profilers can help you see where your code may need improving later on, but focus on functionality first!
Don't sweat efficiency right now! Just make sure your program works and consider writing tests for it. Once you're confident everything's running smoothly, you can look into optimizing it. Many languages have built-in optimizations, so you might not even need to worry about it!
As a beginner, you really don't need to stress about efficiency just yet. Your initial code will probably not be optimal, and that's totally normal. Focus on making it work first, then you can revisit and improve it later as your skills grow. There's an old saying: "Make it work, make it pretty, then make it fast." When you're starting out, prioritize getting things running and being readable over being lightning-quick. Efficient coding comes with practice!
It's great that you're asking about code efficiency! You should definitely aim for good code quality early on, like avoiding duplicate code and using functions properly. But performance issues like nested loops can wait until you're more comfortable. Don't overwhelm yourself—get your code working first!
Thanks! I've been trying to focus on avoiding duplicates already.
Thanks for the reply! I'll definitely keep that advice in mind.