What’s the best way to actually learn coding?

Here's the thing: when you're working on a coding project, it's super helpful to have a clear goal. What do you want the project to achieve? Once you have that, think about what tools or functions you'll need, and start coding! If you hit a roadblock, that's a perfect time to search for solutions instead of asking AI to do it for you.

If you want a starting point, try doing a simple course online to get the basics down, then move on to challenges like Advent of Code to sharpen your skills. Also, don't dismiss the search engine! It's a valuable tool for finding solutions to specific coding problems.

Learning to code is really about hands-on experience. Instead of relying on AI or searching for every solution online, try to dive into coding projects yourself. Start by breaking down your project into smaller tasks and writing step-by-step instructions for each part. Remember, you can always look things up in documentation as you work! It's all about the practice.

Honestly, learning programming is like building something piece by piece. Start with small, manageable tasks—like writing functions that do simple things—and gradually combine them into a larger program. Don't shy away from making mistakes; that's a huge part of the learning process!

The best advice I can give is to practice, practice, practice. Use coding challenges or build small projects. Don't forget to utilize forums or subreddits for specific questions; just make sure you're asking about particular problems instead of generic queries.