How Long Does it Take to Learn Python? An Informative Guide

Python is one of the fastest-growing programming languages on the market. Users and tech companies can perform many tasks with this programming language and programmers can land high-paying full-time jobs when they become qualified. 

Those who have an interest in coding or want to advance their web or app development skills may be wondering, how long does it take to learn Python? 

There are many divisions you can focus on when you start learning this versatile programming language which is why the learning times vary so much.   

The time it takes to learn Python can vary for different courses, levels of qualifications, and different types of people. 

In this guide, we are going to take a look at how long it takes to learn this coding language and discuss the top courses to enroll in if you want to quickly improve your coding skills.  

How Long Does it Take to Learn Python?

Various factors can affect how long it takes you to learn coding with Python. In most cases, it takes about two to six months to learn all the basics of Python and to start coding.

Some tech gurus, who have already developed in other languages before, can learn how to write short programs in just a couple of minutes while it can take years to fully master Python and all its different libraries or constructs.

Here is a quick look at the top factors that can affect the time it takes to learn Python. 

Your Desired Goal

Python is quite vast. There are thousands of code libraries that include useful functions and reusable code that can ease the creation of new programs. There are also 8.2 million Python developers in the world who are constantly adding to this open-source software and evolving it. 

It is almost impossible to learn all there is to know about Python but you can get a realistic idea of how long it will take by considering your desired goal. 

For some, it’s enough to learn a couple of basic skills while others might want to learn to perform a much greater variety of tasks. If you only want to learn the basics of Python so you can write short and basic programs then you can achieve this goal within a few days or even a few hours.

If your goal is to develop software or websites or create advanced statistical analysis programs then it could take a couple of years to develop all the required skills.

Previous Experience

If you have basic coding skills or learned coding in the past then you are likely to advance much quicker compared to someone who is starting for the very first time.

Those who already have a good understanding of coding will grasp complex concepts much quicker and can progress faster throughout the course. 

Learning Method 

The type of courses you enroll in or use can affect your ability to learn and remember and they will impact the level of skills you obtain. It is always better to focus on well-structured courses from reputable institutions.

If the course you enjoy is difficult to understand, has significant gaps, or doesn’t include enough practice tests then you may fail to develop the required skills – even if you manage to complete the entire course on time. 

Time Devoted to Studies

Online courses make it possible to study at times that are most convenient for you. The more time you are willing to set aside for studies, the faster you will grasp and develop coding skills. 

Amount of Practice

Python is a language that takes a while to learn. The only way to remember this language is with regular practice. The best way to learn Python quickly is by practicing a little bit every day.

Repetition will help you remember better and can help you develop your coding skills and understanding of Python much better. 

What Can Be Done with Python?

You can use Python for many purposes. You can use this programming language in many fields to perform a wide range of tasks including:

• Analyze statistics
• Create visual data representations
• Machine learning
• Scripting and task automation
• Web development
• Software development 
• Data Science

These, and many other tasks can help you land a position as a data analyst, software engineer, backend developer, quality assurance engineer, operations automation engineer, website developer, data engineer, machine learning engineer, and many others. 

Because Python is so diverse and flexible, the possibilities are endless.  

Top Reasons to Learn Python

There are many different coding languages out there. Some of these are only used by a handful of experts while others are used by a vast number of developers across the globe.

So why learn Python specifically? 

The truth is that there are many benefits to this specific programming language. Here is a quick look at the top reasons to focus on Python specifically.  

Python is the Second Most Popular Coding Language in the World

Python is one of the most popular coding languages currently in existence. It is considered the second most popular coding language in existence and is only second to the C programming language.

International Application

Python is widely used in many countries worldwide. This means the possibility of finding employment or benefiting from the coding language is high no matter where you are.  

Easy for Beginners to Understand and Learn

Python is one of the easiest languages for complete beginners to learn compared to other coding languages. This is because code can be written in fewer lines when you use Python whereas a much longer code would be required for other programming languages like Java or C++. 

Large Supportive Community

There is a vast community of Python users out there who are willing and eager to assist if you struggle with a specific aspect. They also can help you overcome obstacles or support you during your studies.

Supportive communities are very helpful with a programming language like Python that keeps developing and changing as technology develops.

Huge Selection of Python Libraries Can Ease Your Coding Experiences

Python has a huge library of existing codes that can be reused in your programs so you can speed up the programming process.

This pre-written code is created by other programmers and can be used to overcome well-known problems or overcome specific issues you might encounter when trying to develop your code. 

Versatile and Applicable to Nearly Any Industry

Python is incredibly versatile and you can use it to create programs or implement algorithms for just about any task or industry. You can apply the language in data science, software engineering, app development, artificial intelligence, machine learning and so much more. 

The coding language is frequently used in data science and allows people to automatically extract data from various platforms and present this data in easy-to-understand visualizations and graphs.

Python is one of the most popular programming languages for machine learning and is excellent for web development. 

Career Opportunities and Salary

With advanced Python skills, you can find job opportunities in just about any country in the world or potentially even work remotely for huge corporations like Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, Google, NASA, and others.

The demand for Python programmers has increased enormously over the past few years and there is a much higher demand increase for this coding language compared to others like Java, JavaScript, C, and PHP.

Python developers also pay quite well with an average base pay of 92,000 USD per year.  

Demand

Python developers are high in demand in many industries. These professionals are used for a great variety of tasks from small and basic programming analysis or graphs to large and complex software applications. The demand for Python grew by 12% in 2019 and has been steadily growing in demand ever since.  

Lucrative Salaries

Python developers typically earn a very high salary. The annual income of these types of career paths can vary a lot since some programmers have a much more basic role than others. With this career path, you can earn well over $100,000 or perhaps even more in certain types of corporations. 

Top Courses for Learning Python

There are many different institutions and educational firms that offer Python courses. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to select a course that features quality content in an easy-to-understand manner.

Before you select a course, you should join our Python newsletter and find out exactly what you need if you want to learn to program in Python. 

We took some time to research different Python courses by different institutions. Here is a quick look at some of our top recommendations for beginners who want to get into coding.   

Python for Everybody Specialization by the University of Michigan

This Python course, offered by the University of Michigan, is our top pick for anyone serious about a career path in programming. 

This course will look good on your resume and is bound to open up doors for job opportunities for you because it is developed by an accredited institution that is recognized and respected by businesses and students across the globe.

The course itself isn’t the shortest – the estimated duration of this course is 8 months, but since students can learn at their own pace you can expect to complete the course in 6-12 months depending on the amount of time you have available and the effort you are willing to invest.

For this course, you don’t need any previous coding experience and it is 100% online so you won’t have to visit any facilities to enjoy course content or do examinations. The course starts right at the beginning where you learn Pythonic code basics and gradually move your way up to a higher level of expertise.

This specialization course will prepare you for other Python projects and courses where you can work on developing more advanced skills. 

By the time you are finished with the course, you should have good skills in JSON, XML, Python programming, database (DBMS), Python Syntax and Semantics, Basic programming language, computer programming, data structures, tuples, Web scraping, and SQL.  

Specifications

• Institution – the University of Michigan through Coursera
• Course – Python for Everybody Specialization 
• Type – Online
• Experience required – None – beginner level
• Course duration – 8 Months
• Courses included – Programming for Everybody, Python Data Structures, Using Python to Access Web Data, Using Databases with Python 

Pros

• The accredited and renowned institution
• Suitable for beginners
• A comprehensive task that covers various areas in Python
• Achieve advanced levels of programming skills
• A good starting point if you are looking for a lucrative career
• Develop good code logic
• Learn to use variables to store, retrieve and calculate information
• Learn to use programming tools and utilize the list of libraries
• Learn to use different formats in Python

Google IT Automation with Python by Google

This is an ideal course to complete if you wish to pursue a career in IT and solve real-world problems or learn to manage physical and virtual machines. The course has many practical applications and is helpful for everyday real-life situations. 

Google offers many apps, platforms, and open-source software that make everyday functions easier for individuals and businesses. Since the Google IT Automation course with Python is developed by Google, you can already trust that it will contain quality content. 

The estimated duration of this course is six months, but the deadlines are flexible and if you can put in lots of effort and hours, you might be able to speed up your learning progress and complete it in 3-4 months.

You don’t need any previous programming experience in coding for this course. All you need is a high-speed internet connection, a modern web browser, and a laptop or computer where you have control over all the administrative privileges. 

After completing this comprehensive course, you will have an excellent understanding of the Python language and good code readability. 

You should be proficient in several tasks such as writing scripts, creating your developer environment, managing resources in your own IT system, managing virtual machines in the cloud, implementing debugging techniques, utilizing Python libraries and so much more. 

Specifications

• Institution – Google via Coursera
• Course – Google IT Automation with Python
• Type – Online Course
• Experience required – None 
• Course duration – 6 Months
• Number of courses – 6 Courses
• Included – Crash Course on Python, Using Python to Interact with Operating System, Introduction to Git and GitHub, Troubleshooting and Debugging Techniques 

Pros

• Course created by Google
• The certificate is internationally licensed
• No programming experience required
• A good starting point for a career in tech
• Ideal course for IT professionals
• Learn to automate tasks by creating your Python scripts
• Learn to solve real-world IT problems
• IT management for physical and virtual machines
• The course includes hands-on projects that allow you to practice your skills

Programming in Python by Meta 

This programming course by Meta is a good option if you want to quickly develop basic Python skills or if you want to brush up on your techniques after abstaining from programming for a while.

The course is provided by Meta, a company that mostly focuses on business marketing on various platforms including social media. 

This is a good course for beginners who are planning to develop their careers in back-end development or database engineering.

The entire course is broken up into four smaller categories which include the following;

• Getting started in Python
• Basic programming with Python
• Programming paradigms
• Modules, packages, libraries, and tools

This course will take you through all the basics of Python programming and will enable you to learn various skills like cloud hosting, API, computer programming, and web framework.

Upon completing this course, you won’t be a major tech guru but you should have a much better understanding Python programming.   

Specifications

• Institution – Meta through Coursera 
• Course – Programming in Python
• Type – Online
• Experience required – Basic internet navigation skills
• Course duration – 45 Hours
• Courses included – 4 Courses
• Included – Getting started with Python, Basic programming with Python, Programming paradigms, Modules, packages, libraries, and tools

Pros

• Course developed and offered by Meta
• Quick coding BootCamp is ideal for someone who wants basic skills quickly
• Covers all aspects of Python programming
• Learn paradigms of procedural programming
• The learning path includes an intro to algorithms
• Access and learn popular module libraries for Python
• Learn how to test programs

Introduction to Scripting in Python Specialization by Rice University 

Rice University is a world-class computer science and data science faculty and this online course is a good option for someone with an interest in programming, business managers, and digital marketers who want a better understanding of software development and analytics. 

It is a good stepping stone if you are interested in working toward a career in data science or software engineering. 

This is a course you can complete in just four months, and perhaps even faster if you study diligently. The course is divided into four sections which include the following:

• Python Programming essentials
• Python Data Representations
• Python Data Analysis
• Python Data Visualization

This course is ideal for beginners and you don’t need any previous experience in programming, coding, or Python. The course will take you through all the basics and will cover all the concepts in Python 3. 

The course isn’t comprehensive enough to give you enhanced coding or analytical skills but it is a good start. You will develop various skills such as Codeskulptor, data analysis, Python programming, DataViz, Python Syntax and semantics, debugging, tuple, list, and label, and a couple of others as you work through this short course. 

Specifications

• Institution – Rice via Coursera
• Course – Introduction to Scripting in Python Specialization
• Course duration – 4 Months
• Number of courses – 4 Courses
• Included – Python Programming Essentials, Python Data Representations, Python Data Analysis, Python Data Visualization

Pros

• Produced and offered by Rice University
• Won’t take too long to complete
• Learn to utilize existing libraries
• Learn to install external packages 
• Acquire data from web sources
• Touch on software engineering
• Learn to write practical and useful programs
• Lots of course videos and readings

Python Fundamentals by DataCamp 

Python fundamentals by DataCamp is a good option if you are looking for a short course that is packed with information to get you started in coding.

DataCamp has many online courses and most of their content is easy to comprehend. Students don’t need much to learn through DataCamp because most of their courses can be attended without making installations, and all content videos are short so you can review topics that you might find troublesome.

The Python fundamental course is quick and can be completed in just 15 hours. This course is broken down into four shorter sections which include the following;

• Introduction to Python
• Intermediate Python
• Python Data Science Toolbox Part 1 and 2
• Python Programming

When you are done with this course, you will have a pretty good idea of how the Python language works, you will be able to perform basic data analysis, create visualizations with the use of Matplotlib, manipulate DataFrames with Pandas, write Python functions, learn to identify and handle errors in your programming, learn about list comprehensions, and learn how to write short programs. 

With this course, you probably won’t land a major career as a software developer but it is a good stepping stone if you are planning a career in this direction.

It is also a good course if you want to learn how to write basic programs, collect online data, or if you want to find out how to display analytics in a presentable manner.

Specifications

• Institution – DataCamp
• Course – Python Fundamentals
• Type – Online
• Experience required – None
• Course duration – 15 Hours
• Number of courses – 4 Courses
• Included – Introduction to Python, Intermediate Python, Python Data Science Toolbox Part 1 & 2, Python Programming 

Pros

• Offered by online data training company
• This a quick course that is ideal for those who require basic coding skills
• Learn to clean real-world data
• Learn to write Python functions
• Includes coding exercises

Final Thoughts

So, how long does it take to learn Python?

Developing your skills as a programmer or data analyst can take anywhere from two weeks to several years to accomplish. If you are satisfied with knowing basic skills then you should be able to achieve your goals within just a few months. 

Those who want to use Python for advanced functions or tasks will require at least one year to master this coding language.

We hope that this guide gave you a more realistic idea of the duration of Python and that our reviews made it easier to select a good course to start with. 

If you want to learn more about Python then you should have a look at some of the other guides we have on CodeFather. With our guides and tutorials, you can bootstrap your career as a Python developer.