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My summer project is to learn to code (at least start to). I am thinking I will use Python thou many people have told me to go for Swift. I am not always able to bring my computer with me but I can bring my iPad. Perhaps it is because I am very new to computer science and some basics I have yet to understand, but will Pythonista allow me to write Python code and then actually execute it? If so, would that make it an Interpreter or Compiler?

Sorry for the newbie questions...then again I am ;)

Thanks

Python is an interpreted language so you can learn / run it on your iPad. Swift is a compiled language so you need a desktop to learn it and run your source code. The iterative/interactive nature of Python plus it's clean syntax makes it easier to learn as a first language than Swift. My recommendation would be to learn Python first and then if you love programming you can learn Swift and/or Go afterwards. Great programmers always know more than one language.

My suggestion to you, @Pesto, is to find a problem you want to solve and start there. From my experience, those who go into programming without a problem they want to solve will often find it tedious and push it to the, eventually forgetting about it. There is a good book that I recommend called Automate the Boring Stuff with Python. It is free to read online and explains in more detail what I said above.

However, Python my not be the language your looking for (I had the same trouble with droids a long time ago), since it does have limitations, mostly with speed and memory. Something tells me this won't affect (effect?) you.

Summary

1. Identify the problem you want to solve. Automation is a good starting point.
2. Find a good reference or a guide to get you stated going in the right direction. Again, Automate the Boring Stuff with Python is a good tutorial and guid.
3. I didn't say this before, but find someone you know, or a group of people, to help you when you get lost. I work at a University and we have a CS lab with tons of people who love nothing more than to help you understand programming; I hear this place does that, too!

I wish you the best of luck,

B

Ninja Edit: I don't like you, Markdown…

Thank you both for the great advice!

In case you are still wondering, yes, Pythonista can execute Python code. That's the whole point! Pythonista can even execute code offline (something virtually none of the other iOS Python apps do). Pythonista may seem expensive at $6.99, but it's a steal. None of the other iOS Python apps come anywhere close to Pythonista's power and ease-of-use. I would gladly pay $19.99 for Pythonista, which just goes to show how much we are stealing from the developer, Ole Zorn. :)