Ask HN: Is it worth it to learn C to better understand Python? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Is it worth it to learn C to better understand Python?

#91

Post by gaws » Tue, Feb 01, 2022, 3:17 AM UTC

throwawaynay wrote: post #35

I think every coder who have the time to do so should learn C. Preferably before anything else. Maybe I'm biased by my education, since I started with almost a year of hardcore C(almost no libs, coding everything from scratch), I did code a bit before but nothing serious. After 1 year of segfaults, memory leaks, and random buffer overflows, everything else seems pretty easy, and everything make much more sense. You w…

> if you learn C well, you're basically employable for the next 30 years. I think I agree with that.

In embedded systems programming, right? It must take significant C expertise and experience to be gainfully employed. Maybe I'm overthinking it?

Re: Ask HN: Is it worth it to learn C to better understand Python?

#92

Post by Adediwura » Thu, Feb 03, 2022, 8:36 AM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #15

lumb63 wrote: post #9

In college I used to tutor students in computer science. Mid-way through my college career my school switched the curriculum to teach Python instead of Java. I found that the students who took Python lacked what I considered a basic appreciation for and understanding of how the language actually ‘does’ something. For instance, when you only need to write two curly braces to create a “dictionary” (of course behind the…

There are certainly some advantages to be gained from greater mechanical sympathy and an appreciation of static types. However, in the modern day, I wouldn't suggest a Python programmer learn C to achieve either of these things. For a Python programmer who just wants to learn about static type systems, learn Typescript. For a Python programmer who wants to learn about static type systems and mess around with pointers…

Thank you. This was well explanined. Once again thanks for this. I am learning and will continue learning Python and Js. However, when I decide to pick a static language I will definielty be going for Go.

Re: Ask HN: Is it worth it to learn C to better understand Python?

#93

Post by Adediwura » Thu, Feb 03, 2022, 8:38 AM UTC

lumb63 wrote: post #22

kibwen wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are certainly some advantages to be gained from greater mechanical sympathy and an appreciation of static types. However, in the modern day, I wouldn't suggest a Python programmer learn C to achieve either of these things. For a Python programmer who just wants to learn about static type systems, learn Typescript. For a Python programmer who wants to learn about static type systems and mess around with pointers…

This is a fair point. Most of my response is driven by the fact that I think there is value in understanding a lot of the behind-the-scenes things that the language does, so I mostly agree. Really, I’d suggest learning as many languages as possible - they influence the way you think about the code you are writing and having the different perspectives allows you to broaden your horizons and see what else is possible.…

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