How to best learn Anvil as a newbie?

Anvil Q&A
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Who am I?

Hi Guys, my name is Michael, i have a background in economics and i am very interested in web development and a beginner python user, i would say at the edge to intermediate :).

I am following Anvil since a couple of years and set up a tiny app for our elementary school flea market. It works really well for its purpose. Just provide informations for the market and take applications from participants.

Sorry, its only german.

I absolutely love the idea behind Anvil.works.

What I’m trying to do:

I want to learn Anvil properly to implement a few ideas of mine. And therefore i am looking for a good way to learn the platform.

What I’ve tried and what’s not working:

I took a look at the course of “Talkpython” and the cool tutorial from pythonanvil.com. Both are a little ourdated.

Of course i tried some of the tutorials and put my head into the docs.

Unfortunately i always get kinda lost.

So my question to the experienced anvilistas.

Do you have tips for me? what should i do? What first? What second?

Thank you very much in advance.

Cheers

Michael

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In my opinion, the best way would be to learn by doing things. So just start building projects you have in mind. If you come across an issue, check the documentation or search the forum.

However, I would recommend you to not start building something too complex in the initial stage. As you grow more experienced, you may find yourself wanting to rebuild several things so leave scope for that.

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the python discord server has an excellent list of learning resources:

and that server itself is well worth joining - there are plenty of helpful people on there that will help with anything Python related.

Good luck!

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My general advice for learning to code applies to Anvil as much as to anything else:

  • You only get good at what you practise. Nobody becomes a great chef by watching cookery programmes on TV. Nobody becomes a great tennis player by watching Wimbledon.

  • Build stuff, make it work. Learn whatever you need for that project and then move on to the next project.

  • Never, ever, delete anything you create. That’s your own personal library and record of your learning journey. You will regularly hit stuff that makes you think “I’ve solved something like this before” and you’ll want to look back.

  • Whenever you can, work with other people. It doesn’t matter who. If they know more than you, learn from them; If they know less, teach them. Either way, you come out better.

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Anvil

Tutorials are a great way to learn. Start by building an app as intended, then experiment with your own modifications and explore different approaches.

If you feel stuck, ask for help. Try ChatGPT first, then seek assistance here—learning happens when you tackle challenges.

Python

A similar approach works for Python, but given the vast number of available resources, it’s worth spending extra time mastering core Python concepts that go beyond what’s covered by basic Anvil tutorials.

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