Learning path

Python for Software Engineers

Which Python course should I take?

If you have never programmed, start with Python for Beginners, which covers syntax, loops, functions, and data structures with live instruction. If you already know Python and are preparing for interviews, take Python for Coding Interviews for problem-solving patterns and complexity analysis.

  • Complete beginner: start with Python for Beginners
  • Interview prep: take Python for Coding Interviews
  • Taught by Rituraj, a Meta alumnus and Y Combinator founder
  • 20% off by mentioning “Joma Tech” on the interest form

Last updated

Python is one of the most commonly used languages in software engineering interviews and real-world systems. This page highlights structured resources to help you build strong fundamentals and apply them confidently in technical interviews.

I'm currently working full-time at Meta and do not teach Python courses personally. Rather than offering something half-baked, I recommend a small set of courses that meet a high quality bar. More on that in Where is Joma Tech and Who is Joma Tech.

The courses below are taught by Rituraj, a Meta alumnus and Y Combinator founder. I've personally taken his courses and can confidently recommend them. The instruction is clear, the fundamentals are strong, and the material is aligned with real software engineering interviews.

Recommended Python courses

Python for Beginners

Learn Python from the ground up with live instruction, hands-on practice, and mentorship. Covers syntax, loops, functions, and core data structures. No prior programming experience required.

Python for Coding Interviews

An interview-focused Python course covering common problem-solving patterns, arrays, hashing, recursion, trees, optimization strategies, and the time and space complexity analysis interviewers expect.

Browse more & get 20% off

Explore all HireCade courses, or grab your discount by mentioning “Joma Tech” on the interest form.

Hiring now: remote AI training & data annotation

If you need income while you prep, this is the most realistic place to start. Remote data annotation, RLHF, and AI evaluator roles from the labs that train frontier models, updated daily.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about courses, discounts, and what I'm up to.

Who is Joma Tech?

Joma Tech is a YouTube channel and brand created by Jonathan Ma (Joma), a software engineer known for tech comedy, career stories, and interview prep content. Read more on the Who is Joma Tech page.

Where is Joma Tech now?

As of August 2026, I'm working full-time at Meta and not teaching courses. See Where is Joma Tech for the full update and what I recommend instead.

Do you still teach courses?

Not right now. Instead I recommend HireCade courses taught by colleagues from Meta and Google. Start with DSA & Interview Prep or Python.

How do I get a course discount?

You can get 20% off HireCade courses by mentioning “Joma Tech” on the interest form. There is no coupon code, HireCade applies it after you submit. Details on the Interview Prep Discounts and Course Discounts pages.

Where can I find remote AI training and data annotation jobs?

Browse them at dataannotationjobs.org/jobs. It aggregates remote data annotation, RLHF trainer, AI trainer, and LLM evaluator roles from Scale AI, Surge AI, Mercor, DataAnnotation, Micro1 and others, with nearly 800 listings refreshed daily and searchable by company, skill, and location.

What is a data annotation or RLHF job?

A data annotator labels text, images, audio, or video so models can learn from it. In 2026 that usually means ranking chatbot answers, writing better responses, or judging whether an AI output is accurate and safe. RLHF is reinforcement learning from human feedback: you compare two model answers, pick the better one, and explain why. Both are listed on dataannotationjobs.org/jobs.

How can I make money while I job hunt?

Remote AI training work is the most realistic option right now. It's contract work, so it fits around interview prep, and the specialist coding, legal, finance, and medical listings post $75 to $125+/hr, well above generalist labeling. Start with the open roles.

Where should I start if I am new?

If you're starting from zero, begin with Python. If you're prepping for coding interviews, go to DSA & Interview Prep. Or browse everything on the home page.