Best learning practices and IDE? /u/InordinateChaos Python Education

I have some minor experience with Python and want to start learning it to help automate some financial models and aid in portfolio management. What are your best learning practices? Does taking notes help in any capacity or do you just try to drill concepts into your heads with repetition more than note taking? How would you guys approach it and do you have any courses that are worth following along with or books worth reading to help gain a group up comprehensive understanding of how to employ the language? Also, what IDEs do you recommend I use? I’ve heard good things about VS, Pycharm (if it’s free), and Spyder, but I just want to use what best serves my needs. Keep in mind I want to learn python as a means to an end, that being as a portfolio manager, not as a programmer, but I still want to have a solid understanding of everything that I will be using. Thanks in advance, any extra tips would be appreciated as well.

I have some minor experience with Python and want to start learning it to help automate some financial models and aid in portfolio management. What are your best learning practices? Does taking notes help in any capacity or do you just try to drill concepts into your heads with repetition more than note taking? How would you guys approach it and do you have any courses that are worth following along with or books worth reading to help gain a group up comprehensive understanding of how to employ the language? Also, what IDEs do you recommend I use? I’ve heard good things about VS, Pycharm (if it’s free), and Spyder, but I just want to use what best serves my needs. Keep in mind I want to learn python as a means to an end, that being as a portfolio manager, not as a programmer, but I still want to have a solid understanding of everything that I will be using. Thanks in advance, any extra tips would be appreciated as well.