# Automate the Boring Stuff with Python by Al Sweigart

5 Hacker News commenters recommended Automate the Boring Stuff with Python by Al Sweigart and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a practical introduction to Python for automating everyday computer tasks, even for non-programmers. One critic calls it an advertisement for the book.

## Why people recommend it

- Essential reading for anyone using computers (2 comments): "I love this book should be a mandate reading for all people working with computers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46171212)) "But their non-programming roommates or relatives might!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48914740))
- Sparks ideas for new automations (1 comments): "It also gave me some ideas on stuff I could do that I probably wouldn't have thought to automate otherwise." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46143732))
- Series seen as getting it right (1 comments): "The famous book series got it right" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45950699))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Crafting Interpreters by Robert Nystrom](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crafting-interpreters.md): 60 recommend
- [Clean Code by Robert C. Martin](https://hackerapproved.com/p/clean-code.md): 31 recommend
- [The Pragmatic Programmer by Hunt and Thomas](https://hackerapproved.com/p/pragmatic-programmer.md): 28 recommend
- [How to Design Programs by Felleisen, Findler, Flatt and Krishnamurthi](https://hackerapproved.com/p/how-to-design-programs.md): 18 recommend
- [Mastering Emacs by Mickey Petersen](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mastering-emacs.md): 17 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1593279922?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9781593279929) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python by Al Sweigart", https://hackerapproved.com/p/automate-the-boring-stuff-with-python/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).