How to Learn Data Science with Clojure Through Scicloj

Updated

Scicloj is a community project that helps Clojure grow in new fields, and its learning path for data science is built around three things: study groups and workshops, learning resources, and a data science stack of tools and libraries. If you already know some Clojure and want to move into data science, or you come from data science and want to learn Clojure, Scicloj is the entry point to start from. The main practical step is to follow its events feed and join a study group or workshop, then use the learning resources and the tool stack to practice.

What Scicloj offers learners

Scicloj describes itself as building a set of tools and libraries for data science and scientific computing in Clojure, and as running study groups and workshops while creating learning resources. Its learning resources are explicitly aimed at two audiences:

  • Clojurians who are interested in data science
  • Data scientists who are interested in Clojure

That dual focus matters when you plan your learning. If you are strong in Clojure, you can lean on the data science material; if you are strong in data science, you can lean on the Clojure material. Scicloj also acts as a platform for open-source dev groups to meet and collaborate, and it encourages newcomers to join open-source projects with mentoring along the way.

Step-by-step: start learning through Scicloj

  1. Check the events calendar first. Scicloj points people to the Clojure Events Calendar feed for its events. Look there for upcoming study groups and workshops, since these are the scheduled, interactive part of the learning path.
  2. Pick the track that matches your background. If you are a Clojurian new to data science, start with the data science-oriented learning resources and study groups. If you are a data scientist new to Clojure, start with the Clojure-focused material and workshops.
  3. Join a study group or workshop. These are where the community learning happens; the events feed is how you find the next one.
  4. Explore the data science stack. Scicloj is building tools and libraries for data science and scientific computing in Clojure. Use them alongside the learning resources so you practice with the same stack the community is developing.
  5. Consider open-source mentoring. If you want to go beyond consuming material, Scicloj encourages newcomers to join open-source projects and helps them through the journey. This is a way to learn by contributing.

How to verify you are on track: you have found a current event through the Clojure Events Calendar feed, you have matched yourself to one of the two learner audiences, and you are working with both the learning resources and the tool stack rather than only reading about them.

Common sticking points

  • Looking for a fixed curriculum. Scicloj presents itself as study groups, workshops, learning resources, and a stack in progress, not as a single packaged course. Expect to assemble your path from events plus resources.
  • Skipping the events feed. The calendar feed is the stated place to follow Scicloj events. Without it, you may miss the study groups and workshops that make up the scheduled learning.
  • Trying to learn alone. Scicloj is explicitly a platform for groups to meet and collaborate, and it offers mentoring for newcomers to open source. The community side is part of the method, not an extra.

Where to go next

Start at the Scicloj site, follow the Clojure Events Calendar feed for upcoming study groups and workshops, and choose your entry point based on whether you are a Clojurian learning data science or a data scientist learning Clojure. From there, combine the learning resources with the data science stack, and use open-source mentoring when you are ready to contribute.