LearnRevitAPI

⛔The reason why many fail with Revit API... (don't fall into the trap)

Feb 24, 2025

⛔The False Advice

"Don't learn coding, AI can do it for you."

👆 Have you ever heard this advice?

Many in AEC create a simple pyRevit tool with AI and conclude that they don't need to learn programming basics. Why bother with code?

But here's what they're missing:

It only works for very simple tools that are already explained well on YouTube and Blogs.
They ignore the fact that AI can hallucinate and get stuck on simple steps.
They won't have full control over custom tools.
Isn't that the whole point of creating them?

That's why this advice is actually NOT helpful at all.

Instead, follow these three advices for beginners:

🤖AI: *Be-Boop* I see the problem too… it’s Erik.

Advice #1 - Start With The Boring Stuff

Yes, I'm talking about the basics. You can't get around them.

In fact, this is actually the easy route. I tried skipping the basics when I started, and it simple doesn't work that way. You will suffer and waste more time in the end if you skip them.

It's not only me saying this, many expert and other students pointed out the same thing. Once they nailed the fundamentals of coding, the Revit API came naturally.

The good news is - you don't need a lot. For example, here are the key concepts you need to understand in Python:

🔹Syntax
🔹Data types
🔹If-statements
🔹For-loops
🔹Functions
🔹A little bit of OOP (Object-Oriented-Programming)

Once you grasp these Python basics, you'll begin creating cool scripts with logical flow. Also, that means you are ready to dive into Revit API.

And don't worry about learning everything about the API right away. Start with these basics:
🔸RVT-Docs
🔸Selection
🔸Read/Set Properties
🔸Parameters
🔸Transactions
🔸FilteredElementCollector

These basics alone will open up many doors in Revit for you.

You'll start saving a lot of time by creating custom tools tailored to your workflows. More importantly, you will improve your programming skills and be ready to build more advanced tools.

Just imagine clicking a button and having your script execute on hundreds of elements in Revit.

Isn't that a dream🪄?

Advice #2 - Don't Reinvent the Wheel

Once you know the basics, it's time to practice.

There's no need to start with a blank canvas either. It's boring and daunting, especially for beginners. Instead, explore all available code examples and adjust them to your own needs.

Why reinvent the wheel? Find an existing solution and customize it for your workflow. This will give you a head start and allow you to create a toolbar packed with custom tools in no time.

⚠️Pay Attention Now. I'm about to share something really ground-breaking for beginners. Ready?

🔓pyRevit is Open-Source

This means that you can get access to every single line of code in pyRevit and all its additional extensions. There are already hundreds of cool Revit add-ins you can look into and copy for your own needs.

And it's very simple to read. Find a tool that interests you, then simply:

👉 Hover over the tool
⌨️ [ALT] + [Click] to open source folder
📄 Open script.py file
🔎 Explore/Copy python Code

Feels like cheating, isn't it?

Advice #3 - Challenge Yourself

Lastly, don't fall into the trap of watching tutorials without ever applying what you learn. You must practice and challenge yourself.

Trust me, you will learn ten times more by doing it. And don't be afraid to encounter errors. Think of them as opportunities to learn something new about programming. Errors are the best teachers.

Don't know where to start?
Find a problem in your daily job and make it easier for future-you. Think of the most repetitive and annoying tasks on your to-do list, and then ask yourself:

"How can I make it easier with code?"

Then, try to solve it. In the beginning, focus on smaller steps so it's easier to achieve. Later, you will combine multiple steps together into larger tools.

That's how the majority of us started. We wanted to solve one problem with code, but then we got more problems to solve...

In short: Practice, Practice, Practice...

🤖 Should you avoid AI?

Absolutely not.

That's not what I meant. You should implement AI into your coding journey to learn and code faster. But you can't rely 100% on it.

Once you understand the basics, you will be able to ask better questions and guide AI to provide you the best answers. Remember, it's a tool to help you, not to replace you. Use it accordingly.

Learn the basics, explore existing code, and find challenges suited to you. Use AI throughout these steps. It will be indispensable in helping you progress, but you'll still be in control.

We will talk more about AI some other day.