Can you actually learn Python just by typing real code instead of watching tutorials?

I've been experimenting with skipping tutorials and just typing actual code — cloning projects, rewriting functions from scratch, copying snippets and trying to understand them line by line.

Honestly? I'm retaining way more than when I was passively watching videos.

Curious if others have tried this approach. Did typing real code help you learn faster, or do you think structured learning is still necessary for beginners?