Beginner Python Programming

start

Aimed at new Python programmers, we're assuming you know a tiny bit about programming and nothing about using Python

goals

How to read and write simply Python programs and running them

Background Material

There are two Learning Paths you should follow beforehand, the first gets Python onto your machine and the second gives you a very light background to programming.

Ian Ozsvald and Horst Jens and Lucas Holland and gasto and John Montgomery and Kyran Dale and Jeff Rush

You want to program with Python and need help setting it up

You will have a working Python setup on Windows (notes for Linux and Mac included)

Ian Ozsvald and Horst Jens and Lucas Holland and gasto and John Montgomery and Kyran Dale and Jeff Rush

You have a very basic knowledge of the command-line shell and have heard of 'source code control' but you may have never written a program

You will have an understanding of using the Shell and source-code control tools, we'll also cover some basic study-skills for programming

You'll have a lot of questions when you start out with programming, this first video will try to give you a background to some of those questions.

First 5 Minutes with Python
Ian Ozsvald

I'm often asked 'what are the resources and tutorials like for Python?' so here I try to answer the questions you might ask in your first 5 minutes with Python. First we look at python.org's documentation and HOWTO section, then we move to my Pyth [...]

Next this Club series will walk you through what Python code looks like. You'll learn about indenting and if you know languages like C or Java you'll see where the syntax is similar and where it is different.

If you know nothing about programming then this series will help you to learn about what you're looking at, it'll give you the necessary context for later videos.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

If you're coming to Python from a different language then you'll want to know how the syntax looks. If you're new to programming then you'll probably want an idea of what to expect too! Here I give you a high-level view of Python's code and common [...]

Finally you'll want to know where to go to get answers to your questions. This short series shows you all sorts of Python sites where you can get more background material and where you can ask questions.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

A short introduction to the on-line world of resources for Python programmers, targetted at newbies but probably useful for anyone in the Python world.

Some off-site resources you ought to see include the official Python.org Tutorial, Dive Into Python and the large tutorial collection at awaretek.

Gasto's Python from Zero series will also give you some more background on how Python works

a series of video-tutorials by gasto

This series of videos is a very basic approach to python programming for beginners. In the hopes that the audience will stay tunned until the pygame tutorials, which will show how to make simple 2D games with no prior knowledge of computer graphics. [...]

Starting to write programs with Python

Now you'll want to learn about the various built-in objects and functions of Python. First you should look at common variables and containers, these are some of the most common things you'll deal with.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

Python has many datatypes, you'll recognise some from other languages and some may be new to you. In this long series I give 5-10 minute demonstrations of each of the major data-types and containers, along with some discussion of variables and prin [...]

Fundamentally everything in Python is an Object (if you know C++, Java or SmallTalk then you'll know the concept). Jerol's introduction will teach you a little more about what Objects are.

a series of video-tutorials by Jerol Harrington

These three videos show how objects are used in Python. You can write a lot of code without being especially aware of objects -- until you come to GUI programming: TKInter and especially wxPython. These ShowMeDos will help you make the transition to [...]

Now we'll begin to work with 'loops' - this is another fundamental programming concept.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

Iterating over a block of code is a very common operation when programming. Here I show you the 'for' and 'while' commands in Python, they let you iterate over a sequence of items and repeat blocks of code under a truth condition. I'll show you how [...]

Whilst many things are built-in to Python, much of its richness comes from external libraries. Python is known as having 'batteries included' because many of the core libraries are included in every Python distribution. Here Lucas gives you an overview of some of the common functionality.

a series of video-tutorials by Lucas Holland

In this series of videos, I give you a tour of some of the most commonly used modules available as part of the Python standard library.

To start building your own programs you will quickly realise that it makes sense not to write one long sequence of instructions but instead to break the code up into common blocks of functionality. Generally these blocks are called 'functions', here you'll get a high-level overview of how to write your own.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

This series teaches you how to define your own functions in Python. We cover how to write functions, argument passing, scoping, gotchas and nested functions.

Another skill you'll need is the ability to handle logic with 'if'.

a series of video-tutorials by Ian Ozsvald

This short series introduces logic in Python by showing you the 'if' statement. Logical control is fundamental to your control of Python programs, this series will quickly introduce you to the basics.

Now you have a firm knowledge of the basics of Python <phew>.

You might also want to browse some of Horst's videos, he has some beginner Python content in German, Russian, Croation and Chinese.

Playing with turtle and RUR-PLE

Python has a built-in 'turtle' application (based on turtle robots), Horst has videos in various spoken languages on using turtle including the following. Turtle is a nice tool to interact visually with Python.

a series of video-tutorials by Horst Jens and felix schaber and battlelinus

a tutorial about using the python module xturtle to draw simple graphics and improve them with the help of a (very crude) evolutionary or genetic algorithm

You should also take a look at RUR-PLE the Robot by Andre Roberge.

RUR-PLE is like turtle - you control a virtual robot and interact with it using simply Python expressions. Both turtle and RUR-PLE are great for kids.

a series of video-tutorials by Horst Jens and P.L. and leo and battlelinus and leo

Kids from my Python class show you how to learn Python using RurPle and EasyGUI please note that all videos in this series are in German language but have subtitles in English. You can find out more information in the Wiki (both in English and Ge [...]

a series of video-tutorials by André Roberge

Learn Python programming with the RUR-PLE teaching environment

Next step

You started with an installed but unused Python, now you have learned what Python looks like, how to write basic scripts using all of Python's main language features and you've had a chance to play with the graphical tools turtle and RUR-PLE.

Now look here:

Ian Ozsvald and Horst Jens and Lucas Holland and gasto and John Montgomery and Kyran Dale and Jeff Rush and André Roberge

Aimed at Intermediate Python Programmers, you know the basics and want to see how real programs are constructed

You will understand how to structure larger programs and you'll have some full examples to work through

The RST-script for this Learning-path

The script below was used to generate the learning-path page above.

===========================================================
Beginner Python Programming
===========================================================

.. contents::

start
=====
Aimed at new Python programmers, we're assuming you know a tiny bit about programming and nothing about using Python

goals
=====
How to read and write simply Python programs and running them

Background Material
===================

There are two Learning Paths you should follow beforehand, the first gets Python onto your machine and the second gives you a very light background to programming.

.. path:: 010, 009

You'll have a lot of questions when you start out with programming, this first video will try to give you a background to some of those questions.

.. video:: 297

Next this Club series will walk you through what Python code looks like.  You'll learn about indenting and if you know languages like C or Java you'll see where the syntax is similar and where it is different.

If you know nothing about programming then this series will help you to learn about what you're looking at, it'll give you the necessary context for later videos.

.. series:: 275

Finally you'll want to know where to go to get answers to your questions.  This short series shows you all sorts of Python sites where you can get more background material and where you can ask questions.

.. series:: 027

Some off-site resources you ought to see include the official `Python.org Tutorial <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/>`_, `Dive Into Python <http://diveintopython.org/>`_ and the large tutorial collection at `awaretek <http://www.awaretek.com/tutorials.html>`_.

Gasto's Python from Zero series will also give you some more background on how Python works

.. series:: 247

Starting to write programs with Python
======================================

Now you'll want to learn about the various built-in objects and functions of Python.  First you should look at common variables and containers, these are some of the most common things you'll deal with.

.. series:: 280

Fundamentally everything in Python is an Object (if you know C++, Java or SmallTalk then you'll know the concept).  Jerol's introduction will teach you a little more about what Objects are.

.. series:: 005

Now we'll begin to work with 'loops' - this is another fundamental programming concept.

.. series:: 296

Whilst many things are built-in to Python, much of its richness comes from external libraries.  Python is known as having 'batteries included' because many of the core libraries are included in every Python distribution.  Here Lucas gives you an overview of some of the common functionality.

.. series:: 307

To start building your own programs you will quickly realise that it makes sense not to write one long sequence of instructions but instead to break the code up into common blocks of functionality.  Generally these blocks are called 'functions', here you'll get a high-level overview of how to write your own.

.. series:: 360

Another skill you'll need is the ability to handle logic with 'if'.

.. series:: 405

Now you have a firm knowledge of the basics of Python <phew>.            

You might also want to browse some of `Horst <http://showmedo.com/videotutorials/?author=71>`_'s videos, he has some beginner Python content in German, Russian, Croation and Chinese.

Playing with turtle and RUR-PLE
===============================

Python has a built-in 'turtle' application (based on `turtle robots <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_(robot)>`_), `Horst <http://showmedo.com/videotutorials/?author=71>`_ has videos in various spoken languages on using turtle including the following.  Turtle is a nice tool to interact visually with Python.

.. series:: 188


You should also take a look at RUR-PLE the Robot by Andre Roberge.

RUR-PLE is like turtle - you control a virtual robot and interact with it using simply Python expressions.  Both turtle and RUR-PLE are great for kids.

.. series:: 057 015

Next step
=========

You started with an installed but unused Python, now you have learned what Python looks like, how to write basic scripts using all of Python's main language features and you've had a chance to play with the graphical tools turtle and RUR-PLE.

Now look here:

.. path:: 12


.. authors::  71 79 3253 11 8 709 22

Thank-yous, questions and comments

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5. anonymous Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:18

It's very good ..

ya..... can u give or tell some websites for free python learning E-books .............


4. anonymous Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:18

It's very good ..

ya..... can u give or tell some websites for free python learning E-books .............