Python is one of the most popular programming languages ??in the world, embraced by developers and makers around the world. Most Linux and MacOS computers come with some version of Python preinstalled, and now even some Windows computer vendors are installing Python.
Maybe you haven’t learned it yet and want to learn but don’t know where to start. Here are 12 resources that will help you get started and become proficient in Python.
Courses, books, articles, and documentation
1. The Python Software Foundation provides excellent information and documentation to help you on your coding journey. Be sure to check out the Getting Started with Python guide. It will help you get the latest version of Python and provide helpful tips about your editor and development environment. The organization also has excellent documentation that can guide you further.
2. My Python journey started with the turtle module. I first found out about Python and turtles in Bryson Payne’s Teach Your Kids to Code. This book is a great resource, and purchasing it allows you to see dozens of example programs that will spark your programming curiosity. Dr. Payne also has a cheap course on Udemy under the same name.
3. Dr. Payne’s book piqued my curiosity and I was eager to learn more. That's when I discovered Al Sweigart's "Automating Boring Stuff with Python". You can buy this book or use its online version, which is identical to the print version and available and shared for free under an Intellectual Property Rights License. Al's book helped me learn the basics of Python, functions, lists, dictionaries, how to operate strings, etc. This is a great book and I have purchased many copies to donate to local libraries. Al also offers a Udemy course; you can take it for just $10 using a coupon code on his website.
4. Eric Matthes wrote "Python Quick Start", which is a step-by-step introduction to Python (like the two books above) published by No Starch Press. Matthes also has a great companion website that includes how to set up Python on your computer and a cheat sheet to ease the learning curve.
5. Python for Everybody is another great Python learning resource. The site provides free access to materials from Charles Severance's Coursera and edX certification courses. The site is divided into Getting Started, Courses, and Materials sections, with 17 courses organized by topics ranging from installation to data visualization. Severance (@drchuck on Twitter), is a clinical professor at the University of Michigan School of Information.
6. Seth Kenlon, our Python guru at Opensource.com, has written numerous articles about Python. Seth has many great articles, including "Saving and Loading Python Data with JSON," "Learning Object-Oriented Programming with Python," "Platforming in Python Games with Pygame," and more.
Using Python on the device
7. Recently I have been very interested in Circuit Playground Express, which is a device running CircuitPython, a Python programming language designed for microcontrollers. subset. I've found Circuit Playground Express and CircuitPython to be a great way to introduce students to Python (and programming in general). Its maker, Adafruit, has a great tutorial series that can get you up to speed with CircuitPython.
8. BBC:Microbit is another good way to get started with Python. You can learn how to program it using MicroPython, another Python implementation for programming microcontrollers.
9. An article about learning Python would be incomplete without mentioning the Raspberry Pi single-board computer. Once you have your Raspberry Pi comfortable and powerful, you'll find tons of inspiration for using it on Opensource.com, including "7 Raspberry Pi Projects Worth Discovering," "Resurrecting the Amiga on the Raspberry Pi ”, and “How to use a Raspberry Pi as a VPN server”.
10. Many schools provide students with iOS devices to support their education. I discovered Trinket.io while trying to help teachers and students at these schools learn to code in Python. Trinket allows you to write and execute Python 3 code in the browser. Trinket's Getting Started with Python tutorial will show you how to use Python on your iOS device.
Podcasts
11. I love listening to podcasts while driving, and I found a wealth of information on Kelly Paredes and Sean Tibor’s Teaching Python podcast. Their content is well suited to the educational field.
12. If you’re looking for something more general, I recommend Michael Kennedy’s Talk Python to Me podcast. It provides the best information about Python and related technologies.
What is your favorite resource for learning Python? Please share in the comments.
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