Programming with Python

Programming with Python, the language of data analysis and automation, web servers and machine learning. You start from your first program and get to classes, files, collections, tests, threads and networking. The ideas are the same as in the Java and C# courses; the code and the details are Python.

How you learn here

The course is split into modules, and each module into short lessons. A lesson is a series of cards, one idea per card: a real problem, what actually happens (often with an animation next to the code), a small task, then the next idea. At the end there is an exercise for your editor and a short test.

Every module uses only what the earlier ones have shown. Your progress is kept in your browser: a lesson picks up from the card you reached.

The course map

Module 0

Welcome

3 lessons · the language, where it is used, setup

1. 1The language you are learning
2. 2Getting your computer ready
3. 3How to solve a task

Module 1

Language basics

9 lessons · variables, conditions, loops, arrays

1. 1Your first program
2. 2Variables and types
3. 3Input and output
4. 4Doing math
5. 5Conditions
6. 6Loops
7. 7Lists
8. 8Tables of numbers
9. 9Working with text

Module 2

Functions

4 lessons · code you write once and call many times

1. 1Why functions
2. 2Parameters and return
3. 3Default values
4. 4Recursion

Module 3

Classes and objects

5 lessons · your own types

1. 1Your own type
2. 2Constructors and self
3. 3Behavior
4. 4Encapsulation
5. 5What all objects share: class attributes

Module 4

Inheritance and polymorphism

5 lessons · what is shared, in one place

1. 1Inheritance
2. 2Polymorphism
3. 3Abstract classes
4. 4Interfaces as abstract classes
5. 5What is it really?

Module 5

Errors and exceptions

3 lessons · when something goes wrong

1. 1When something goes wrong
2. 2Different errors and finally
3. 3Throwing and your own exceptions

Module 6

Text and files

5 lessons · strings, regex, files

1. 1Text up close
2. 2Regular expressions
3. 3Search and replace
4. 4Files
5. 5Data in files

Module 7

Collections

5 lessons · lists, stack, queue, dicts, sets

1. 1A list that grows
2. 2Stack, queue and linked list
3. 3dict and set
4. 4How dict and set work
5. 5Classes inside classes and data inside data

Module 8

Modern Python

4 lessons · lambdas, data pipelines, patterns

1. 1Lambdas
2. 2List comprehensions and generators
3. 3dataclass, match and patterns
4. 4Design patterns

Module 9

Real-world programs

5 lessons · tests, threads, network, databases, reflection

1. 1Tests with unittest
2. 2Threads
3. 3Programs on the network
4. 4Databases
5. 5Reflection and decorators

Let's make a game

three games from scratch

8 lessons

1. 1How to think about a game
2. 2RPG 1: the heroes
3. 3RPG 2: the battle
4. 4RPG 3: the whole game
5. 5Epic Cosmos 1: the objects in space
6. 6Epic Cosmos 2: resources, buildings, ships
7. 7The locked lab 1: rooms and commands
8. 8The locked lab 2: puzzles and the way out

Project

a whole program, step by step

1 lesson

1. 1Hotel reservations