Introduction to Python Programming | Python Programming Basics

Introduction to Python Programming Basicsis a hands-on Python programming course that teaches you the key skills you’ll need to get started with programming in Python to a solid foundational level.  The start of the course will lead you through writing and running basic Python scripts, and then guide you through how to use more advanced features such as file operations, regular expressions, working with binary data, and using the extensive functionality of  Python modules. Extra emphasis is placed on features unique to Python, such as tuples, array slices, and output formatting.

This course provides you with an excellent kick start for users new to Python and scripting, enabling you to quickly use basic Python skills on the job in a variety of ways.  You’ll be able use Python in basic web development projects, or use it to automate or simplify common tasks with the use of Python scripts. The course also serves as a solid primer course / foundation for continued Python study in support for next level web development with Python, using Python in DevOps, Python for data science / machine learning or Python for systems admin or networking support.

This skills-focused course is about 50% hands-on lab to lecture ratio, combining expert lecture, real-world demonstrations and group discussions with machine-based practical labs and exercises.  Working in a hands-on learning environment led by our expert instructor, you’ll learn how to:

• Create working Python scripts following best practices
• Use python data types appropriately
• Read and write files with both text and binary data
• Search and replace text with regular expressions
• Work with with the standard library and its work-saving modules
• Create “real-world”, professional Python applications
• Know when to use collections such as lists, dictionaries, and sets
• Work with Pythonic features such as comprehensions and iterators
• Write robust code using exception handling

Python Quick View

• What is Python?
• Python timeline
• Advantages/disadvantages
• Installing Python
• Getting help

The Python Environment

• Starting Python
• Using the interpreter
• Running a Python script
• Editors and IDEs

Getting Started with Python

• Using variables
• Builtin functions
• String data
• Numberic data
• Converting types
• Console input/output
• Command line parameters

Flow Control

• About flow control
• The if statement
• Relational and Boolean operators
• while loops
• Exiting from loops

Array Types

• About array types
• Lists and list methods
• Tuples
• Indexing and slicing
• Iterating through a sequence
• Sequence functions, keywords, and operators
• List comprehensions and generators

Working with Files

• File overview
• Opening a text file
• Reading a text file
• Writing to a text file

Dictionaries and Sets

• About dictionaries
• Creating dictionaries
• Iterating through a dictionary
• About sets
• Creating sets
• Working with sets

Functions

• Defining functions
• Returning values
• Parameters and arguments
• Variable scope

Sorting

• The sorted() function
• Custom sort keys
• Lambda functions
• Sorting in reverse
• Using min() and max()

Errors and Exception Handling

• Exceptions
• Using try/catch/else/finally
• Handling multiple exceptions
• Ignoring exceptions

Modules and Packages

• Creating Modules
• The import statement
• Module search path
• Using packages
• Function and module aliases

Getting Started with Object Oriented Programming and Classes

• About object-oriented programming
• Defining classes
• Constructors
• Understanding self
• Properties
• Instance Methods and data
• Class methods and data
• Inheritance

Basic familiarity with any programming or scripting language would be helpful. Students should have a working, user-level knowledge of Unix/Linux, Mac, or Windows.  

This basic level course provides an excellent kick start for users new to Python and scripting, enabling them to use basic Python skills on the job in a variety of ways.  This course is appropriate for advanced users, system administrators and web site administrators who want to use Python to support their server installations, as well as anyone else who wants to automate or simplify common tasks with the use of Python scripts.

Students can apply the course skills to use Python in basic web development projects or automate or simplify common tasks with the use of Python scripts. The course also serves as a solid primer course / foundation for continued Python study in support for next level web development with Python, Python for data science / machine learning or Python for systems admin or networking support.