Python Programming Level 1: Intro for Programmers (Live Online)

Overview

In this live, instructor-led training course, programmers with existing experience in other languages will learn to program in Python using Python 3. Attendees will gain comprehensive knowledge of Python fundamentals including how Python works and its role among programming languages, working with and manipulating strings, performing mathematical operations, working with Python sequences and data structures, collecting user input and generating output, flow control and conditional logic, reading from and writing to files, defining and using functions, handling exceptions, and working with dates and times. Key differences between Python 2 and Python 3 are highlighted throughout the course.

Audience:

Programmers new to Python who already have experience with other programming languages and understand Object Oriented Programming fundamentals.

Prerequisites:

This course requires prior programming experience and solid working knowledge of Object Oriented Programming concepts. Participants without prior programming experience should consider the "Python Programming Level 1: Introduction for Non-Programmers" course instead.

Course Outline:

Vital Python: Math, Strings, Conditionals, and Loops

Begin with fundamental Python concepts and operations. Learn to use Python as a calculator, understand number types and variables, work with integers and floating-point numbers, handle complex number types, understand operator precedence and spacing, and recognize common Python errors. Topics progress from basic arithmetic through variable assignment and reassignment, variable naming conventions, comments and docstrings, and foundational mathematical concepts implemented in Python.

Python as a Calculator
Standard and Basic Math Operations
Operator Precedence and Spacing
Number Types: Integers and Floats
Complex Number Types
Variable Assignment and Types
Changing Variable Types
Reassigning Variables
Variable Naming Conventions
Multiple Variable Assignment
Comments and Docstrings
Common Errors in Python

Strings: Concatenation, Methods, and Input

Master string manipulation and user input handling. Learn string syntax and escape sequences, multiline strings, the print function, string concatenation and operations, string interpolation and formatting, the len function, string methods, type casting, user input with the input function, string indexing and slicing, and various string operations.

String Syntax and Escape Sequences
Multi-Line Strings
The print Function
String Concatenation and Operations
String Interpolation
Comma Separators in Strings
String Formatting
The len Function
String Methods and Operations
Type Casting
The input Function for User Input
String Indexing and Access
String Slicing and Substrings

Booleans, Conditionals, and Loops

Learn conditional logic and iteration structures. Topics include Booleans and logical operators, comparison operators, conditional statements including if, else, and elif, loop structures including while and for loops, loop control with break and continue, and practical programs using conditionals and loops.

Booleans and Boolean Values
Logical Operators
Comparison Operators
Comparing Strings
Conditional Statements
The if Statement and Syntax
Indentation and Code Blocks
The if-else Statement
The elif Statement for Multiple Conditions
The while Loop
Infinite Loops and Loop Control
The break Statement
The for Loop
The continue Keyword
Practical Programs Using Control Flow

Python Data Structures: Lists, Dictionaries, Tuples, and Sets

Work with Python's powerful collection types. Learn about lists and list operations, accessing and modifying list items, dictionaries and key-value pairs, working with dictionary keys and values, zipping and unzipping data, tuples and immutable sequences, sets and set operations, and choosing appropriate data types for different scenarios.

The Power and Versatility of Lists
List Methods and Operations
Accessing Items from Lists
Adding Items to Lists
Dictionary Keys and Values
Comparing Lists and Dictionaries
Zipping and Unzipping with zip Function
Dictionary Methods and Operations
Tuples and Immutable Sequences
Sets and Unique Collections
Set Operations and Methods
Choosing Appropriate Data Types

Functions and Program Structure

Design and implement functions for code reuse and modularity. Learn about algorithms and function design, Python scripts and modules, shebangs for executable scripts, docstrings and documentation, imports and module usage, the if __name__ == "__main__" idiom, defining basic functions, positional and keyword arguments, iterative functions and early return, helper functions and code organization, variable scope including global and nonlocal keywords, lambda functions for functional programming, mapping with lambdas, filtering with lambdas, and sorting with lambdas.

Algorithms and Functions
Python Scripts and Modules
Shebangs in Ubuntu
Docstrings and Function Documentation
Imports and Using Modules
The if __name__ == "__main__" Statement
Basic Functions and Definition
Positional Arguments
Keyword Arguments
Iterative Functions
Exiting Early with Return
Fibonacci Functions with Iteration
Helper Functions and Decomposition
Don't Repeat Yourself Principle
Variable Scope and Namespaces
Variables Defined Inside and Outside Functions
The Global Keyword
The Nonlocal Keyword
Lambda Functions
Mapping with Lambda Functions
Filtering with Lambda Functions
Sorting with Lambda Functions

Files, Error Handling, and Extended Functionality

Work with external data and manage errors gracefully. Learn to read and write files, work with dates and times, store dates and times in text files, and handle exceptions effectively. These topics enable you to create practical Python programs that interact with the file system and manage real-world data.