When we want to learn something new as beginners, probably the most difficult step is to find the right starting point. Indeed, if we start with something too difficult, we will be overwhelmed with information, and if we start with something easy but useless, we won't advance.
That general rule also applies to programming and Python in particular. Even though Python is a relatively easy programming language to learn, you can't just start to code out of the blue.
Programming involves certain rules and commands that are combined to process data and deliver results. Beginners will need, of course, to start with the most basic of those rules and then move on to more difficult ones.
That way they can understand all the concepts included in the course and develop robust programming skills.
As a result, the best way to learn to code in Python is to find yourself a good course, a tutorial or a private teacher. They can guide you through the learning process from the most elementary commands to advanced programs and help you understand particular topics you will need in your work.
What beginners should know before they start looking for a programming course or book is that Python is a pretty versatile programming language that can be applied to a variety of tasks. Depending on your specialisation, you will not use the same Python tools and resources to build your software.
However, we can't tackle the particular applications of Python as beginners. In the first place, we need to learn the most basic programming concepts, like variables, data structures and loops, that are used in all programs without exception.
That means that an ideal Python course or tutorial should include a few general introductory chapters and then gradually start offering examples from a particular field of application.
There are a lot of resources for learning Python online, there are books and tutorials and numerous organisations offer Python courses. In this article, we will have a look at the best resources beginners can choose, so your learning can go smoothly.
You can get a short introduction to Python in our article.
Python online tutorials
One of the greatest features of Python is that it is an OpenSource programming language which means that most Python resources are available for free on the Internet. That includes numerous Python tutorials.
These are great resources because many of them were designed for complete beginners and cover a big number of relevant topics, so you should be able to learn the basics of Python after completing them.
By using tutorials, you will get used to finding information and learning autonomously on the internet, which will be a useful skill once you have finished your training.
The only recommendation we would like you to give is to follow your tutorial step by step and do all the exercises that it offers to strengthen your knowledge.
Here are some of the best free tutorials you may want to have a look at online.
Python Tutorial
This is an entire website dedicated to learning Python. As of now, it includes various Python tutorials that can be read one by one, starting from the most basic one, for free.
On Python Tutorial, beginners can learn about Python data types, master numerous programming tools and get to know crucial concepts, like OOP (object-oriented programming).
On top of the Python course itself, Python Tutorial also has a course on Regular Expressions used in Python. That can be a very useful thing to learn if you want to analyse data with Python.
Real Python
This is another outstanding website offered by the Python community that functions as a repository of programming tutorials and courses.
You can use their search engine to seek courses and tutorials by topics and levels, which can be useful to find a particular course.
The website also offers learning paths for beginners and advanced learners that can help you organise your learning process and gradually learn Python as well as the particular libraries of your choice.
Python documentation
In addition to tutorials, all Python modules and methods should normally be documented on the Internet. For example, you can find a lot of useful information on the official Python website in the documentation section.
Reading Python documentation may be a bit more difficult than using learning resources like courses, so we don't recommend it to complete beginners.
Nevertheless, as you advance in your learning and code more difficult programs, it could be useful to read it from time to time, so you can become totally autonomous as a programmer.
Build up your knowledge with python course online here.
Python courses
Online learning resources can be a great source of information for programming beginners but unfortunately, not all of us can organise our learning and follow a tutorial regularly on our own.
If self-learning is not your strong point, a good alternative for you can be to take a Python course in a boot camp or programming academy. There is a great choice of Python courses online, some of which are free and others not, so you can certainly find something suitable for you.
You can find more information about Python in our article.
The advantage of an online course is that you'll be offered a learning schedule and there'll be lessons to complete every day or every week.
Check out python classes here.
Especially if you pay for a course, you'll probably be assigned to a tutor who'll monitor your progress and whom you can ask questions about difficult concepts. That can have a stimulating effect on you and push you to code more.
Another huge plus of taking a programming course, as compared with books and tutorials, is that you'll get a certificate or a diploma in the end that you can present when looking for a job or applying to university.
Find a tutor to help in your Python class on Superprof.
Read a book on programming
For centuries, books have been the main source of knowledge for people and they still haven't lost their relevance. Of course, similarly to an online tutorial, a book mainly contains text and examples of code. There is an important difference though: a book is much more convenient to use.
For example, if you need to find a particular piece of information about the Python language you can leaf back and forward through the back, add bookmarks and highlight important text.
That is often impossible on the web because you may end up with numerous open tabs and it can be very confusing.
Good publishers whose Python books can be useful to beginners and advanced programmers are O'Reilly and No Starch. They have lots of books on the Python language, as well as the application of Python to data science, game development, natural language processing and other projects.
You can find their book catalogues on the web and then order the one you like to always have it at hand.
Programming apps
Nowadays, there is a great number of learning apps available on Google or Apple stores. You can download them on your phone and enjoy learning the Python language with interactive exercises.
Interactivity is probably the biggest advantage that apps have over other learning resources. They'll guide you through the entire learning process and correct your mistakes straight away when you do exercises.
In some apps, you can set daily objectives for yourself that will push you to train regularly and do new lessons every day.
On the other hand, apps also have their limitations. One of them is that they don't allow you to perform all the operations that are available on the computer. For example, when it comes to installing additional Python modules, say, for data science or natural language processing, it'll probably be impossible in the app.
You can discover the differences between Python and Java in our article.
To conclude, apps are a great starting point to learning the basics of Python but as your level improves and you start working on more complex projects, you'll probably need to turn to other resources.
Find a Python tutor
When we start exploring a completely new area as beginners, it is absolutely normal to have questions on certain topics and concepts. The best way to get the help you need is to find a personal programming tutor.
As Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, there are quite a lot of specialists who know that language in Australia. Some of them offer programming lessons in their free time and will be happy to give you a hand.
A good tool that will help you find an outstanding tutor is Superprof. On Superprof, there are plenty of programming tutors from all across Australia. You can read information about them on their profiles, browse through reviews from other students and contact them directly via chat if you need clarification.
As soon as you've found a good tutor, you can book a lesson with them on our website and start learning Python straight away. Organising lessons with Superprof tutors is extremely easy and you'll certainly enjoy learning with them thanks to their professionalism.
If you want to know more about the different uses of Python, have a look at our article.
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