Python is an easy language to learn. But, if you want to learn Python as soon as possible, I suggest the book Python Crash Course. This book was my starting point, so let’s make an introduction of it.
Learn how to code in Python from scratch, using the most popular programming language.
With this book, you’ll start by learning the basics of coding, then move into more advanced topics like loops, functions, classes, and data structures. You’ll also learn how to use Python’s powerful libraries, such as NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and Seaborn.
By the end of it, you’ll be able to build real applications and solve complex problems.
What makes this book so special? The projects.
Python Crash Course introduces Python programming to the basics, quickly and by using a project-based way of learning. It is focused on Python applications for website, data visualization, Raspberry Pi programming.
By Eric Matthes, Python Crash Course has come out in its second edition as one of the best books for beginners in Python programming. This book has a straightforward style and is full of examples.
While every programming language takes its time to learn it in detail, Python Crash Course speeds up your learning process by providing the basics in Python programming concepts.
Part I: The Fundamentals
The first part of the book Python Crash Course summarizes the key concepts such as variables, data structures, console, reading the user’s input data, lists, classes, functions, and text file operations.
At the beginning of each chapter, there is a brief overview of what it will contain and what the reader will learn.
Then it goes directly to the code. Not too much code, just a few lines, as an example. Later on, it explains the theory to get back to the code in the next paragraph.
Python Crash Course uses a friendly style: it combines theory and examples so that the user can learn and write the applications simultaneously. There is no boring page of theory before the example, no lines of code without explaining what it will solve.
After each concept leaned, there are some exercises to be solved by the reader…
The session ‘Try it yourself’ will challenge you to solve the concepts you have learned and taken you out of your comfort zone.
Part II: Projects
After the introduction of the basic concepts of Python programming, the book introduces Part Two: Projects.
No extra time for theory. This section builds concrete applications:
- a video game with PyGame,
- a Django website,
- data visualization with mathplotlib.
These projects will introduce to the reader the flexibility to build real applications, and not minor problems like “Print all numbers between 1 to 100 which divided by 3 the remainder will be 1”.
Perhaps PyGame is not of much interest to the student of Bachelor of Computers Sciences. Still, the other two projects, which will build a graphical statistics application, and a Django framework web site, are perfect for them.
In conclusion, I can suggest this efficient book to all beginners in Python programming, which do not like to waste time with 1000 pages of theory but will switch directly to concrete applications.