Python From Zero: Programming You Can Actually Use

By the end

What you'll build

• Write and run a Python script that prints, stores values in variables and builds readable output with f-strings
• Choose correctly between int and float, and use /, // and % to answer three different division questions
• Convert text to numbers with int() and float(), and explain why every typed or CSV value starts as text
• Write an if/elif/else chain in the correct order so that overlapping ranges are tested from highest to lowest
• Replace repeated code with for and while loops, and control them with range, break and continue
• Pick the right container for a job — list, tuple, dictionary or set — and total values by name with .get(key, 0)
• Define functions with parameters, default arguments, docstrings and return values, and explain why return beats print
• Read a Python traceback from the bottom up and handle an expected failure with a named except clause
• Read and write text and CSV files safely using a with block, an explicit encoding and csv.DictReader
• Build and ship a documented report-generator script that writes a plain-text file and proves itself with assert

Curriculum

What's inside

7 modules · 48 lessons

1. 01

   Getting Started: What a Program Is

   7 lessons
   • Start Here: What This Course Is and Is Not
   • A Program Is a List of Instructions
   • Lab 1: Your First print()python lab
   • Variables: A Name for a Value
   • Lab 2: Store It, Change It, Show Itpython lab
   • + 2 more lessons
2. 02

   Text and Numbers

   6 lessons
   • Strings: Text You Can Work With
   • Lab 3: f-strings for Readable Outputpython lab
   • Whole Numbers and Decimals
   • Lab 4: Integer Division and Remainderpython lab
   • Reading Input, and Turning Text into Numbers
   • + 1 more lesson
3. 03

   Decisions and Loops

   7 lessons
   • Booleans: True, False and Comparison
   • Lab 6: Comparisons and and/or/notpython lab
   • if, elif, else: Choosing What to Do
   • Lab 7: One Message per Casepython lab
   • Loops: Repeating Without Repeating Yourself
   • + 2 more lessons
4. 04

   Collections: Lists, Tuples, Dictionaries and Sets

   7 lessons
   • Lists: Many Values, One Name
   • Lab 9: Indexing and Slicingpython lab
   • Changing and Sorting a List
   • Lab 10: append, sort and a First Comprehensionpython lab
   • Tuples and Sets
   • + 2 more lessons
5. 05

   Functions, and Errors as Information

   7 lessons
   • Functions: Give a Job a Name
   • Lab 12: Your First Functionpython lab
   • Return Instead of Print
   • Lab 13: Default Arguments and Docstringspython lab
   • Scope in Plain Words
   • + 2 more lessons
6. 06

   Files, the Standard Library, and Reading Other People's Code

   7 lessons
   • Files: Reading and Writing Text
   • Lab 15: Write a File, Read It Backpython lab
   • CSV: Rows and Columns as Plain Text
   • Lab 16: Read a CSV with the csv Modulepython lab
   • The Standard Library: Batteries Included
   • + 2 more lessons
7. 07

   Capstone: A Report Generator You Keep

   7 lessons
   • The Capstone: What You Are Building
   • Lab 17: Read and Clean the Sales Filepython lab
   • Lab 18: Total by Categorypython lab
   • Lab 19: Build the Report Textpython lab
   • Lab 20: Write report.txt and Prove It with assertpython lab
   • + 2 more lessons

The shape of it

How this course works