Online Introduction to Python 3 Programming Course

The Python programming language was developed to provide a way to develop code that's easy to create and understand. While Python contains the same basic structures as other languages, it also offers unique functionality that makes your life as a programmer easier.

This course will show you how to create basic programming structures like decisions and loops. Then, you will move on to more advanced topics such as object-oriented programming with classes and exceptions. In addition, you will explore unique Python data structures such as tuples and dictionaries. You will even learn how to create Python programs with graphic elements that range from simple circles and squares to graphical user interface (GUI) objects like buttons and labels.

Whether you're interested in writing simple scripts, full programs, or graphical user interfaces, this course will give you the tools you need to use Python with skill and confidence.

What you will learn

• Learn how to create basic programming structures, including decisions and loops
• Understand more advanced Python topics such as object-oriented programming with classes and exceptions
• Explore unique Python data structures, such as tuples and dictionaries
• Learn how to create Python programs with graphic elements that range from simple circles and squares to graphical user interface (GUI) objects like buttons and labels

How you will benefit

• Enhance your resume by adding Python to your programming skills
• Open the door to new freelance and employment opportunities at companies nationwide
• Gain the tools you need to program with Python in skill and confidence

Outline

Welcome to Python

Two things that make Python attractive are that it's a free download and that it comes with a free development environment, IDLE. Your first lesson starts off with a brief tour of both the language and the environment. You will see that with IDLE, you can either execute individual statements directly at the interpreter's prompt or save your commands in a program file to be run later.

Get Interactive With Variables and User Input

Programs aren't terribly useful unless you have some way to store values in memory. In this lesson, you will get up to speed with Python variables, and then you will learn how to use these variables to get input from the user. With this, you will be able to write Python code to make your programs interactive, making them more useful and a lot more interesting.

Decisions, Decisions

There are many times when you will want one set of statements run in one situation and another set run in a different situation. For that, you will need to use Python's if decision structure. In this lesson, you will practice with Python's if syntax and learn how to write both simple and complex conditions to select which statements should be run.

Looping (And Looping and Looping)

Keeping with the theme of programming structures, this lesson is all about the repetition structure. You will learn how to write both while and for loops in Python so that your statements can be repeated over and over until some condition is met. You will also learn some looping features that are unique to Python that help to make your programs more powerful.

Modular Programming With Functions

Modular programming gives you the ability to write code once, give it a name, and then call on it by name at a later time. In this lesson, you will learn how to write modular programs by creating functions. You will also learn how to pass data into the functions and then to return values back, building on this knowledge as you proceed through the course.

Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming

Building on the concept of modular programming, this lesson explores object-oriented programming. This is a popular technique and you will get an introduction to how it's done in Python. You will learn how to create a class definition and place variables and functions inside. Then later, you will use this class to create some objects and work with them to solve simple problems.

Creating Graphics With Tkinter

It's time to take some of the topics previously covered and apply them to something a little more creative. This lesson focuses on Python graphics. You will create simple shapes and practice writing programs that simulate animation. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to watch your shapes move across the screen.

Python Data Structures 1: Lists and Tuples

Now that you're comfortable with the decision and repetition structures, as well as ways to organize your code, it's now time to turn to ways of managing your data. This lesson looks at two of Python's basic data structures: lists and tuples. You will learn how to create these types of variables and use them to manage data for your programs.

Python Data Structures 2: Dictionaries

While lists and tuples are useful structures, they put the burden on you to keep track of your data's position within the structure. However, the dictionary structure gives you the ability to associate a word with each piece of data. In this lesson, you will learn how to use dictionaries to write useful programs in fewer lines of code that'll execute in a shorter amount of time.

Working With External Data Files

Programs that work with data in memory are great. However, it's also important to be able to save the data in a file for later use. In this lesson, you will learn how to read from and write to data files. You will also learn about Python's shelve feature, which is a database-like file that allows for quick and easy access to large amounts of data.

Handling Python Exceptions

Unfortunately, programs sometimes encounter problems. In object-oriented terms, you would call this an exception. If the exception isn't handled, the program will crash. In this lesson, you will learn about Python's exceptions and learn how to handle them to keep the program up and running, even when something unexpected happens.

GUIs With Tkinter

You will finish the course by exercising the creative part of your brain again. This time, you will learn how to create a graphical user interface (GUI) in Python. Now you will be able to integrate all the conceptual material that you learned in the course with an attractive, easy to use interface to make for useful, interactive programs.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.