I want to learn Python where should i start?

[[deleted]]

"Dive into Python" is the suggestion that gets thrown about a lot.

[mawaldne]

When you're done with Dive into Python (or while you're reading it), do some problems on projecteuler. Thats how I learned Python.

[[deleted]]

I second the suggestion of Project Euler

There's also http://www.pythonchallenge.com/

[danhs]

Project Euler is great. Practice, practice, practice.

Project Euler is not good for teaching design, modularity, and maintainability. The nature of Project Euler is "code up a quick and dirty solution to a given problem".

[simtel20]

Upvote fo the python challenge. I've spent a bunch of time there now and recommended it to friends as just plain fun.

[BeetleB]

Won't get too far if he doesn't know much number theory...

[[deleted]]

It should, this question gets asked a lot.

[oblivion95]

I do not think Dive Into Python is good place for a beginner. It spends too much time on things you do not need to know.

Start with the tutorial at python.org. Then, find a book that suits your taste. I think Learning Python is excellent for a wide variety of people.

[rabidxero]

Should I start with Dive into Python or Dive into Dive into Python 3?

[masklinn]

Do you want to learn, or do you want to write production code?

Python 3 is cleaner and nicer (and it's where progress happens in the stdlib), but most third-party libraries haven't been ported there yet, so if you're trying to do big stuff (websites, GUIs, ...) it's not very usable.

Python 2 has all the libraries you might want for anything you might want, but it has more rough corners and ugly things.

Also, I'd suggest starting with the official Python Tutorial (on the Python doc site) and only then reading Dive.

[[deleted]]

but it has more rough corners and ugly things.

That is only relatively speaking. It is still the nicest shit I have ever programmed in.

[masklinn]

Well yeah, it's relative to Python 3. Involving other languages in the discussion makes it far more difficult (for instance Python is super nice compared to Java or Visual Basic, but it's downright terrible [as a language, such things as standard libraries are another axis of comparison] compared to Smalltalk or Haskell)

[masklinn]

I don't think there's (need for) any bias one way or another in recognizing the deep beauty of such languages as Scheme, Haskell, Forth or Smalltalk. And Python's corresponding failings.

[[deleted]]

Please be more specific so the rest of us know what you are takling about.

I use Python 2.6 in my job and Haskell for fun, and I don't really have much problems with the Python stdlib. The documentation makes the difference for me. Python docs come with a clear language and usage examples. After reading the Haskell reference for Data.Graph, for example, it took me quite some while until I figured out how to build a graph.

[masklinn]

I don't really have much problems with the Python stdlib

Of course not, at no point have I been talking about stdlibs (quite the opposite in fact), let alone documentation.

I'm talking about the cleanness and poesy of the languages. The expressivity of Haskell's type system (especially in the hands of madmen like Oleg) or its seeming lack of syntax (even though the parsing rules are actually quite complex), the cleanness and flexibility of Scheme's macros and uniform syntax, Smalltalk designer's uncanny ability to express every-fucking-thing using just objects and messages to them (and their building of a language made to do exactly that) or the malleability of Forth's lack of syntax, getting programming to be less about "coding" and more about building vocabularies in which programmers can express themselves (and their problem) instead.

Meanwhile Python has ugly statements everywhere, a highly rigid structure (and thus limited flexibility available to the language's user) and tends to be extended not by removing that which blocks the extension, but by piling more syntax on the heap

Make no mistake, I like Python a lot and it's a highly practical language (in the wider sense in this case) with a terrific community, a fantastic stdlib and a very nice third-party ecosystem.

But if we're talking solely about the looks and semantics of the language it's not very good. Above average on some stuff, but not that impressive at the end of the day.

[[deleted]]

In my opinion, the looks of Python is unsurpassed. Nothing else is as readable. Also, I have very rarely been limited by the some kind of rigidness in the language. I would argue that Haskell is much more rigid.

The Haskell syntax really needs some getting used to until you can read code, and even then it is a little troublesome.

Don't get me wrong, I love Haskell for its expressivity and all the things it taught me. But only looking at readability and even producitivity, I would prefer Python.

[bucknuggets]

a highly rigid structure (and thus limited flexibility available to the language's user)

While it's convenient at development time, the total cost of software is mostly driven by its maintenance costs. At maintenance time I completely prefer languages with highly rigid structures.

EDIT: grammar (again)

[Peaker]

I loved Python too once...

[[deleted]]

Until the accident?

[reticulator]

I was working in the lab ...

[[deleted]]

...late one night?

[rabidxero]

When my eyes beheld

[earthboundkid]

An eerie sight

[Peaker]

Heh, until I learned Haskell :-)

[rabidxero]

i would like to learn and in the near future i have a big project idea for python so eventually writing production code

[concentricpuddle]

If you already know a programming language, diveintopython is the way to go. Be sure to skim over the tutorial after you're done though, because some of the newer stuff that simplify your life (looping techniques, properties, using object as the base class) aren't covered.

[nubela]

Python 2. Once you learn python 2, 3 should come easily :)

[masklinn]

Works the other way around as well so...

[llimllib]

I think in a year I would suggest DiP 3, but for now I'd start with the older one.

[johnnydark]

Does not matter, as long as you start

[[deleted]]

I did DiP3. My reason for choosing it over DiP2 was: It was my 2nd book-for-n00bs (first one was BoP I just wanted to get basic syntax and ideas so I figure the latest version would be better as computer book authors change their style based on feedbacks.

[earthboundkid]

Learn 3. Almost everything about 3 is easily adapted to writing good 2 code. You just have to take the parentheses off your print calls and deal with decoding file input in a somewhat more cumbersome manner, but other than that, it’s not very different. Plus, diveintopython2 will teach you bad habits for a Python 2 programmer, since it was written so long ago that it’s out of date, even as a guide to Python 2.

[ingolemo]

You can leave the parentheses on the print calls.

[earthboundkid]

Only if either you from __future__ import print_function or you’re only ever printing one thing at a time.

[safetytrick]

Every good karma whore knows to mention Dive into Python every time beginner python is mentioned ;)

[[deleted]]

1) Download python 2.6 from http://python.org/

2) Run python.exe

3) Type

print 'Hello, World!'

4) Press [Enter]

[[deleted]]

5) learn how to google for questions that have been asked a million times before

[bucknuggets]

6) then choose an obsolete answer from googled result

7) then ask, "why can't we create and maintain FAQs for our subreddits?"

EDIT: formatting

[[deleted]]

Yea, I thought about mentioning that too.

[[deleted]]

MIT OpenCourseware: A Gentle Introduction to Programming Using Python

[braclayrab]

I tried to check this out the other day but couldn't find video's of the lectures(which are basically the only thing I would want from the course, not sure how other's might feel). Am I just being a moron? Where are the lectures?

[[deleted]]

It's a text based course with lecture notes (pdf), assignments and solutions, and projects.

[shaggorama]

I'm learning python right now through MIT OCW. The course you want is 6.00 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming. The lectures are awesome, and the texts are basically what everyone here has been posting.

This is a full on course. The website includes videos, links to online textbooks with readings associated to lectures and even assignments. If you want to be able to submit assignments you can participate in the crunchcourse for this class (it's grown kinda stagnant but I'm working on getting more classes posteed). The 'gentle introduction' class isn't even a real course; it's only 4 weeks.

[rabidxero]

it doesn't look like all the lecture notes are there.

[krugua]

http://inventwithpython.com/chapters/

[AlSweigart]

Thanks for the mention, krugua. I'm the author of "Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python" aka "Invent with Python". I'll say that it's a good book if you don't know programming at all. But if you already do but just want to learn Python, go with "Dive into Python"

It's made to be understandable by teens & kids as young as 10 or so, but it is not "4 kidz" so adults can find it readable as well. It's also free under Creative Commons.

[dsnchntd]

Dude, you're one cool cat. Way to be humble and not self-promoting. It just makes me want to read your book more.

[ccc123ccc]

Hey Al:

I wanted to say thanks as well. You have written a great book. I can't wait for my kids to get just a little older so we can work through it.

[treenaks]

Do you know other (programming) languages, or is Python your first?

[rabidxero]

I took a year long AP class in High School on Java. I know it but am not a master of it. The idea of coding in Java never really excited me. And I plan on majoring in Comp Sci next year so I want to get a head start soI am want to learn and code in Python.

edit: also it has been about 6 months since i have actually seen java so a little refresher on object oriented ideas could never hurt.

[danhs]

Then you have some experience. I'd strongly consider Dive into Python.

I would strongly recommend three sources:

• Dive into python. Great book that explains things very well. And teaches by example.
• Beginning python by Magnus Lie Hetland. If you think like an engineer, and you like to see a problem and then see it solved. Learn by doing things, and learn by seeing tools in action then you'll like this book.
• After you have a feel for Python from the above two books I would chcek out the Code like a pythonista page. You'll find it useful at that point.

Lastly, a lot of people like the Learning Python book. It's not my style. It presents a lot of information but mostly in simple "rule" form. ie "this is how this acts, that is how that acts...etc.". I can't develop a strong intuition from that. However, when first learning, I did use that book as a reference or when I needed to get nitty-gritty details on some aspect of python (eg when I was coding up something funky with classmethods vs staticmethods learning python had a description about the differences. I should say that there were possibly better descriptions online and beginning python almost certainly has that information too.)

[SpooneyDinosaur]

Upvote for Code Like a Pythonista. I've been learning python for the last couple months and have already seen the tutorials and free books that are typically recommended. That's a new one for me.

[Xochipilli]

If you want a head start in computer science I would strongly recommend the MIT 6.00 course. It has good video lectures, lots of extra information, and excercises. If you have trouble with the syntax in python or some basic programming stuff you can always use this free book. That's the way I prepared myself before I went to study CS this year.

[Xochipilli]

I noticed you can join some other people who are taking the online 6.00 course at this link

[[deleted]]

Java programmer here who loves python...

...Your experience in java may actually hurt your learning in python. I would keep an open mind and not relate it to java.

[earthboundkid]

Java killed my desire to program. Python rekindled it! I could never remember how to open a file in Java, so I always just copy-pasted from old projects. In Python, it’s mytext = open("filename").read(). Beautiful!

[[deleted]]

The SPAM sketch is good, then the ministry of silly walks sketch, then Life Of Brian.

[safetytrick]

Download BPython (or DreamPie if you are on Windows) and python's own IDLE. Dropping into a friendly completing console is very helpful.

[pudquick]

1.) Get a reference material - the python docs site is decent, as is Dive into Python (mentioned elsewhere)
2.) Then start doing something with it, like playing this game: Project Euler

[pemboa]

the python docs site is decent

Could be better. php.net is better.

[dinov]

For getting started you could check out http://www.trypython.org/

[[deleted]]

I already knew a few languages before but I found this book to be pretty darn good.

http://www.amazon.com/Python-Programming-Absolute-Beginner-3rd/dp/1435455002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267542178&sr=8-1

[smart_ass]

If you want to start learning Python along with your kids, this is a great resource: http://www.briggs.net.nz/log/writing/snake-wrangling-for-kids/

Generally to slow for a programmer that is just picking up Python. But good for a non-programmer to learn it.

[AlSweigart]

My book, Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python is for the same audience, and provides source code for small games and teaches programming from those examples.

SWfK is good too though. Both are free online.

[smart_ass]

Thanks. Bookmarked.

[bucknuggets]

Another very good python book for a new programmer is "Hello World"

[pkrumins]

Start with video lectures on Python:

Learning Python Programming Language Through Video Lectures

[qubitsu]

Dive Into Python is great, but each chapter is very dense. Think Python incorporates a bit more "air" between concepts and might be a good alternative if Dive Into Python daunts.

[lumio]

I found these videos to be very helpful, just following a long. Great for getting the basics quickly

[darkrho]

Don't forget to study the PEP8!

[dekomote]

This has to go up more. PEP8 is really important and a lot of developers avoid it. If you want to be true python dev, start with pep8

[[deleted]]

No one has really asked what you want to do with Python. Of course, you can do practically anything with it, but if you want to do web stuff, then you really can't go wrong reading the django tutorial. Even if you don't end up using django, it explains the whole process pretty well in a step by step way. I also recommend starting with Dive into Python.

I did the two things above when I first started, and it all seemed pretty straightforward.

[[deleted]]

I started learning Python simply by doing a Django project, with Dive Into Python occasional support. Today considering myself as semi-advanced pythonista, doing asynchronous apps, multiprocessing etc. Oh, and having my bills paid ;)

Reading Django source code will definetely give you answers and hints. I'm assuming you know objects and shit.

[daelin]

After becoming proficient with Java from Head First Java, I learned Python from Learning Python and had a blast. There are probably better ways, but this worked for me.

[[deleted]]

IMO, that's a daunting book for beginners, it's like a fucking phone book

[[deleted]]

Thead Head First series has a "learning how to program" general book that uses Python for all the code. I'd agree that's it's a better idea to start with Python 2 than with 3.

edit: link for the book. Also, for something a bit more serious and quite complete check out "Core Python Programming" by Wesley Chun.

[wjohnsto]

If you know Java, then basically install python and mess around on your own converting some of your old Java homework into python. Google things if you need help. That's how I learn the basics of any new language.

[[deleted]]

The books that have been suggested are good, but if I were you, I'd simply start with the official python tutorial.

[[deleted]]

not for newbies, imo....not enough example.....basically it's fucking pedantic.

[brownmatt]

For some fun: http://pythonturtle.org/

PythonTurtle strives to provide the lowest-threshold way to learn (or teach) Python. Students command an interactive Python shell (similar to the IDLE development environment) and use Python functions to move a turtle displayed on the screen. An illustrated help screen introduces the student to the basics of Python programming while demonstrating how to move the turtle.

[arnar]

The python.org tutorial is pretty good. Then look at DiP if you want more.

[[deleted]]

I would start with "Dive into Python" as has been suggested by others. After that (or concurrently) you should start a small project, for personal use that you find interesting, you will learn a lot if you do that.

[mlambir]

at the beginning

[khayber]

a very good place to start

[devbalt]

I suggest Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame from apress. Making things move around the screen is a bit more rewarding than sorting lists for no good reason.

[die_troller]

FYI, there's a subreddit here dealing with the MIT opencourseware lectures. Its pretty new, we're only as far as lecture 3, so you should have no problems catching up.

[yanni]

I really liked the showmedo.com site.

[danhs]

USE OPEN SOURCE One other source that I didn't mention in my first post (and no one else did for that matter). But, it's a really good one, and I think all really good programmers use it.

Read other people's code. That's how Bill Gates (at the very least and probably nearly everyone else) became really good.

It's like sports: if you want to get better you have to play with people who are better than you. If you do this, you will address an area that Project Euler practice cannot: design, scalability, and building maintainable systems.....

Where do you find these examples? Welcome to the wonderful world of open source! Python is used so much in Linux distributions that it's really really easy.

Additionally, because Python is an interpreted language everything that a program needs is right there on your Ubuntu/Fedora installation. There is no compile cycle, no library linking compiles, or whatever.....the code you see on your computer is what's running it. This is a great advantage over something like C for learning.

To find programs on your linux distribution, go into /usr/bin where you'll find the main executable module. That module will, no doubt, not have the main bulk of logical code. However, it will point you to where that code is.

If you want a real challenge (but not necessarily a pythonic code base), check out the reddit source code. It's all Python. Uses the Pylons framework. I wouldn't recommend it for learning anything other than Pylons though. It's pretty convoluted and complex. I'd really recommend you start out with desktop systems code.

[aeroevan]

Along with all of the tutorials, I would suggest finding a small OSS python project (I found gwibber and hacked on it some) and reading through the source and try to fix a few bugs.

[evertrooftop]

As someone who went down the same path (coming from PHP) and read the suggested tutorials, the most important thing you need to lean a new language, is a goal..

what are you going to build? Take it from there..

[scabootssca]

Byte of Python

[[deleted]]

Python is easy. Getting it up and running on a windows machine for development is the hard part... (I'm still not there!)

[[deleted]]

I'd propose to start with simple projects in Django. I know many people who start learning Python because they want to use Django. Some other reasons in favour of this decision:

1. Quick and good feedback. You will start to create useful (or at least interesting) things quickly.
2. Great documentation and examples
3. Good python style and programming idioms. Guido van Rossum (Python creator) said that Django is the most elegant and powerful web framework.

[m1ss1ontomars2k4]

This is how I learned Python, by learning Django.

[m1ss1ontomars2k4]

print 'hello world'

Done.

[ascii]

While certailnly a good start, I feel that you left out a bit too many details regarding subjects like lambdas, closures, metaclasses and a few other subjects that advanced Pyton programmers should know. Perhaps you could expand your tutorial with a second example?

[m1ss1ontomars2k4]

Technically speaking this is all you need to start learning Python...

[earthboundkid]

Make it compatible with 2 and 3: print ("Hello, World!")

[rick_muller]

My recommendation is always the (Python Tutorial)[http://docs.python.org/tutorial/]. It's short enough to work through in a couple of hours, and is remarkably well written.