Pythonic Python Part I: The Basics

Fast and fun python lectures for programmers, with tons of example code; plenty of exercises, and explained solutions.

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This is Pythonic Python - Part I of a complete Python course for programmers, in four parts.

The focus, besides learning Python, is learning Pythonic idioms so that your code is beautiful, easy to read and modify, and fast-running.

The Syllabus:

Part I - The Python Basics

Make yourself useful.

  • lab 01 Birds Eye View
  • lab 02 Branching and Looping
  • lab 03 Input and Exceptions
  • lab 04 Formatting Strings
  • lab 05 Functions
  • lab 06 import
  • lab 07 Attribute Scope
  • lab 08 Flexible Functions
  • lab 09 Sequence Slicing
  • lab 10 Sequence Accumulating
  • lab 11 Sequence Differences
  • lab 12 list Facilities
  • lab 13 Sequences And Mutability
  • lab 14 sys Library

Part II  The Buzz

Heavy-hitting, time-saving, fun facilities.

  • lab 15 Reuse Trick
  • lab 16 list Scope Issue
  • lab 17 Arguments And Mutability
  • lab 18 list Comprehensions
  • lab 19 Functional Programming
  • lab 20 from importing
  • lab 21 Dictionaries
  • lab 22 Dictionary Marvels
  • lab 23 Variable Arguments Protocols
  • lab 24 raise An Exception
  • lab 25 File IO
  • lab 26 os Module
  • lab 27 Packages
  • lab 28 Dynamic Code
  • lab 29 Decorators
  • lab 30 Generators

Part III Pythonic OOP

So brilliant, you might need shades.

  • lab 31 Object Oriented Programming
  • lab 32 Inheritance
  • lab 33 Multiple Inheritance
  • lab 34 Magical Powers
  • lab 35 Privacy And Introspection
  • lab 36 Class Attributes and Scope
  • lab 37 New Style Classes
  • lab 38 Iteration Support
  • lab 39 Attribute Control
  • lab 40 Static and Class Methods
  • lab 41 Context Manager

Part IV  The Expert

Know it all.

  • lab 42 Deep Copies
  • lab 43 Piping With subprocess
  • lab 44 File Pattern globbing
  • lab 45 Timing Your Code
  • lab 46 unittest Frameworks
  • lab 47 Option Parsing Frameworks
  • lab 48 Catching Exceptions
  • lab 49 Raising Exceptions
  • lab 50 Inventing Exceptions
  • lab 51 Namespace Review
  • lab 52 Pitfalls
  • lab 53 Finding Modules

Take this ultimate Python for Beginners and learn Python basics; all you need to get started.


Your Instructor(s)


Marilyn Davis
Marilyn Davis

Marilyn is a well-regarded Python Trainer for the Industry, and a well-loved Python Instructor for UCSC-Extension in the Silicon Valley. Her history shows her to be an accomplished software engineer as well, demonstrating a knack for finding simple solutions to complex problems, articulating clear explanations, and engendering cooperation.

Dr. Davis earned her degree from UCSD in Theoretical Radio Astronomy. In the course of that work, her interest shifted to Software Engineering. She has worked with many different computer languages, and has made software for Computer-Aided Instruction, Astronomy, Statistics, Environmental Research, Operations Research, Email Service, and Electronic Democracy.

Marilyn was an early contributor to the Open Source movement, authoring eVote/Clerk, software for consensus-building and decision-making on the network. Her PC Planetarium was sold by the Sierra Club Catalogue. Her early work in editing radio astronomy data is still in use today. Her program Basic Primer was a pioneering work in Computer-Aided Instruction and was published by IBM.

Motivated by a love for teaching, she has taught Mathematics and Physics, as well as Software Engineering. She taught C at UCSC-Extension for 14 years before she encountered Python. Python has been her focus since her first sight of Python code. She has been teaching and using Python since 2006.


Course Curriculum


  Welcome
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  Birds Eye View
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  Branching and Looping
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  Input and Exceptions
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  Formatting Strings
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  Functions
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  Imports
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  Attribute Scope
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  Flexible Functions
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  Sequence Slicing
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  Sequence Accumulating
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  Sequence Differences
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  List Facilities
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  Sequences and Mutability
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  SYS Library
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  Wrap Up: Pythonic Python Part I: The Basics
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.