As an alternative to SQL, Ruby and Java, Python focuses on readability. When compared with the alternatives, Python is more efficient and productive. It uses fewer lines of code, which means executing commands is faster and requires less computing effort. If you want to learn Python, it is possible to pick up the basics in a few weeks. During this time frame, you can expect to learn how to write simple scripts to solve problems at work. If you want to work with Python on a full-time basis, you will need to study computer programming for a significantly longer period. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be good at math to learn Python. A study by the University of Washington found that people with an aptitude for learning languages were most likely to find Python easy to pick up. Even if you have no coding or programming experience, it is still possible to learn Python. Thanks to its straightforward syntax, learning how to code using Python is accessible to everybody – including beginners.
Why Should You Learn Python?
If you want to pursue a career in web development or mobile app development, learning Python is an excellent starting point. People choose to learn Python for many reasons. One of the main benefits is that it can be used for a host of different tasks, including data analytics, visualization and task automation.
To Automate Routine Tasks
Once you have a good grasp of the basic principles of Python, you will be able to use it to handle large data sets, gather data from the web and access application programming interfaces (APIs). You can use your Python skills to improve your work in Excel and automate a range of different tasks. Task automation is a valuable Python skill. For example, you might set up a robot to send emails or collect online data. Your newfound Python skills will help you to develop new solutions, both at home and at work. Python is centered on recognizing and predicting patterns. Once you gain a good grasp of the language, you will be able to use your findings to improve and automate many different processes.
To Help You Gain a Promotion
Many hiring managers see the ability to code as a highly desirable skill. If you can use a programming language such as Python effectively, you can easily increase your work output, getting more work finished in the same amount of time. Using Python allows you to collect data quickly and translate it into useful solutions to real-life problems. At work, you might use it to add value by setting up automatic emails, scraping data from the internet or analyzing information to highlight potential cost savings. If you are looking for a promotion or job seeking, having these skills will make your application more appealing to recruiters.
To Embark On a New Career
The demand for Python programmers has reached an all-time high, particularly in the highly rewarding data science sector. Data analysts can earn over $60k per annum, and data scientists can earn more than $100k per annum. In many cases, job opportunities in this field are available remotely, so you can work from anywhere. Nowadays, skills like computer programming are often considered to be more important than college qualifications.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Python?
This will depend on your end goals. Since Python is a tool, you will only need to learn the aspects required to fix the problems you want to solve. For example, if your role includes analysis of data, you might be able to learn the overarching syntax of Python and necessary techniques in under two weeks. This time frame would not be enough to qualify you as a data analyst or Python developer, but it would be sufficient for your immediate needs. If you’re a total beginner, but you want to gain full-time employment using Python, you should dedicate several months to part-time study. The exact number of months will depend on the job role you are working towards. Python evolves, so the available learning resources are regularly changing and improving. If you are serious about gaining employment using Python, you should expect to embark on a continuous learning journey to stay ahead of the competition.
How to Choose a Python Learning Course
If you want to learn Python, you could pursue self-led study options such as reading and internet research. You could also enroll in a Python online course or class. Whilst these still offer flexible learning opportunities, there is an element of structure and accountability, which some students find useful. Studying online means you can choose a course that matches your existing level of expertise. You can also choose the days and times that you study, whereas enrolling in a college course tends to be more restrictive. You should also think about joining a network of Python programmers. This will allow you to create social connections, ask questions and learn from others. When choosing a Python course, consider the following:
Scheduling – Taking an online course should fit around your other commitments. Check that your chosen course is flexible and self-paced so that you can work through the curriculum at times that suit you. If a timescale for the course is specified, find out how long you should expect to dedicate per week to finish the course within that time frame. Difficulty – It is best to choose a Python course provider that offers different levels of training. You can then find the one best matched to your current Python or programming proficiency level. Quality of resources – A good Python course will give you unlimited access to all required learning resources. Many even allow lifetime access, so you can revisit the materials in the future if you need to refresh your memory. Opportunities for project work – As with most practical skills, using Python is one of the best ways to improve. Once you have learned the basics of coding, you should plan to dedicate significant time to working on Python projects. Check that your chosen course will allow you to contribute to a wide range of projects. Pricing – It is possible to find free Python programming courses online. However, you need to be careful to choose one that offers high-quality training. Free courses are usually best suited to absolute beginners, although there are a few exceptions. If you want to pursue a career using Python programming skills, consider investing in a paid-for course.
Best Python Courses in 2023
Control logic Functions Objects Data types Expressions Variables
The learning format is hands-on and self-paced. Course content is delivered via a set of short video lessons. By the end of the course, you will be able to build a tool using simple code. For example, you might build a tool that works out how many days are left until Christmas. Anyone can follow this course and it should take between two and three hours to complete. To access it, you will need to join SkillShare for a monthly membership cost of $32. A free one-month trial is available, which allows you access to over 27,000 online video courses.
Python 3 is the latest, most efficient and simplest version of the Python language. Complete beginners will need to dedicate approximately 25 hours to this course. There are no prerequisites to signing up. Learning is self-paced and delivered as a combination of lessons, quizzes, projects, videos and written information – so it will appeal to people with many different learning styles. You will learn about:
Control flow Lists Loops Functions Strings Modules Dictionaries Files
To solidify your new skills, you will apply them to a range of different projects. The basic monthly plan with Codecademy is free, but if you want to go Pro, the cost is $39.99 per month. The paid-for membership offers access to a wider range of courses, including the Learn Python 3 course.
The course is delivered via a combination of written materials, video guides and coding exercises. The first part of the course focuses on simple concepts such as strings and lists. Later on, you will work on exercises that are full programs dealing with processes, HTTP connections and text files. The full course can be completed within two full days. However, as a self-paced course, you can take as long as you need to work through all the materials.
Gaining an understanding of both Python 2 and Python 3, you will learn how to make your own Python programs. This course will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to apply for Python programming jobs. It will also enable you to add Python Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) skills to your CV or resume. Taught by professional software developers, this on-demand course is self-paced. It includes access to more than 60 hours of video content, downloadable resources and useful articles. You can work through over 30 different coding exercises, and all course content is offered on a lifetime access basis, allowing you to refresh your knowledge whenever you need to. Students can access tutor support seven days per week. The course can be accessed using your computer, mobile device or TV. Upon completion of the course, you will be issued a certificate to confirm your achievement. This course is suitable for anyone who is yet to learn Python; from total beginners to experienced programmers looking to broaden their career opportunities by learning a new language. The price of this course is around $70, backed by a 30-day 100% refund guarantee.
The course materials can be accessed on-demand, including over 30 hours of video content, 54 articles, 20 downloadable resources and one coding project exercise. The resources can be accessed on a lifetime basis, using your computer, mobile device or TV. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate in recognition of your achievements. This course teaches a broad range of Python skills, including:
OOP Machine learning Function programming
You do not need to have any prior knowledge of programming or Python. By the end of the course, you will have learned everything you need to get hired as a Python developer. This course is priced at around $90, backed by a 30-day 100% refund guarantee.
Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) Python Data Structures Using Python to Access Web Data Using Databases with Python Capstone: Retrieving, Processing and Visualizing Data with Python
This specialization is offered by the University of Michigan and is designed to build upon the Python for Everybody specialization. However, students don’t have to have previous programming knowledge or experience. This specialization covers fundamental concepts such as:
Networked application program interfaces Databases Data structures
You will be expected to use the skills and knowledge gained to create applications and participate in projects. The training is delivered 100% online, so there is no need to attend any classes. All of the course content can be accessed anywhere with a web connection, using your computer or mobile device. This course is flexible, so you can study around other commitments. At the recommended pace of three hours per week, you can expect to complete the course in around eight months. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate to confirm your achievement. If you are a university or college student, you can enroll for one free Coursera course per year and sign up for as many guided projects as you like. An annual subscription fee of $399 gives you access to unlimited courses through Coursera Plus.
Python Basics Python Functions Files and Dictionaries Data Collection and Processing with Python Python Classes and Inheritance Python Project: Pillow, Tesseract and OpenCV
If you have some knowledge of programming languages, this specialization makes for a sensible option. It is also a good choice if you have completed the Python for Everybody specialization. By the end of your studies, you can expect to be able to write programs to query internet APIs and scrape useful data from them. During the second course, you will make a simple sentiment analyzer, designed to add up the number of positive and negative words in Twitter posts. In the third course, you will amalgamate two separate APIs to make a movie recommendation tool. For the final course, you will work on an extended project involving object detection in images and optical character recognition (OCR). All courses are delivered online, with no requirement to attend any in-person classes. You can access all of the content anywhere with a web connection, using your computer or mobile device. The schedule is entirely flexible, so you can easily work around your other commitments. At the recommended pace of seven hours per week, you can expect to complete the course in around five months. Once you have passed the course, you will receive a certificate to mark your achievement.
You can enroll on the full certificate for a monthly cost of $49. Coursera suggests that most learners will be able to complete the certificate in under six months. This course offers a flexible schedule, with all resources available online. You can start learning straight away and work at a pace to suit you. Aimed at beginners, the Crash Course on Python will take approximately 32 hours to complete. You will gain a good understanding of Python and why it is important in automation. You will learn how to use basic Python structures in practice, for example:
Dictionaries Lists Strings
You will also be able to create Python objects and write short Python scripts.
Aimed at Python novices with experience in other programming languages, this course takes approximately five weeks to complete. You will learn the key principles of Python, as well as programming best practices. By the end of your studies, you can expect to have the skills needed to manage data using Python data types and variables, using conditionals and loops to monitor the flow of programs. You will also be able to maximize the power of data structures such as dictionaries, lists, sets and tuples. The course is delivered through a combination of interactive quizzes, video content and practical exercises.
At a pace of 10 hours per week, this course will take around two months to complete. Upon enrollment, you will have instant access to the course materials. If you are familiar with Python programming, this is the course for you. You will need to:
Have a basic understanding of OOP Be able to read basic Python syntax Be able to tell the difference between different object types within scripts Build basic algorithms for simple programs and automation scripts for common tasks Write and run basic scripts using function definitions and loops
During the course, you will use your new skills to work on a range of projects. These will include building a meme generator and producing a program to inspect and query near-Earth objects.
You should also join a network of people who are also learning Python. This will allow you to share experiences and trade tips as you learn. If your course does not provide access to a forum, you can find many different Python groups and events online. Building something is one of the best ways to consolidate your learning. The end product is not important; it is more about the process you need to follow to get there. You might consider building a simple game, calculator or notification app. A good course will provide you with opportunities to work on a range of projects designed to hone your Python programming skills.
