Murach’s Python Programming

If you want to learn how to program but don’t know where to start, this is the right book and the right language for you. From the first page, our unique self-paced approach will help you build competence and confidence in your programming skills. And Python is the best language ever for learning how to program because of its simplicity and breadth…two features that are hard to find in a single language.

But this isn’t just a book for newbies! Our self-paced approach also works for experienced programmers, helping you learn faster and better than you’ve ever learned a language before. By the time you’re through, you will have mastered all of the Python skills that are needed on the job, including those for object-oriented, database, and GUI programming.

To make all of this possible, section 1 of this book presents an 8-chapter course that will get anyone off to a great start. Section 2 builds on that base by presenting the other essential skills that every Python programmer should have. Section 3 shows you how to develop object-oriented programs, a critical skillset in today’s world. And section 4 shows you how to apply all of the skills that you’ve already learned as you build database and GUI programs for the real world.

Table of Contents

Section 1 – Essential Concepts and Skills
Chapter 1 – An Introduction to Python Programming
Chapter 2 – How to Write Your First Programs
Chapter 3 – How to Code Control Statements
Chapter 4 – How to Define and Use Functions and Modules
Chapter 5 – How to Test and Debug a Program
Chapter 6 – How to Work with Lists and Tuples
Chapter 7 – How to Work with File I/O
Chapter 8 – How to Handle Exceptions

Section 2 – Other Concepts and Skills
Chapter 9 – How to Work with Numbers
Chapter 10 – How to Work with Strings
Chapter 11 – How to Work with Dates and Times
Chapter 12 – How to Work with Dictionaries
Chapter 13 – How to Work with Recursion and Algorithms

Section 3 – Object-Oriented Programming
Chapter 14 – How to Define and Use Your Own Classes
Chapter 15 – How to Work with Inheritance
Chapter 16 – How to Design an Object-Oriented Program
Section 4 – Database and GUI Programming
Chapter 17 – How to Work with a Database
Chapter 18 – How to Build a GUI Program

Appendix A – How to Set Up Windows for This Book
Appendix B – How to Set Up Mac OS X for This Book