Python: Journey from Novice to Expert

Learn core concepts of Python and unleash its power to script highest quality Python programs

About This Book

• Develop a strong set of programming skills with Pyhton that you will be able to express in any situation, on every platform, thanks to Python’s portability
• Stop writing scripts and start architecting programs by applying object-oriented programming techniques in Python
• Learn the trickier aspects of Python and put it in a structured context for deeper understanding of the language

Who This Book Is For

This course is meant for programmers who wants to learn Python programming from a basic to an expert level. The course is mostly self-contained and introduces Python programming to a new reader and can help him become an expert in this trade.

What You Will Learn

• Get Python up and running on Windows, Mac, and Linux in no time
• Grasp the fundamental concepts of coding, along with the basics of data structures and control flow
• Understand when to use the functional or the object-oriented programming approach
• Extend class functionality using inheritance
• Exploit object-oriented programming in key Python technologies, such as Kivy and Django
• Understand how and when to use the functional programming paradigm
• Use the multiprocessing library, not just locally but also across multiple machines

In Detail

Python is a dynamic and powerful programming language, having its application in a wide range of domains. It has an easy-to-use, simple syntax, and a powerful library, which includes hundreds of modules to provide routines for a wide range of applications, thus making it a popular language among programing enthusiasts.This course will take you on a journey from basic programming practices to high-end tools and techniques giving you an edge over your peers. It follows an interesting learning path, divided into three modules. As you complete each one, you’ll have gained key skills and get ready for the material in the next module.The first module will begin with exploring all the essentials of Python programming in an easy-to-understand way. This will lay a good foundation for those who are interested in digging deeper. It has a practical and example-oriented approach through which both the introductory and the advanced topics are explained. Starting with the fundamentals of programming and Python, it ends by exploring topics, like GUIs, web apps, and data science.In the second module you will learn about object oriented programming techniques in Python. Starting with a detailed analysis of object-oriented technique and design, you will use the Python programming language to clearly grasp key concepts from the object-oriented paradigm. This module fully explains classes, data encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction, and exceptions with an emphasis on when you can use each principle to develop well-designed software.With a good foundation of Python you will move onto the third module which is a comprehensive tutorial covering advanced features of the Python language. Start by creating a project-specific environment using venv. This will introduce you to various Pythonic syntax and common pitfalls before moving onto functional features and advanced concepts, thereby gaining an expert level knowledge in programming and teaching how to script highest quality Python programs.

Style and approach

This course follows a theory-cum-practical approach having all the ingredients that will help you jump into the field of Python programming as a novice and grow-up as an expert. The aim is to create a smooth learning path that will teach you how to get started with Python and carry out expert-level programming techniques at the end of course.

Table of Contents

Module 1: Learning Python
Chapter 1: Introduction and First Steps – Take a Deep Breath
Chapter 2: Built-in Data Types
Chapter 3: Iterating and Making Decisions
Chapter 4: Functions, the Building Blocks of Code
Chapter 5: Saving Time and Memory
Chapter 6: Advanced Concepts – OOP, Decorators, and Iterators
Chapter 7: Testing, Profiling, and Dealing with Exceptions
Chapter 8: The Edges – GUIs and Scripts
Chapter 9: Data Science
Chapter 10: Web Development Done Right
Chapter 11: Debugging and Troubleshooting
Chapter 12: Summing Up – A Complete Example

Module 2: Python 3 Object-Oriented Programming
Chapter 1: Object-oriented Design
Chapter 2: Objects in Python
Chapter 3: When Objects Are Alike
Chapter 4: Expecting the Unexpected
Chapter 5: When to Use Object-oriented Programming
Chapter 6: Python Data Structures
Chapter 7: Python Object-oriented Shortcuts
Chapter 8: Strings and Serialization
Chapter 9: The Iterator Pattern
Chapter 10: Python Design Patterns I
Chapter 11: Python Design Patterns II
Chapter 12: Testing Object-oriented Programs
Chapter 13: Concurrency

Module 3: Mastering Python
Chapter 1: Getting Started – One Environment per Project
Chapter 2: Pythonic Syntax, Common Pitfalls, and Style Guide
Chapter 3: Containers and Collections – Storing Data the Right Way
Chapter 4: Functional Programming – Readability Versus Brevity
Chapter 5: Decorators – Enabling Code Reuse by Decorating
Chapter 6: Generators and Coroutines – Infinity, One Step at a Time
Chapter 7: Async IO – Multithreading without Threads
Chapter 8: Metaclasses – Making Classes (Not Instances) Smarter
Chapter 9: Documentation – How to Use Sphinx and reStructuredText
Chapter 10: Testing and Logging – Preparing for Bugs
Chapter 11: Debugging – Solving the Bugs
Chapter 12: Performance – Tracking and Reducing Your Memory and CPU Usage
Chapter 13: Multiprocessing – When a Single CPU Core Is Not Enough
Chapter 14: Extensions in C/C++, System Calls, and C/C++ Libraries
Chapter 15: Packaging – Creating Your Own Libraries or Applications