Get Programming

Book excerpt: Get Programming: Learn to code with Python teaches you the basics of computer programming using the Python language. In this exercise-driven book, you'll be doing something on nearly every page as you work through 38 compact lessons and 7 engaging capstone projects. By exploring the crystal-clear illustrations, exercises that check your understanding as you go, and tips for what to try next, you'll start thinking like a programmer in no time. This book works perfectly alongside our video course Get Programming with Python in Motion, available exclusively at Manning.com: www.manning.com/livevideo/get-programming-with-python-in-motion Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. What's Inside Programming skills you can use in any language Learn to code—no experience required Learn Python, the language for beginners Dozens of exercises and examples help you learn by doing About the Reader No prior programming experience needed. Table of Contents LEARNING HOW TO PROGRAM Lesson 1 - Why should you learn how to program? Lesson 2 - Basic principles of learning a programming language UNIT 1 - VARIABLES, TYPES, EXPRESSIONS, AND STATEMENTS Lesson 3 - Introducing Python: a programming language Lesson 4 - Variables and expressions: giving names and values to things Lesson 5 - Object types and statements of code 46 Lesson 6 - Capstone project: your first Python program-convert hours to minutes UNIT 2 - STRINGS, TUPLES, AND INTERACTING WITH THE USER Lesson 7 - Introducing string objects: sequences of characters Lesson 8 - Advanced string operations Lesson 9 - Simple error messages Lesson 10 - Tuple objects: sequences of any kind of object Lesson 11 - Interacting with the user Lesson 12 - Capstone project: name mashup UNIT 3 - MAKING DECISIONS IN YOUR PROGRAMS Lesson 13 - Introducing decisions in programs Lesson 14 - Making more-complicated decisions Lesson 15 - Capstone project: choose your own adventure UNIT 4 - REPEATING TASKS Lesson 16 - Repeating tasks with loops Lesson 17 - Customizing loops Lesson 18 - Repeating tasks while conditions hold Lesson 19 - Capstone project: Scrabble, Art Edition UNIT 5 - ORGANIZING YOUR CODE INTO REUSABLE BLOCKS Lesson 20 - Building programs to last Lesson 21 - Achieving modularity and abstraction with functions Lesson 22 - Advanced operations with functions Lesson 23 - Capstone project: analyze your friends UNIT 6 - WORKING WITH MUTABLE DATA TYPES Lesson 24 - Mutable and immutable objects Lesson 25 - Working with lists Lesson 26 - Advanced operations with lists Lesson 27 - Dictionaries as maps between objects Lesson 28 - Aliasing and copying lists and dictionaries Lesson 29 - Capstone project: document similarity UNIT 7 - MAKING YOUR OWN OBJECT TYPES BY USING OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING Lesson 30 - Making your own object types Lesson 31 - Creating a class for an object type Lesson 32 - Working with your own object types Lesson 33 - Customizing classes Lesson 34 - Capstone project: card game UNIT 8 - USING LIBRARIES TO ENHANCE YOUR PROGRAMS Lesson 35 - Useful libraries Lesson 36 - Testing and debugging your programs Lesson 37 - A library for graphical user interfaces Lesson 38 - Capstone project: game of tag Appendix A - Answers to lesson exercises Appendix B - Python cheat sheet Appendix C - Interesting Python libraries