Python Training

mog27

What do you all think are the best (can be paid or free) python training courses out there for a complete beginner? Looking for suggestions.

airzero

codeacademy.com is always a great free resource to start with that'll teach you the basics. Youtube has a lot of tutorials and I'm sure you can find pdf versions of books online with some googling.

NetworkNewb

Teamtreehouse.com is pretty decent. Have used it in the past. Isn't free though.

The best way I think to learn a language, to me at least, is to learn the basics and then try and make something on your own with it. Something that is interesting and something you might actually get some use out of. I feel like when I try to learn a new language and I don't have an immediate use for it I end up getting bored with it and go onto something else.

the_Grinch

https://www.udemy.com/python-the-complete-python-developer-course/learn/v4/overview

Tim is the man when it comes to teaching programming and you goes through everything with the language.

b0Ris

the_Grinch wrote: »

https://www.udemy.com/python-the-complete-python-developer-course/learn/v4/overview

Tim is the man when it comes to teaching programming and you goes through everything with the language.

based on this advice I bought the class and look forward to starting soon. Thanks internet stranger!

f16jetman

I have been following along with "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Interactive Edition" Link: https://runestone.academy/runestone/default/user/login?_next=/runestone/default/index
It is completely free and teaches Python and how to approach problems as a trained Computer Scientist would. I have tried other courses, but I find they just teach you syntax and make you follow along with their projects without actually teaching how to see a problem and formulate a solution.

I hope you try it out!

YuckTheFankees

This is what I used to learn Python:

*Started with: https://learnpythonthehardway.org/
*Subscribed to Safaribooksonline.com and then I was able to review almost every Python book out there
*Books: The Hitchhikers Guide to Python, Effective Python: 59 Specific Ways to Write Better Python, Python Cookbook

Your goal is to get a good foundation of Python and then pick a topic you like...you'll learn a lot more when you can apply Python to something you actually want to create/learn (web crawling, networking, web dev, pentesting, etc..).

josephandre

https://automatetheboringstuff.com/

STANLY_CC

Stanly CC offers an online programing course. Here are some course details This class is conducted online. This course introduces students to basic programming concepts using a modified Python language for education. This is a free software download for students.

We also plan to offer Cisco's Python Programming course in the near future.

You can send me a pm or check out our new IT Academy web page on our college site: https://www.stanly.edu/it-academy

nisti2

You can do the online and free training of Python The Hard Way https://learnpythonthehardway.org/

DatabaseHead

I've seen coursera loading up on Python courses. Anyone had a chance to take one of these?

About7Narwhal

I used LearnPythonTheHardway.org like a few others and learned a lot. This won't make you a professional, but it sets a great foundation. He has a starter and advanced book for Python 2 and a starter book for Python 3. The advanced Python 3 book is in pre-publishing right now. Find the free online version python 3 HERE.

I cannot comment on the advanced Python books as I haven't used them yet. Good luck, I enjoyed Python.

lacagrl17

What's your end goal? Here's a good one for system administrators: Python 3 Scripting

yoba222

While not the OP, I Just wanted to thank everybody for their contributions to this topic. I was seriously tempted by that Linux Academy 9 hour scripting course, but I'd rather not sprint through it in 7 days or pay $49 for access for a month. I have the Automate the Boring stuff textbook and that Runestone interactive book is really cool.

I ended up dropping $12 on the Tim Buchalka/Jean-Paul Roberts course on Udemy because of this thread. I think what swayed me was checking their forums and seeing some random student had posted a question 2 hours ago. Jean-Paul had replied an hour later. The free stuff is great, but it's harder when you have a question in the content because you're basically on your own to figure it out, at least from my perspective.

EagerDinosaur

I started learning Python after I bought a Raspberry Pi. I found that provided plenty of motivation for me to learn, because I wanted to get the camera and other sensors working, and there are lots of on-line tutorials for Python on the Pi. It includes Python development tools as standard.

versole

you should learn from youtube best source for learning python I personally believe that or you could go to codeacedmy.

alex0809

mog27 wrote: »

What do you all think are the best (can be paid or free) python training courses out there for a complete beginner? Looking for suggestions.

These two are both great fun!
https://www.i2tutorials.com/python-tutorial/
https://learnpythonthehardway.org/

mzx380

Gonna follow this thread for my 2019 goals!

j23evan

https://developer.cisco.com/ Cisco's DevNet has great Python/JSON/REST API courses and modules for free (though it does lean more on the UCS Compute & Network side) and Cisco's NPDESI paid class is pretty darn amazing if you don't mind sipping from the firehose.

NavyMooseCCNA

I tried a Python course through Udemy (Python: Zero to Hero) and I struggled with it. I tried codeacademy and didn't like it either. I also tried Python for Security Professionals on Cybrary and that was a waste of time. My background is infrastructure and I am trying to grow further with information security and I want to at least look at code and understand what is happening and with time make changes to the code.

Coming from an infrastructure background I am used to working off of checklists, procedures, and guidelines. I am very left brained and I think the creativity of knowing when to use a certain command in a script is more of a right brain activity. I was able to do some of the scripting activities, others I had to do a ton of googling without really understanding why something worked.

I haven't tried any Python in the past month or so, because I was getting discouraged.

yoba222

NavyMooseCCNA wrote: »

I tried a Python course through Udemy (Python: Zero to Hero) and I struggled with it. I tried codeacademy and didn't like it either. I also tried Python for Security Professionals on Cybrary and that was a waste of time. My background is infrastructure and I am trying to grow further with information security and I want to at least look at code and understand what is happening and with time make changes to the code.

Coming from an infrastructure background I am used to working off of checklists, procedures, and guidelines. I am very left brained and I think the creativity of knowing when to use a certain command in a script is more of a right brain activity. I was able to do some of the scripting activities, others I had to do a ton of googling without really understanding why something worked.

I haven't tried any Python in the past month or so, because I was getting discouraged.

If I were learning a programming language for the first time, I'd probably really struggle with learning by a video series alone. Too many concepts skipped.

I spent basically 1 year, ever so slowly working through a college computer science textbook on Java to get the fundamentals down. I've abandoned Java, but going through that helped enormously in picking up other programming languages like Python. The class lectures weren't much help and I learned probably 90% from the textbook alone.

If I may, I suggest ditching the video courses that skip many fundamental concepts and get a college textbook on intro to programming or computer science. Something thick but well written -- like 500+ pages so you get a solid deep dive.
Something like "Introduction to Programming Using Python" by Y. Daniel Ling. That one is from 2013, so you can get it practically for free with no college textbook racketeering prices for a textbook currently being assigned as class reading material.

chrisone

NoStarch has great python material. Don't forget "courses" come in books as well.

Python Crash Course - Is a great book.

Serious Python - Seems to be promising, I pre-ordered this book.

Automate the boring stuff - looks to have good nuggets.

BlackHat Python - If you are into security, this is a must have.

SaltyHashes

After you have gotten the hang of Python, consider taking Microsoft's MTA certification - Introduction to Programming Using Python:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-98-381.aspx

NavyMooseCCNA

yoba222 wrote: »

If I were learning a programming language for the first time, I'd probably really struggle with learning by a video series alone. Too many concepts skipped.

I spent basically 1 year, ever so slowly working through a college computer science textbook on Java to get the fundamentals down. I've abandoned Java, but going through that helped enormously in picking up other programming languages like Python. The class lectures weren't much help and I learned probably 90% from the textbook alone.

If I may, I suggest ditching the video courses that skip many fundamental concepts and get a college textbook on intro to programming or computer science. Something thick but well written -- like 500+ pages so you get a solid deep dive.
Something like "Introduction to Programming Using Python" by Y. Daniel Ling. That one is from 2013, so you can get it practically for free with no college textbook racketeering prices for a textbook currently being assigned as class reading material.

I found an "economy" version of Ling's book on Amazon for very short money. The PDF of the text book I saw look quite detailed. Thank you for the recommendation.

NavyMooseCCNA

chrisone wrote: »

NoStarch has great python material. Don't forget "courses" come in books as well.

Python Crash Course - Is a great book.

Serious Python - Seems to be promising, I pre-ordered this book.

Automate the boring stuff - looks to have good nuggets.

BlackHat Python - If you are into security, this is a must have.

I have a copy of "Blackhat Python" I haven't done a deep dive on it. I'm sure I will get into it while studying for the PenTest+ exam.

A10

Hi

Free python training. Thanks to HUKD. Limited Time.


https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/15-python-courses-for-free-udemy-3077425

Thanks

mzx380

chrisone wrote: »

NoStarch has great python material. Don't forget "courses" come in books as well.

Python Crash Course - Is a great book.

Serious Python - Seems to be promising, I pre-ordered this book.

Automate the boring stuff - looks to have good nuggets.

BlackHat Python - If you are into security, this is a must have.

I would love to get your take on these books. Would really like to be more fluent in Python but I'm more of an intermediate script-er than a programmer. Any book to help as a starting point for my learning would be appreciated.

STANLY_CC

Stanly CC now offers PROGRAMMING ESSENTIALS WITH PYTHON through the Cisco Networking Academy.  Classes start May 22.  See our IT Academy webpage at https://www.stanly.edu/it-academy

Spiegel

STANLY_CC said:

Stanly CC now offers PROGRAMMING ESSENTIALS WITH PYTHON through the Cisco Networking Academy.  Classes start May 22.  See our IT Academy webpage at https://www.stanly.edu/it-academy

Found that class on NetAcad and started working through the modules. Glad this is being offered for free.