Python Programming Basics Course

Course Introduction

• Course by Beau Carnes with freeCodeCamp.org.
• Complete Python course for beginners, no prior programming experience needed.
• Code in Python using a web browser.
• Python is popular for task automation, web development, data analysis, and more.

Getting Started with Python

• Use Replit.com as an online IDE to start coding immediately.
• Set up Python on a local machine later in the course.

Course Structure

• Begin with simple projects, such as a rock-paper-scissors game.
• Detailed sections on core Python features.
• Final project: a Blackjack game.

Creating a Python Program

Setting Up and Using Replit

• Sign up or log in to Replit using a Google account.
• Create a new Replit for Python programming.
• Interface: code editor, console output, file management.

Writing and Running Code

• Create variables and understand assignment operators.
• Use strings and quotes (single and double) in Python.
• Functions: definition, calling, indentation importance.

Building a Rock Paper Scissors Game

Variables and User Input

• Use input function to receive data from the user.
• Store user input in variables.
• Create functions to organize code.

Using Libraries and Lists

• Import libraries (e.g., random) to extend functionality.
• Utilize lists to store multiple values.

Building Game Logic

• Combine lists and random library for game logic.
• Implement conditional statements (if, elif, else).
• Use loops to iterate through options and check win conditions.

Finalizing the Game

• Implement a function to check the winner.
• Print results using concatenation and F-strings.

Installing Python Locally

• Instructions to download and install Python from python.org.
• Using interactive prompt and setting up Visual Studio Code with Python extension.

Core Python Features

Data Types and Variables

• Strings, integers, floats, and type conversions.
• Expressions and statements in Python.
• Importance of indentation and comments.

Operators

• Arithmetic, comparison, logical, and bitwise operators.
• Identity and membership operators (is, in).

Control Structures

• If, elif, and else statements.
• Loops: for and while.
• Break and continue statements.

Python Data Structures

• Lists: creation, manipulation, and methods (e.g., append, remove).
• Tuples: immutable sequences.
• Dictionaries: key-value pairs and methods.
• Sets: unique collections with set operations.

Functions and Scope

• Function definition, parameters, and return values.
• Global vs local variables, scope.
• Nested functions and closures.

Object-Oriented Programming

• Classes and objects: defining, instantiating, and methods.
• Inheritance and method overriding.

Modules and Libraries

• Importing custom modules and standard libraries (e.g., math, random).
• Overview of Python's standard library.

Advanced Topics

Argument Handling

• Using sys module to handle command-line arguments.
• argparse for more robust argument parsing.

Functional Programming

• Lambda functions: anonymous functions for small calculations.
• Map, filter, reduce: applying functions across collections.

Error Handling

• Try-except blocks to handle exceptions gracefully.
• Raising and customizing exceptions.

Decorators and Docstrings

• Enhancing functions with decorators.
• Using docstrings for documentation.

Final Project: Blackjack Game

Game Structure

• Use classes to represent main components: Card, Deck, Hand.
• Implement game logic with object-oriented principles.

Game Mechanics

• Shuffle and deal cards using the Deck class.
• Handle player actions and game rules in the Hand class.
• Implement a game loop in the Game class to manage rounds.

Final Implementation

• Test the game for different scenarios.
• Ensure game logic handles edge cases (e.g., busting, blackjack).

Conclusion

• Recap of Python programming basics.
• Encouragement to use and expand knowledge for various projects.