Learn Python Programming: An in-depth introduction to the fundamentals of Python

Price: $37.11
(as of Apr 23, 2024 20:25:34 UTC – Details)

Get up and running with Python 3.9 through concise tutorials and practical projects in this fully updated third edition.

Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.

Key Features:

Extensively revised with richer examples, Python 3.9 syntax, and new chapters on APIs and packaging and distributing Python codeDiscover how to think like a Python programmerLearn the fundamentals of Python through real-world projects in API development, GUI programming, and data science

Book Description:

Learn Python Programming, Third Edition is both a theoretical and practical introduction to Python, an extremely flexible and powerful programming language that can be applied to many disciplines. This book will make learning Python easy and give you a thorough understanding of the language. You’ll learn how to write programs, build modern APIs, and work with data by using renowned Python data science libraries.

This revised edition covers the latest updates on API management, packaging applications, and testing. There is also broader coverage of context managers and an updated data science chapter.

The book empowers you to take ownership of writing your software and become independent in fetching the resources you need. You will have a clear idea of where to go and how to build on what you have learned from the book.

Through examples, the book explores a wide range of applications and concludes by building real-world Python projects based on the concepts you have learned.

What You Will Learn:

Get Python up and running on Windows, Mac, and LinuxWrite elegant, reusable, and efficient code in any situationAvoid common pitfalls like duplication, complicated design, and over-engineeringUnderstand when to use the functional or object-oriented approach to programmingBuild a simple API with FastAPI and program GUI applications with TkinterGet an initial overview of more complex topics such as data persistence and cryptographyFetch, clean, and manipulate data, making efficient use of Python’s built-in data structures

Who this book is for:

This book is for everyone who wants to learn Python from scratch, as well as experienced programmers looking for a reference book. Prior knowledge of basic programming concepts will help you follow along, but it’s not a prerequisite.

From the Publisher

What’s new in this third edition of Learn Python Programming?

We removed what we felt didn’t fit anymore and added what we thought would benefit you the most. We have shuffled things around, amended old chapters, and written new ones. We have made sure that both our contributions, and our best ideas, are on each page you read.

In this edition, we have added two brand new chapters: “Introduction to API Development” and “Packaging Python Applications”. The first one introduces the reader to the FastAPI framework, which has allowed us to present a succinct, but complete, API example for you to expand on. The second one introduces you to the concept of packaging and inspires you to create your own libraries, which you will then be able to publish in PyPI.

Additionally, everything has been updated to Python 3.9, but of course most of the code will still work with any recent version of Python 3.

How is this book different from other Python books?

This book is structured in two parts: theory and practice. It offers you a solid foundation in the fundamental features of the Python language and then guides you through projects such as GUI (graphical user interface) programming, data science, API development, and packaging. Perhaps the aspect in which this book most distinguishes itself from the rest is the fact that it encourages you to become empowered by giving you hands-on expertise in Python programming. The book offers plenty of suggestions for you to dig deeper and become independent in the way you fetch information and use it. It encourages you to play with the code, expand it, change it, break it, and see things for yourself.

Another trait that is uncommon is the attempt to present concepts as much as possible in a way that should stand the test of time and stay relevant with changing versions of Python. It promotes a type of learning that should enable you to quickly pick up recent technologies and even new languages.

What’s your favorite part of the book and why?

Heinrich: My favorite part is the final chapter. Building the example project and showing how to package and publish it was a lot of fun. I particularly like how this chapter builds on topics covered in previous chapters and shows how you can use the techniques learned in the book to build fun and useful applications.

Fabrizio: I like the whole book, especially this edition, which I find much more mature and well structured. If I had to pick a part, I would probably say the last few chapters, especially the last two (API and Packaging). The book starts gently but it emphasizes how important it is for you to learn how to develop certain qualities and habits. The last few chapters are a sort of litmus test for you, to check whether you have made that effort.

They provide a beautiful finish to a book that to me has always been more than just another Python book. It’s been an excuse to pass on our experience as developers, as well as our best advice, whenever it was possible to do so.

In one of the hands-on projects in the book, you’ll write a script and a GUI application to scrape the images from this webpage.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Packt Publishing; 3rd ed. edition (October 29, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 554 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1801815097
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1801815093
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.09 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.25 x 7.5 x 1.14 inches