What Do We Use Python For?
There are many different programming languages, all with different abilities. Python is a very popular general-purpose language. It’s even used by large companies like NetFlix and Instagram.
Being a general-purpose language means that it can do many different jobs. Unlike some other languages, it’s not just focused only on one particular job. It was made to be useful to people who want to do some programming but aren’t professional programmers.
This makes Python a very good language to learn! It’s also a very good place to start if you want to learn other languages in the future.
Python is special because it’s not just a programming language on its own. There are other applications that can be improved with Python!
Have you ever played Minecraft? Did you know that you can use python inside Minecraft? You can use it in the educational edition, or use it to create new worlds and objects.
Have you ever used Blender? It’s used to create 3d models and animated movies. If you learn some Python, you can make it even better.
There’s lots more out there too. You’ll find more as you learn more!
Python is a programming language that’s easy to learn, and can be used for many things
In this guide, we’re going to learn the basics from the ground up. This will give you enough skills to write some programs and to decide if you want to learn more.
I will try my best to make it all very easy to understand. I’m going to assume that you don’t have any programming experience yet. If you have any constructive feedback, please use the comments section at the end of each page.
Environments
There are lots of ways you can use Python. If you already have a Windows computer, you can use that. Some people prefer Linux, which will also work very well.
To begin the installation, look at the Installing Python section below.
If you don’t already have a computer to use, and you’re looking for something to get started with, you might look at the Raspberry Pi. It’s a very cheap computer that’s great for getting started and learning on. You can even connect equipment to it to build more things. One day, I would like to use the Raspberry Pi to build a robot!
Python 2 or 3?
Python has been around since 1991. In the 30 years since then, there have been a lot of improvements.
There are two main versions available now. These are 2 and 3. Version 3 has many improvements over version 2. But this means that projects that were made on version 2 won’t work with version 3.
I mention this to you, as many computers have both versions 2 and 3 installed. This is just so old programs will still work. Sometimes this may cause some confusion.
So let me clear this up now. We will be using version 3 in this guide. If some of the things we’re trying aren’t working for you, make sure you have the right version installed.
Installing Python
Windows
Python can now be installed on Windows!
This guide will show you how.
Linux
Python on Linux has been around for years.
This guide shows you how it’s done.
IDEs
Programming is easier and better if you have an Integrated Development Environment.
Learn more about IDEs
Next…
Next up, we’re going to get right into Python and start using it. The first thing we’re going to do is look at Python’s shell, and give it some (very) simple commands!