Those interested in expanding their programming skills may want to take an online python course. This is a convenient method of learning more about programming in python, including for beginners, experienced coders, and everyone in between.
What Is Python?
Python is among the most widely used programming languages. Guido van Rossum created it in 1991. Today, programmers regard it as comprehensive, powerful, and easy to use. Python is a scripting language, as it supports multiple programming paradigms and automatic memory management.
Python is noted for its key features, including being open-source, object-oriented, easy to learn, portable and scalable, and high-level. Programmers can also access a vast python library that further simplifies programming.
Why Are Python Skills Increasingly Important? Why Is Python Development a Great Career Track?
Python skills are becoming more important as the world becomes increasingly technology-driven. Development and programming skills, in general, are becoming critical skills. As python is among the most widely used programming languages, this should be a primary area of focus for any aspiring programmer.
Numerous Applications
Python is widely used, which means that learning how to code using it has numerous applications. Python programmers can work with data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, blockchain, websites, games, mobile applications, data processing, data analysis, automated scripts, robotics, and more. This allows programmers to use their python skills while following a career path that interests them.
Excellent Job Outlook
The vast range of applications for python skills ensures that those skills lead to an excellent job outlook. As so many fields need employees familiar with python, the skills are in high demand, meaning it should be fairly easy to find a job.
The following are just some of the job opportunities available for those with python skills:
- (Senior) Data Scientist
- DevOps Engineer
- Full Stack Developer
- GIS Analyst
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Quality Assurance Engineer
- Software Developer
- (Senior) Software Engineer
What Are the Top Tips for Becoming a Python Expert?
Simply taking a course will not make someone a python expert. It is also essential to put in effort and practice. The following tips can help students of all skill levels advance along their path to becoming a python expert:
Practice Using Skill-Appropriate Exercises
Practice is crucial to becoming an expert at any programming language, including python. The important thing for students to remember is to always choose appropriate exercises for their skill level. Trying something too challenging will overwhelm the student. By contrast, taking the time to complete small, simpler exercises cements the basic skills. Remember that even a website, game, or mobile app can be simple enough for a beginner.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Python experts have a great deal of practice. Ideally, programmers should code and work on python every single day. This helps form a habit and ensures sufficient practice. Coding daily will also improve the speed and accuracy of coding. This can prevent errors or at least make mistakes easier to spot in the future.
Take Breaks When Necessary
Successful programmers know that sometimes taking a break can help. This is true during studying, including learning programming. Taking a break while learning can improve focus. A break from coding can allow a programmer’s mind to clear, giving a new perspective to overcome a challenging coding task.
Handwrite Some Code
Just because python coding takes place on the computer does not mean programmers should never write it out by hand. Writing code by hand serves several very important functions:
- Handwriting something increases the ability to retain it long-term.
- Many interviews require applicants to handwrite code on whiteboards.
- Coding in collaborative teams can require handwriting code on whiteboards.
Make Sure Some Practice Sessions Are Interactive
While programmers, especially beginners, should stick to their skill levels, ensuring some practice is interactive is also important. Python experts interact with a Python shell every day. By starting to gain this interactive experience early on, programmers will be more comfortable using it once they gain more skills.
For students with intermediate to advanced skills, the possibilities for practice become significantly greater. Students can take advantage of the open-source nature of python and try to create their own contributions to the library. This gives the opportunity to gain hands-on learning experience.
Have the Right Approach to Debugging
Debugging a program can be frustrating, but all programmers have to deal with it, especially in the beginning. Instead of taking a negative approach to bugs, think of them in a positive light. Look at them as a learning experience or as practice for future bug bounty hunting.
Know How to Ask GOOD Questions
Learning what questions to ask instructors or other senior programmers can make it much easier to learn from them. Remember the acronym “GOOD” when asking a question:
- Give context – Always describe the problem in a clear manner and explain the goals.
- Outline attempted resolutions – Describe or outline the methods already used to try to fix the issue.
- Offer an educated guess – Students should mention what they think the problem may be based on their experience.
- Demonstrate the issue – Demonstrate the problem, including the code, error, or traceback error message.
Consider Teaching
Teaching is an excellent method of learning or cementing understanding. There is no need to be a python expert or have advanced skills to teach. Using this technique can be as simple as teaching someone a concept. There is also the option to teach someone basic concepts as a student learns them. Two simple approaches to doing so include creating short videos and writing a blog.
Find a Community of Programmers
One of the best tools to learn programming is to connect with other programmers. This provides students with people to ask questions to. It also provides opportunities for sharing and learning tips and tricks.
As a bonus, having a community links programmers to people with similar interests with who they can interact. This is important given that programming tends to be solitary. Think of the community as a way to prevent feelings of isolation.
Choose the Course or Training Carefully
Learning python does not require studying at a university or college. Instead, students can take online courses and earn certifications. Most employers will accept skill, experience, and certifications instead of traditional education, such as a bachelor’s degree.
While students can learn python from anywhere, it is easier to become an expert for those who start with a solid educational base. As such, students should find courses from quality providers, such as those on Elektev. To confirm that a course is easy to follow and provides the expected level of education, examine reviews and ratings or look at the number of enrolled students. These are all excellent indicators of the course quality.
Combine Educational Sources
To ensure a well-rounded education in python, it is best to learn from various sources. Start with online courses and supplement that with books, podcasts, and blogs. Consider participating in coding challenges. Students should remember that even python experts can always learn more.
Recommended Python Courses on Elektev
Students who are unsure where to start (or continue) their python education will find numerous courses on Elektev. Below are some of the most useful courses, categorized by skill or experience level. Aspiring python programmers should not be afraid to look at courses in a level they are not quite good at, provided they meet the course prerequisites.
Beginner Courses
Step by Step Rest API Testing Using Python + Pytest + Allure
This course prides itself on being the “best for newbies.” It has a high rating of 4.1 out of 5 and has more than 2,200 enrolled students. The course teaches students how to test rest APIs and covers topics, such as PyTest implementation, Json validations, and python for automation.
At the end of the course, students can automate real-time APIs at an advanced level. They will also understand APIs, including the terminology and best practices.
Build a Backend REST API with Python & Django – Beginner
This beginner-friendly course teaches students all the skills they need to create a REST API. These REST APIs are self-documenting and browsable. It also teaches students how to create local development servers. Students also learn how to create new Django projects using the sqlite database and how to handle login, status updates, and user registration in the REST API.
Learn Python: Python for Beginners
As the name implies, this course is for those new to python and want a good starting point. It assumes that students have no python knowledge or experience. By the end of the course, students can create python programs that are fully functional and can properly execute operations. They will also work with file handling in python, manipulate data and strings, create then modify data structures, and understand user input.
Intermediate Courses
Complete Backend (API) Development With Python A-Z
Intermediate to advanced python programmers will appreciate this online course, which teaches students how to build an API using python. That API is secure, documented, and fast. Some of the other topics covered in the course include stress tests, load balances, best practices, unit testing, API versioning, building a secure backend, HTTPS, and HTTP methods. It includes technologies such as postman, swagger, insomnia, redis, docker, postgresql, ssh, nginx, apache bench, fastapi, and locust.
Create a Web Application With Python + Django + PostgreSQL
Those with some python programming experience who want to expand their skills and learn to build a web application that can interact with databases will appreciate this course. During the course, students create a web application using Django in addition to python. The course also teaches students how to create then store objects using a PostgreSQL database. The database students create interacts with the front end of the web application.
Python Ethical Hacking – Build a Keylogger in Python 3
This course teaches those with python programming experience how to use their skills to code a keylogger for ethical hacking reasons. The course does include a refresher on some beginner concepts, but it will also appeal to more advanced users. During the course, students will write a microphone recorder, code a clipboard logger, convert scripts from python to Windows EXE, code a keylogger, code a screenshot logger, and set up a development environment.
Python Distributed Computing Course: Multithreading in Python & More
This course teaches students the fundamentals of python multithreading and Python Celery. They learn how to build data ingestors for distributed social media, use AWS Simple Queue Service for cloud scaling, carry out distributed tasks using Django and python, and implement communication for message passing between processes in parallel applications. The course can appeal to those with a range of experience levels, including beginners and professionals.
Advanced Courses
Advanced Portfolio Analysis With Python
This course takes programmers proficient at portfolio analysis and brings their skills up to the expert level. This course is practical and involves back-testing by using historical data, asset classes, replicating funds, and benchmark indexes. Following the course, students can approximate global portfolio returns, optimize the asset allocation weights in global portfolios, estimate the benchmark portfolio returns, use the Bonferroni procedure or family-wise error rate to adjust the mean multiple probability values of two populations, and more.
Learn Advanced Python Programming: Advanced Python Course
Students with a base level of python knowledge and experience can take this course to expand those skills. The course covers advanced python programming, including socket programming, magic methods, descriptors, and coroutines. Students also learn how to develop applications that are GUI-based. The course is very extensive and focuses on advanced topics, so students should have a solid understanding of python, along with experience.
Find Python courses today on Elektev, where there are offerings for all skill and experience levels.