Python for Beginners

New to programming? Python is free, and easy to learn if you know where to start! Here are some places that can get you started quickly.

On-line Tutorials

• Instant Hacking
  Learn how to program with Python. By Magnus Lie Hetland.
• A Non-Programmer's Tutorial for Python
  By Josh Cogliati.
• Learning to Program
  An introduction to programming for those who have never programmed before, by Alan Gauld. It introduces several programming languages but has a strong emphasis on Python.
• How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
  The Python version of Allen Downey's open source book, with Jeff Elkner. Hosted by the Open Book Project at Ibiblio - the public's library. (Also at Andamooka.)
• LiveWires
  A set of Python lessons used during 1999 and 2000 children's summer camps in Britain by Richard Crook, Gareth McCaughan, Mark White, and Rhodri James. Aimed at children 12-15 year old.
• Learn to Program using Python
  A tutorial by Richard Baldwin.

Books

• Learn to Program using Python
  By Alan Gauld, author of one of the tutorials above.
• Teach Yourself Python in 24 Hours
  By Ivan van Laningham.

Downloads

You probably need to download Python to run on your computer. You probably have a PC running Windows. Here's a page with the most stable Windows download: Python 2.1.1. If you are using a Mac, see the MacPython page. For other systems, see the general download page.

For Teachers

For materials specifically aimed at teachers, see the home page of the EDU-SIG.

Help!

If you experience problems using Python, and the on-line documentation doesn't help, here are a few suggestions on how to get help from real people:

• comp.lang.python
  The Python users newsgroup, renowned for its friendly and helpful atmosphere. Also accessible via email, as python-list@python.org. See here for more info.
• help@python.org
  The Python help desk. You can ask a group of knowledgeable volunteers questions about all your Python problems. See here for more info.
• tutor@python.org
  A low-volume mailing list for folks who want to ask questions regarding how to learn computer programming with the Python language. See here for more info.

Please don't write the webmaster! The webmaster should only be contacted if you have found a problem with the website, such as a broken link. If you think you've found a bug in Python, it's a good idea to check first with one of the lists above; a complex system like Python can sometimes appear to be broken when you're new at it.