Think Python

If you want to learn how to program, working with Python is an excellent way to start. This hands-on guide takes you through the language one step at a time, beginning with basic programming concepts before moving on to functions, recursion, data structures, and object-oriented design.

Through exercises in each chapter, youll try out programming concepts as you learn them. Think Python is ideal for students at the high school or college level, as well as self-learners, home-schooled students, and professionals who need to learn programming basics.

• Start with the basics, including language syntax and semantics
• Get a clear definition of each programming concept
• Learn values, variables, statements, functions, and data structures in a logical progression
• Discover how to work with files and databases
• Understand objects, methods, and object-oriented programming
• Use debugging techniques to fix syntax, runtime, and semantic errors
• Explore interface design, data structures, and GUI-based programs through case studies

Think Python is an introduction to Python programming for students with no programming experience. It starts with the most basic concepts of programming, and is carefully designed to define all terms when they are first used and to develop each new concept in a logical progression. Larger pieces, like recursion and object-oriented programming are divided into a sequence of smaller steps and introduced over the course of several chapters.

Allen Downey is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Olin College of Engineering. He has taught computer science at Wellesley College, Colby College and U.C. Berkeley. He has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from U.C. Berkeley and Masters and Bachelors degrees from MIT.