Python for beginners

This path takes you from your first print to programs that ask for input, calculate with it, make decisions, repeat steps and split their work into functions of their own. Every code box is a small editor in which you can change and run the code; Python runs in your browser, and you do not need to install anything. The first lesson does without code altogether and uses pictures from everyday life to introduce the basic ideas behind every program.

The lessons are followed by exercises in which you write a program yourself. You can unfold hints and a model solution if you get stuck, but try it on your own first, because puzzling it out is where you learn the most. The slides on cutting problems are optional and show the idea behind your own functions from a different angle.

The structure is inspired by Harvard University's CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python; texts, examples and exercises are written for this platform. It has four parts: first programs lay the foundations, decisions let a program react differently depending on the situation, repeating works through every element of a list or as many rounds as needed, and the last part shows how to read error messages and catch errors instead of letting your program crash. Each part ends with a quiz.