Getting Started with Python for Non-Developers (TTPS4803)

Course Objectives

Learning Objectives

This course combines expert lecture, real-world demonstrations and group discussions with machine-based practical labs and exercises.  Our engaging instructors and mentors are highly experienced practitioners who bring years of current "on-the-job" experience into every classroom.  Throughout the hands-on course, you’ll learn to write essential Python scripts using the most current and efficient skills, best practices and techniques. 

Working in a hands-on learning environment, guided by our expert team, you’ll learn to:

• Thinking as a Software Developer, including coding logic and structures
• Create working Python scripts following best practices
• Use python data types appropriately
• Read and write files with both text and binary data
• Search and replace text with regular expressions
• Get familiar with the standard library and its work-saving modules
• Create "real-world", basic level professional Python applications
• Know when to use collections such as lists, dictionaries, and sets
• Understand Pythonic features such as comprehensions and iterators
• Write robust code using exception handling

Need different skills or topics?  If your team requires different topics or tools, additional skills or custom approach, this course may be further adjusted to accommodate.  We offer additional python, web development, data science, machine learning and other related topics that may be blended with this course for a track that best suits your needs. Our team will collaborate with you to understand your needs and will target the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals.

Course Prerequisites

Audience & Pre-Requisites

This basic level course provides an excellent kick start for users new to Python and scripting or programming, enabling them to use basic Python skills on the job in a variety of ways.  This in a basic-level Python course geared for student who are new to Software Development and use Python in projects, or  system administrators and web site administrators who want to use Python to support their server installations, as well as anyone else who wants to automate or simplify common tasks with the use of Python scripts.

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Ability to use computers to start programs, open and save files, navigate application menus and interfaces
• Ability to understand logical concepts such as comparisons
• Understand number theory
• Ability to create, understand, and follow structured directions or step-by-step procedures
• Ability to understand and apply abstract concepts to concrete examples

Take Instead: We offer other flavors of Python courses for specific needs and audience levels depending on student roles and goals:

• TTPS4800      Introduction to Python Programming Basics (3 days)
• TTPS4803      Getting Started with Python for Non-Developers (4 days)
• TTPS4820      Mastering Python / Practical Python Boot Camp (5 days)
• TTPS4824      Python for Network / System Administrators (4 days)- introductory level for networking as opposed to web focus
• TTPS4873      Introduction to Python for Data Science (3 days) – Jumpstart style course with data science focus
• TTPS4874      Applied Python for Data Science & Engineering (4 days) – introductory level with depth for data focus for engineers
• TTPS4894      Python for Security Professionals (4 days) – introductory level with security focus
  
  Follow On Courses:  Our Python tracks include a wide variety of courses and learning paths for leveraging intermediate Python for next-level web development, data science / machine learning, networking, task automation, security and other topics. Please see the our Python Journey Training Suite list of courses, or inquire for recommendations based on your specific role and goals. Python Journey Training Suite list of courses, or inquire for recommendations based on your specific role and goals.

Enhanced Learning Services: Please also ask about our Pre-Training Class OnRamp & Prep / Primer offerings, Skills Gap Assessment Services, Case Studies, Knowledge Check Quizzes, Skills Immersion Programs & Camps, Collaborative Mentoring Services and Extended Learning Support & Post Training services.

Course Agenda

1. An Overview of Software Development

• Thinking as a developer
• Pseudocode as a design tool
• Analysis – Understanding the problem
• Design – creating the solution
• Let’s Get Hands-On: Scripting and programming basics

2. An Overview of Python

• What is python?
• Python Timeline
• Advantages/Disadvantages of Python
• Getting help with pydoc

3. Python Quick View

• What is Python?
• Python timeline
• Advantages/disadvantages
• Installing Python
• Getting help

4. The Python Environment

• Starting Python
• Using the interpreter
• Running a Python script
• Editors and IDEs

5. Getting Started with Python

• Using variables
• Builtin functions
• String data
• Numeric data
• Converting types
• Console input/output
• Command line parameters

6. Flow Control

• About flow control
• The if statement
• Relational and Boolean operators
• while loops
• Exiting from loops

7. Array types

• About array types
• Lists and list methods
• Tuples
• Indexing and slicing
• Iterating through a sequence
• Sequence functions, keywords, and operators
• List comprehensions and generators

8. Working with files

• File overview
• Opening a text file
• Reading a text file
• Writing to a text file

9. Dictionaries and Sets

• About dictionaries
• Creating dictionaries
• Iterating through a dictionary
• About sets
• Creating sets
• Working with sets

10. Functions

• Defining functions
• Returning values
• Parameters and arguments
• Variable scope

11. Sorting

• The sorted() function
• Custom sort keys
• Lambda functions
• Sorting in reverse
• Using min() and max()

12. Errors and Exception Handling

• Exceptions
• Using try/catch/else/finally
• Handling multiple exceptions
• Ignoring exceptions

13. Modules and packages

• Creating Modules
• The import statement
• Module search path
• Using packages
• Function and module aliases

14. Getting Started with Object Oriented Programming and Classes

• About object-oriented programming
• Defining classes
• Constructors
• Understanding self
• Properties
• Instance Methods and data
• Class methods and data
• Inheritance

Trivera’s AfterCourseExtras

• Additional Resources & Support
• Practicing Your Skills: Hands-on Python Journey

Course Materials

Student Materials: Each participant will receive a digital Student Guide and/or Course Notes, code samples, software tutorials, step-by-step written lab instructions (as applicable), diagrams and related reference materials and resource links. Students will also receive the project files (or code, if applicable) and solutions required for the hands-on work.

Hands-On Setup Made Simple! Our dedicated tech team will work with you to ensure our ‘easy-access’ cloud-based course environment, or local installation, is accessible, fully-tested and verified as ready to go well in advance of the course start date, ensuring a smooth start to class and effective learning experience for all participants. In some cases we can also help you install this course locally if preferred. Please inquire for details and options.

Every-Course Extras = High-Value & Long-Term Learning Support! All Public Schedule courses include our unique EveryCourse Extras package (Course Recordings, Live Instructor Follow-on Support, Free *Live* Course Refresh Re-Takes, early access to Special Offers, Free Courses & more). Please inquire for details.