Learn From 2022's Most Popular Python Tutorials and Courses

Get Your Questions Answered

You’ll find that all Real Python tutorials are well researched, with in-depth information. But sometimes, you’re in the thick of a project, and you need a quick answer before going back to coding. Throughout 2022, you’ve seen several tutorials that focus on getting you quickly up to speed on one topic.

How-to and question-and-answer articles are some of our new formats. The following are some of the popular examples from the last year:

• How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring
• Why Is It Important to Close Files in Python?
• What Does if __name__ == "__main__" Do in Python?

But maybe, instead of asking questions, you’re studying the fundamentals. There are plenty of tutorials to get you started on your Python journey!

Learn the Basics

The latest edition of the Python Basics book was published in 2021. This practical introduction to Python covers all the fundamentals from scratch, including how to set up Python and write your first program. You’ll also learn about strings, numbers, lists, dictionaries, and how you use functions, loops, and conditional logic to control the flow of your program.

We’re adapting the Python Basics book into a series of video courses. Many of these courses are already available, including these three:

• Python Basics: Code Your First Python Program
• Python Basics: Scopes
• Python Basics: Finding and Fixing Code Bugs

You can find all the Python Basics video courses in their designated learning path. There, you’ll also find quizzes so that you can check your understanding of key concepts. The list of courses will continue to grow in 2023, so remember to check back later.

Go Deep

Sometimes one article just isn’t enough. One recurring topic in 2022 has been the development of Python 3.11 and its new features, which you can read about in the Python 3.11 preview series. Additionally, you can explore how to work with a Python REST API or how to build a Twitter-like social network with Django in two other tutorial series.

Go deeper by immersing yourself in the following tutorial series:

• Python 3.11 Previews: Even Better Error Messages, Task and Exception Groups, and TOML and tomllib
• Python REST APIs With Flask, Connexion, and SQLAlchemy: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
• Build a Social Network With Django: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4

If you enjoyed building your own social network application, then you might also want to try other projects. You’re in luck—Real Python published several step-by-step projects in 2022!

Build It Yourself

Working through a step-by-step project gives you hands-on experience with pulling together different concepts and practicing what you’ve learned in other tutorials. In the project-based tutorials, you’re guided step-by-step through a complete project. During each step, you’ll improve your code and iterate toward a useful end product.

Some of the most popular step-by-step projects from 2022 were the following:

• Manage Your To-Do Lists Using Python and Django
• Build Your Python Project Documentation With MkDocs
• Build a Quiz Application With Python

If you like these projects, then check out the complete list of project-based tutorials. As you spend more time with Python, you’ll want to make your setup more comfortable. You can do that with Real Python too!

Code Comfortably

An important aspect of working with a programming language is knowing how to set up your environment so you can work most effectively. Additionally, you’ll want to use tried-and-true third-party libraries that can help you get your job done more quickly and safely. Knowing how to use virtual environments to avoid version conflicts between your various projects’ dependencies can save you lots of headaches.

With the following guides, you’ll learn how to set up and work with Python more comfortably:

• Your Python Coding Environment on Windows: Setup Guide
• Python Virtual Environments: A Primer
• Using Python’s pip to Manage Your Projects’ Dependencies

With your environment ready to go, it’s time to join the conversation. Sometimes, the best way to learn is by talking through challenges.

Talk About Code

A code conversation is a new kind of video course that we experimented with at Real Python over the last year. These conversations are less formal and more exploratory in nature than the regular courses. In these videos, you’ll get to know the instructors as they take you on various journeys to discover Python’s inner workings.

Some of the code conversations that premiered in 2022 were the following:

• Everyday Project Packaging With pyproject.toml
• Exploring Scopes and Closures in Python
• Refactoring: Prepare Your Code to Get Help

You’ll be treated to new code conversations in 2023. But you don’t have to wait to look under the hood of Python!

Learn Algorithms and Data Structures

Python is a high-level language that you can use and enjoy without necessarily caring about lower-level details like how integers are represented or how lists are sorted. That said, some knowledge about classical computer science topics like algorithms and data structures may still be useful and is certainly interesting.

Over the last year, you’ve had the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of hash tables, stacks, and queues:

• Build a Hash Table in Python With TDD
• Python Stacks, Queues, and Priority Queues in Practice
• Build a Tic-Tac-Toe Game Engine With an AI Player in Python

There are many beautiful algorithms. Still, you might be interested in more visual creations.

Make It Beautiful

Even though computer graphics isn’t Python’s forte, many third-party libraries let you create beautiful graphics, images, and visualizations. For many use cases, Python can cover all your needs.

The following tutorials show different examples of how you can create beautiful images:

• Image Processing With the Python Pillow Library
• Draw the Mandelbrot Set in Python
• Top Python Game Engines

The Python community is always innovating and creating new tools, including ones for image generation. Throughout the last year, several new tools for a variety of programming needs became available.

Try Out the Latest Tools

One reason for Python’s popularity is its dominant role in the machine learning space. Both text and image generation models made headlines in 2022, and you can play with these technologies using Python. PyScript was one of the big announcements at PyCon US in April 2022. This new framework allows you to run Python directly in your browser.

Learn more about this and other new technologies in our tutorials:

• A First Look at PyScript: Python in the Web Browser
• GitHub Copilot: Fly With Python at the Speed of Thought
• Generate Images With DALL·E 2 and the OpenAI API

You can also keep up with what’s happening in the Python community by reading our regular news articles and subscribing to our newsletter:

Work With the Web

The Real Python video courses cover a wide range of topics. Many of our most popular courses in 2022 looked at different web frameworks like Django, Flask, and FastAPI. These are all powerful and complex technologies that you can explore together with our instructors.

If you want to learn more about web development with Python, then check out the following video courses:

• Python REST APIs With FastAPI
• Deploy Your Python Script on the Web With Flask
• Sneaky REST APIs With Django Ninja

When doing any kind of development, including working with web frameworks, you should invest some time in learning how to work most efficiently.

Work Effectively

When learning to program, most of your focus is on, well, learning to program. Related skills like debugging, handling errors, and documenting your code are sometimes overlooked. But being comfortable with all aspects of programming can save you a lot of frustration and will help you be more efficient.

The following list of tutorials is a good starting point for rounding out your skill set:

• Python’s assert: Debug and Test Your Code Like a Pro
• LBYL vs EAFP: Preventing or Handling Errors in Python
• Python’s doctest: Document and Test Your Code at Once

Even if you mostly do Python programming, it’s useful to know about some related technologies as well.

Interact With the World Outside Python

Python is a capable general-purpose programming language. You can solve most of your challenges using only Python, even when they involve different technologies like the Web or microcontrollers. Still, it’s useful to be acquainted with other tools and languages. For example, when working with one of the web frameworks, it’s often good to know the basics of HTML and CSS.

Learn about Jinja, HTML, CSS, and Power BI—and how they relate to Python—in the following tutorials:

• Primer on Jinja Templating
• HTML and CSS for Python Developers
• Microsoft Power BI and Python: Two Superpowers Combined

Python often works well when integrating with other languages and technologies. In these tutorials, you’ll explore some examples of how to combine the strengths of several tools to gain new superpowers.

Conclusion

This has been an exciting year at Real Python, with popular tutorials and courses on a wide range of topics. We hope you’ve enjoyed and learned from all the material. Which ones were your favorites? What do you want to learn more about in 2023? Let us know in the comments below.