Python Basics

Get a jump-start on your Python career with our tutorials designed for beginners.

On this page you’ll find fundamental concepts for Python beginners that will help you get started on your journey to learn Python. These tutorials focus on the absolutely essential things you need to know about Python.

We’re super passionate about teaching with articles and tutorials here on realpython.com—and we’d love to help you, too! Once you’re ready to move on to the next stage, check out our intermediate Python tutorials.

Free Bonus: Python Cheat Sheet

Get a Python Cheat Sheet (PDF) and learn the basics of Python 3, like working with data types, dictionaries, lists, and Python functions:

The Best Way to Get Started

The best way to get started is with our Python Basics Book:

Python Basics Book

Learning Path

Python Basics Book

19 Resources ⋅ Skills: Python 3 Fundamentals, Real-World Projects

Python Basics is for people who want to learn Python programming—whether you are a complete beginner to programming, or a developer with experience in another language.

Operators and Expressions in Python

Python's "in" and "not in" Operators: Check for Membership

basics best-practices python

Python Basics: Dictionaries

Python Basics: Dictionaries

Dec 06, 2022 basics python

Advent of Code

Advent of Code: Solving Your Puzzles With Python

Nov 30, 2022 basics testing

Python Basics: Scopes

Python Basics: Scopes

Nov 01, 2022 basics python

Python Basics: Numbers and Math

Python Basics: Numbers and Math

Oct 18, 2022 basics python

Python Basics: Strings and String Methods

Python Basics: Strings and String Methods

Oct 04, 2022 basics python

How to Add Python to PATH

How to Add Python to PATH

Sep 26, 2022 basics python

How to Replace a String in Python

How to Replace a String in Python

Sep 14, 2022 basics best-practices

Python Basics: Conditional Logic & Control Flow

Python Basics: Conditional Logic and Control Flow

Sep 13, 2022 basics python

HTML and CSS for Python Developers

HTML and CSS for Python Developers

Sep 07, 2022 basics django flask front-end web-dev

Python Basics: Functions and Loops

Python Basics: Functions and Loops

Aug 30, 2022 basics python

How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

Aug 22, 2022 basics best-practices

How to Find the Absolute Value in Python

How to Find an Absolute Value in Python

Aug 17, 2022 basics python

Python Basics: Finding and Fixing Code Bugs

Python Basics: Finding and Fixing Code Bugs

Aug 02, 2022 basics python

Your Python Coding Environment on Windows: Setup Guide

Your Python Coding Environment on Windows: Setup Guide

Jul 25, 2022 basics python tools

Using the "not" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the Python not Operator

Jul 19, 2022 basics python

NumPy's max() and maximum(): Find Extreme Values in Arrays

NumPy's max() and maximum(): Find Extreme Values in Arrays

Jul 13, 2022 basics data-science

Using the "and" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the Python and Operator

Jul 05, 2022 basics best-practices python

How Can You Emulate Do-While Loops in Python?

How Can You Emulate Do-While Loops in Python?

Jun 20, 2022 basics best-practices python

Build Your Python Project Documentation With MkDocs

Build Your Python Project Documentation With MkDocs

Jun 15, 2022 basics projects python

Build a Quiz Application With Python

Build a Quiz Application With Python

Jun 08, 2022 basics projects

Top Python Game Engines

Top Python Game Engines

May 04, 2022 basics gamedev

Python's min() and max(): Find Smallest and Largest Values

Python's min() and max(): Find Smallest and Largest Values

May 02, 2022 basics python

Python Keywords: An Introduction

Exploring Keywords in Python

Apr 12, 2022 basics python

Use FastAPI to Build Web APIs

Python REST APIs With FastAPI

Apr 05, 2022 api basics web-dev

Python GUI Programming With Tkinter

Python GUI Programming With Tkinter

Mar 30, 2022 basics gui python

Python Basics: Code Your First Python Program

Python Basics: Code Your First Python Program

Mar 22, 2022 basics python

Python's Counter: The Pythonic Way to Count Objects

Counting With Python's Counter

Mar 08, 2022 basics python

Manage Your To-Do Lists Using Python and Django

Manage Your To-Do Lists Using Python and Django

Mar 02, 2022 basics django projects web-dev

Python any(): Powered Up Boolean Function

Python any(): Powered Up Boolean Function

Feb 15, 2022 basics python

Python's all(): Check Your Iterables for Truthiness

Python's all(): Check Your Iterables for Truthiness

Feb 09, 2022 basics best-practices python

Using Python Optional Arguments When Defining Functions

Defining Python Functions With Optional Arguments

Feb 08, 2022 basics python

Using Python's pip to Manage Your Projects' Dependencies

Using Python's pip to Manage Your Projects' Dependencies

Feb 02, 2022 basics tools

Using the len() Function in Python

Python's len() Function

Feb 01, 2022 basics python

Raining Outside? Build a Weather CLI App With Python

Raining Outside? Build a Weather CLI App With Python

Jan 26, 2022 api basics

Python enumerate(): Simplify Looping With Counters

Looping With Python enumerate()

Jan 25, 2022 basics best-practices

Build a Dice-Rolling Application With Python

Build a Dice-Rolling Application With Python

Jan 19, 2022 basics projects python

Getting Started With Python IDLE

Starting With Python IDLE

Jan 18, 2022 basics python

An Introduction to Python Exceptions

Raising and Handling Python Exceptions

Dec 21, 2021 basics python

Python's .append(): Add Items to Your Lists in Place

Building Lists With Python's .append()

Basic Input, Output, and String Formatting in Python

Reading Input and Writing Output in Python

Python Best Practices Artwork

Writing Idiomatic Python

basics best-practices python

Using the "not" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the "not" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the len() Function in Python

Using the len() Function in Python

Representing Rational Numbers With Python Fractions

Representing Rational Numbers With Python Fractions

Python's sum(): The Pythonic Way to Sum Values

Python's sum(): The Pythonic Way to Sum Values

Make Your First Python Game: Rock, Paper, Scissors!

Rock, Paper, Scissors With Python: A Command Line Game

basics gamedev python

Reverse Strings in Python: reversed(), Slicing, and More

Reverse Strings in Python: reversed(), Slicing, and More

basics best-practices python