Core Python Language Tutorials

This page features all of our “pure Python” tutorials that focus on the core language features.

What is Python?

Python, named after the British comedy group Monty Python, is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. Its flexibility allows it to do many things, both big and small. Python can be used to write simple programs, but it also possesses the full power required to create complex, large-scale enterprise solutions. Some of the ways in which Python is used includes:

Desktop graphical application development, including games;
Mathematical and scientific analysis of data; and
Web and internet development.

Python’s presence in the world of computer programming can be found everywhere. For example, Python is used in some of the largest internet sites on earth - like Reddit, Dropbox, and Youtube, to name a few. The popular Python web framework Django powers both Instagram and Pinterest. LucasFilms’s award winning visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, uses Python to make help make their magic come to life.

It’s easy to forget just how powerful Python is because it’s so easy to learn.

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:

Python's collections: A Buffet of Specialized Data Types

Python's collections: A Buffet of Specialized Data Types

intermediate python

Python's Counter: The Pythonic Way to Count Objects

Python's Counter: The Pythonic Way to Count Objects

Reverse Python Lists: Beyond .reverse() and reversed()

Reverse Python Lists: Beyond .reverse() and reversed()

CPython Internals: Paperback Now Available!

CPython Internals: Paperback Now Available!

advanced community python

Simplify Complex Numbers With Python

Simplify Complex Numbers With Python

Jun 21, 2021 intermediate python

Working With Linear Systems in Python With scipy.linalg

Working With Linear Systems in Python With scipy.linalg

Jun 16, 2021 intermediate python

Python's filter(): Extract Values From Iterables

Python's filter(): Extract Values From Iterables

Jun 09, 2021 best-practices intermediate python

Python Basics Video Course Setup Artwork

Python Basics: Setting Up Python

Jun 08, 2021 basics python

Context Managers and Python's with Statement

Context Managers and Python's with Statement

Jun 02, 2021 intermediate python

How to Use the Python or Operator

Using the Python or Operator

May 18, 2021 basics python

Write Pythonic and Clean Code With namedtuple

Write Pythonic and Clean Code With namedtuple

May 12, 2021 intermediate python

Common Python Data Structures (Guide)

Stacks and Queues: Selecting the Ideal Data Structure

May 11, 2021 basics python

Recursion in Python: An Introduction

Recursion in Python: An Introduction

May 10, 2021 intermediate python

Python's map(): Processing Iterables Without a Loop

Python's map() Function: Transforming Iterables

Apr 27, 2021 basics best-practices python

Start Contributing to Python: Your First Steps

Start Contributing to Python: Your First Steps

Apr 12, 2021 community intermediate projects python

Object-Oriented Programming in Python vs Java

Python vs Java: Object Oriented Programming

Apr 06, 2021 intermediate python

When to Use a List Comprehension in Python

Understanding Python List Comprehensions

Mar 30, 2021 basics python

OrderedDict vs dict in Python: The Right Tool for the Job

OrderedDict vs dict in Python: The Right Tool for the Job

Mar 29, 2021 intermediate python

Common Python Data Structures (Guide)

Records and Sets: Selecting the Ideal Data Structure

Mar 23, 2021 basics python

Introduction to Python 3

Navigating Namespaces and Scope in Python

Mar 02, 2021 basics python

Common Python Data Structures (Guide)

Dictionaries and Arrays: Selecting the Ideal Data Structure

Feb 23, 2021 basics python

Functional Programming in Python: When and How to Use It

Functional Programming in Python: When and How to Use It

Feb 17, 2021 intermediate python

Python Modulo in Practice: How to Use the % Operator

Python Modulo: Using the % Operator

Feb 09, 2021 basics python

Python Inner Functions

Python Inner Functions: What Are They Good For?

Feb 08, 2021 intermediate python

Python's eval(): Evaluating Expressions Dynamically

Evaluate Expressions Dynamically With Python eval()

Jan 26, 2021 intermediate python

How to Use Python: Your First Steps

How to Use Python: Your First Steps

Jan 25, 2021 basics python

C for Python Programmers

C for Python Programmers

Jan 20, 2021 basics python

Sorting Algorithms in Python

Introduction to Sorting Algorithms in Python

Jan 19, 2021 intermediate python

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

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

Jan 18, 2021 basics gamedev python

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

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

Jan 04, 2021 basics python

The Python pickle Module: How to Persist Objects in Python

Serializing Objects With the Python pickle Module

Dec 22, 2020 intermediate python

The pass Statement: How to Do Nothing in Python

The pass Statement: How to Do Nothing in Python

Dec 16, 2020 basics python

The Beginner's Guide to Python Turtle

Python Turtle for Beginners

Dec 15, 2020 basics python

Bitwise Operators in Python

Bitwise Operators in Python

Dec 09, 2020 intermediate python

Memory Management in Python

How Python Manages Memory

Dec 01, 2020 intermediate python

Introduction to Python 3

Formatting Python Strings

Nov 24, 2020 basics python

Introduction to Python 3

Regular Expressions and Building Regexes in Python

Nov 17, 2020 basics python

PyPy: Faster Python With Minimal Effort

PyPy: Faster Python With Minimal Effort

Nov 11, 2020 intermediate python

Using the Python defaultdict Type for Handling Missing Keys

Handling Missing Keys With the Python defaultdict Type

Nov 10, 2020 basics python

Caching in Python Using the LRU Cache Strategy

Caching in Python Using the LRU Cache Strategy

Nov 04, 2020 intermediate python

How to Do a Binary Search in Python

Creating a Binary Search in Python

Oct 27, 2020 intermediate python

Python Modulo in Practice: How to Use the % Operator

Python Modulo in Practice: How to Use the % Operator

Oct 26, 2020 basics python

MicroPython: An Introduction to Programming Hardware in Python

Getting Started With MicroPython

Oct 20, 2020 intermediate python

Python 3.9: Cool New Features

Cool New Features in Python 3.9

Oct 06, 2020 intermediate python

Python 3.9: Cool New Features

Python 3.9: Cool New Features for You to Try

Oct 05, 2020 intermediate python

Python's map(): Processing Iterables Without a Loop

Python's map(): Processing Iterables Without a Loop

Sep 30, 2020 basics best-practices python

The Python return Statement: Usage and Best Practices

The Python return Statement: Usage and Best Practices

Sep 28, 2020 basics best-practices python

Linked Lists in Python: An Introduction

Working With Linked Lists in Python

Sep 22, 2020 intermediate python