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 Cheat Sheet
Python's .__call__() Method: Creating Callable Instances

Python's .__call__() Method: Creating Callable Instances

May 24, 2023 intermediate python

Python Metaclasses and Metaprogramming

Metaclasses in Python

May 16, 2023 advanced python

Using and Creating Global Variables in Your Python Functions

Using and Creating Global Variables in Your Python Functions

May 15, 2023 best-practices intermediate python

Efficient String Concatenation in Python

Efficient String Concatenation in Python

May 03, 2023 basics best-practices python

SOLID Principles: Improve Object-Oriented Design in Python

SOLID Principles: Improve Object-Oriented Design in Python

May 01, 2023 best-practices intermediate python

Python Classes: The Power of Object-Oriented Programming

Python Classes: The Power of Object-Oriented Programming

Apr 26, 2023 intermediate python

Python's assert: Debug and Test Your Code Like a Pro

Using Python's assert to Debug and Test Your Code

Apr 25, 2023 best-practices intermediate python

Python Basics: Installing Packages With pip

Python Basics: Installing Packages With pip

Apr 18, 2023 basics python

Python 3 "pathlib" Module: Taming The Filesystem

Python's pathlib Module: Taming the File System

Apr 17, 2023 intermediate python

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

Using OrderedDict in Python

Apr 11, 2023 intermediate python

Python 3.12 Preview: Ever Better Error Messages

Python 3.12 Preview: Ever Better Error Messages

Apr 05, 2023 intermediate python

Python's del: Remove References From Scopes and Containers

Python's del: Remove References From Scopes and Containers

Apr 03, 2023 basics best-practices python

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

Summing Values the Pythonic Way With sum()

Mar 21, 2023 basics python

Python's Mutable vs Immutable Types: What's the Difference?

Python's Mutable vs Immutable Types: What's the Difference?

Mar 08, 2023 intermediate python

Python's zipfile: Manipulate Your ZIP Files Efficiently

Manipulating ZIP Files With Python

Mar 07, 2023 intermediate python

What's a Python Namespace Package, and What's It For?

What's a Python Namespace Package, and What's It For?

Mar 06, 2023 advanced python

Iterators and Iterables in Python: Run Efficient Iterations

Iterators and Iterables in Python: Run Efficient Iterations

Mar 01, 2023 intermediate python

Write Pythonic and Clean Code With namedtuple

Writing Clean, Pythonic Code With namedtuple

Feb 28, 2023 intermediate python

How to Flush the Output of the Python Print Function

How to Flush the Output of the Python Print Function

Feb 15, 2023 intermediate python

Getters and Setters: Manage Attributes in Python

Getters and Setters in Python

Feb 14, 2023 intermediate python

How to Split a Python List or Iterable Into Chunks

How to Split a Python List or Iterable Into Chunks

Feb 08, 2023 intermediate python

Python Basics: Building Systems With Classes

Python Basics: Building Systems With Classes

Feb 07, 2023 basics python

Python Basics: Object-Oriented Programming

Python Basics: Object-Oriented Programming

Jan 24, 2023 basics python

Python Basics: File System Operations

Python Basics Exercises: File System Operations

Jan 17, 2023 basics python

Python's Assignment Operator: Write Robust Assignments

Python's Assignment Operator: Write Robust Assignments

Jan 16, 2023 best-practices intermediate python

Python Basics: File System Operations

Python Basics: File System Operations

Dec 20, 2022 basics python

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

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

Dec 19, 2022 basics best-practices python

Context Managers and Python's with Statement

Context Managers and Python's with Statement

Dec 13, 2022 intermediate python

How to Build Command Line Interfaces in Python With argparse

Build Command-Line Interfaces With Python's argparse

Dec 07, 2022 intermediate python

Python Basics: Dictionaries

Python Basics: Dictionaries

Dec 06, 2022 basics python

Python 3 "pathlib" Module: Taming The Filesystem

Using Python's pathlib Module

Nov 29, 2022 intermediate python

Getters and Setters: Manage Attributes in Python

Getters and Setters: Manage Attributes in Python

Nov 09, 2022 intermediate python

Python Basics: Scopes

Python Basics: Scopes

Nov 01, 2022 basics python

Python's doctest: Document and Test Your Code at Once

Python's doctest: Document and Test Your Code at Once

Oct 31, 2022 intermediate python testing

Python 3.11: Cool New Features for You to Try

Cool New Features in Python 3.11

Oct 25, 2022 intermediate python

Python 3.11: Cool New Features for You to Try

Python 3.11: Cool New Features for You to Try

Oct 24, 2022 intermediate python

Build a Tic-Tac-Toe Game Engine With an AI Player in Python

Build a Tic-Tac-Toe Game Engine With an AI Player in Python

Oct 19, 2022 advanced best-practices gamedev gui projects python

Python Basics: Numbers and Math

Python Basics: Numbers and Math

Oct 18, 2022 basics python

Providing Multiple Constructors in Your Python Classes

Providing Multiple Constructors in Your Python Classes

Oct 11, 2022 intermediate python

Python Basics: Strings and String Methods

Python Basics: Strings and String Methods

Oct 04, 2022 basics python

Build Enumerations of Constants With Python's Enum

Build Enumerations of Constants With Python's Enum

Oct 03, 2022 intermediate python

Custom Python Strings: Inheriting From str vs UserString

Custom Python Strings: Inheriting From str vs UserString

Sep 28, 2022 intermediate python

Python Basics: Conditional Logic & Control Flow

Python Basics: Conditional Logic and Control Flow

Sep 13, 2022 basics python

Custom Python Lists: Inheriting From list vs UserList

Custom Python Lists: Inheriting From list vs UserList

Sep 12, 2022 intermediate python

Python Basics: Functions and Loops

Python Basics: Functions and Loops

Aug 30, 2022 basics python

Python's exec(): Execute Dynamically Generated Code

Python's exec(): Execute Dynamically Generated Code

Aug 24, 2022 intermediate python

How to Find the Absolute Value in Python

How to Find an Absolute Value in Python

Aug 17, 2022 basics python

Caching in Python Using the LRU Cache Strategy

Caching in Python With lru_cache

Aug 16, 2022 intermediate python