Comprehensive Python Tutorial for Beginners

This tutorial will walk you through the basics of Python, from variables to functions, with plenty of code examples. This is a great starting point for your programming journey.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Python
2. Variables and Data Types
3. Operators
4. Control Flow
   1. If-elif-else-statements
   2. For Loop
5. Functions
6. Data Structures
   1. Lists
   2. Dictionaries
7. Conclusion

Introduction to Python

Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language known for its readability and simplicity. It’s a great language for beginners and is widely used in web development, data science, artificial intelligence, and more.

“Python is an experiment in how much freedom programmers need. Too much freedom and nobody can read another’s code; too little and expressiveness is endangered.” - Guido van Rossum, creator of Python.

Image by Clément H. on Unsplash

Variables and Data Types

Variables are used to store data. Python has several built-in data types.

• String: for text.
• Integer: for whole numbers.
• Float: for decimal numbers.
• Boolean: for True or False values.

# A variable holding a string
greeting = "Hello, World!"

# An integer variable
age = 25

# A float variable
pi = 3.14159

# A boolean variable
is_learning = True

print(greeting)
print(age)
print(pi)
print(is_learning)

Operators

Python supports various operators for performing operations on variables and values.

Control Flow

Control flow statements allow you to control the execution of your code.

if-elif-else Statements

These are used for decision making.

x = 10

if x > 10:
    print("x is greater than 10")
elif x < 10:
    print("x is less than 10")
else:
    print("x is equal to 10")

for loop

Used for iterating over a sequence (like a list or a string).

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
for fruit in fruits:
    print(fruit)

Functions

Functions are blocks of reusable code.

def greet(name):
    """This function greets the person passed in as a parameter."""
    return f"Hello, {name}!"

message = greet("Alice")
print(message)

Data Structures

Python provides several built-in data structures.

Lists

A list is a collection which is ordered and changeable. Allows duplicate members.

my_list = [1, "hello", 3.4]
my_list.append("new item")
print(my_list)

Dictionaries

A dictionary is a collection which is unordered, changeable and indexed. No duplicate members.

my_dict = {
    "name": "John",
    "age": 30
}
print(my_dict["name"])

Conclusion

This tutorial covered the very basics of Python. There is much more to learn, but you now have a solid foundation. Keep practicing, and you’ll become a proficient Python programmer.

For more information, visit the official Python documentation.

Happy Coding!