Beginner Free 18 hours

Python Fundamentals for Engineers

Learn Python from first principles and build a tested automation tool

Learn Python through the mental models that make real programs predictable: names bound to objects, mutable and immutable data, readable control flow, deliberate collection choices, clear function contracts, safe file handling, modules, classes, testing, and secure input boundaries. The course is command-line first and ends with a complete log-reporting CLI built as an installable, tested project.

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What you will learn

Leave with a working mental model.

  1. 01 Explain Python's names-and-objects model and choose appropriate built-in types
  2. 02 Write readable decisions, loops, functions, and collection transformations
  3. 03 Handle text, bytes, files, errors, and external input safely
  4. 04 Organize code into modules, packages, classes, and dataclasses
  5. 05 Add type hints, logging, and automated tests to a small project
  6. 06 Build a tested command-line log reporting tool from scratch

Before you begin

Prerequisites

  • Comfort using a computer and editing text files
  • Basic command-line familiarity is helpful but not required
  • No previous programming experience is required

Curriculum

Course contents

7 modules · 28 lessons

01 Module 1: Python Mindset and Workspace 4 lessons
  1. 01 What Python Is and When It Fits Preview
  2. 02 Build an Isolated Python Workspace
  3. 03 Names, Objects, and Built-in Types
  4. 04 Operators, Input, and Truthiness
02 Module 2: Control Flow and Reliable Text 4 lessons
  1. 01 Readable Decisions and Loops Preview
  2. 02 Strings, Slices, and Formatting
  3. 03 Unicode Text and Bytes
  4. 04 Lab: Build a Text Record Normalizer
03 Module 3: Collections and Data Transformations 4 lessons
  1. 01 Lists and Tuples: Ordered Data
  2. 02 Sets and Dictionaries: Uniqueness and Lookup Preview
  3. 03 Comprehensions, enumerate, and zip
  4. 04 Lab: Build an Inventory Report
04 Module 4: Functions, Scope, and Contracts 4 lessons
  1. 01 Functions as Clear Interfaces Preview
  2. 02 Scope, Namespaces, and Shared Mutation
  3. 03 Exceptions as Failure Contracts
  4. 04 Type Hints for Everyday Contracts
05 Module 5: Files, Modules, and Objects 4 lessons
  1. 01 Files and Context Managers Preview
  2. 02 Modules, Packages, and Script Entry Points
  3. 03 Classes and Object Responsibilities
  4. 04 Dataclasses for Structured Records
06 Module 6: Testing, Debugging, and Safe Boundaries 4 lessons
  1. 01 Testing Behavior with pytest Preview
  2. 02 Tracebacks, Debuggers, and Logging
  3. 03 Standard Library Tools for CLI Automation
  4. 04 Secure Input, Paths, Subprocesses, and Secrets
07 Module 7: Capstone: A Tested Log Reporting CLI 4 lessons
  1. 01 Capstone Architecture and Project Skeleton Preview
  2. 02 Implement Parsing and Aggregation
  3. 03 Complete the CLI, Tests, and Quality Gates
  4. 04 Package, Document, and Review the Capstone