Learn Python with Free Tutorials, Videos, and Challenges

Python has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most loved and in-demand programming languages. And for good reason – Python is powerful yet beginner-friendly, versatile, and has a huge ecosystem of libraries and frameworks. If you‘re looking to add a valuable skill to your resume, Python is a fantastic choice.

The great news is you don‘t have to spend a dime to start learning Python. There is a wealth of free tutorials, video courses, interactive coding challenges, and open source projects out there. As an experienced Python developer, I‘ll share with you some of the best free resources to jumpstart your Python journey.

Why Learn Python?

Before we dive into the resources, let‘s look at a few reasons why Python is worth learning:

1. Beginner-friendly – Python has a clean and intuitive syntax that reads almost like plain English. This makes it much easier for beginners to pick up compared to more verbose languages like Java. At the same time, Python is a fully-fledged programming language suitable for large, complex applications.

2. Versatile – Python is a general-purpose language used for everything from web development, data analysis and visualization, machine learning, to scripting and automation. Master Python and you‘ll be able to build all kinds of interesting projects.

3. Huge ecosystem – Python has a vast standard library and even more third-party packages available on the Python Package Index (PyPi). Whether you need to interact with APIs, crunch data, or build a web app, chances are there‘s a Python package for that. Some popular ones include NumPy, Pandas, Requests, Django and Flask.

4. In demand – Many top tech companies like Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Dropbox use Python extensively. Python developers are sought after and command high salaries. It‘s a very marketable skill to have.

Hopefully you‘re convinced that Python is worth investing time into. Let‘s check out some of the best free resources to learn Python.

Best Free Python Tutorials

If you‘re completely new to Python and programming in general, tutorials are a great way to get started. They introduce you to core programming concepts in a structured way and hold your hand through the basics. Here are some of the best free Python tutorials:

1. Learn Python – This free interactive Python tutorial is great for absolute beginners. It covers all the fundamentals in an easy-to-follow format with plenty of examples and exercises along the way.

2. Google‘s Python Class – Google has open sourced its Python training material originally developed for its employees. It includes lecture videos, exercises and solutions. The content is geared more towards people who have done some programming before.

3. Automate the Boring Stuff with Python – If you find learning the basics a bit dry, this free online book injects some fun into the process. It teaches Python by showing you how to write programs to automate tedious tasks like filling out web forms or renaming files.

4. Think Python – Here‘s another well-written, free Python book for beginners. It provides a comprehensive introduction to Python and touches on some more advanced concepts like object-oriented programming. A great resource to solidify your fundamentals.

The official Python documentation also has a tutorial that provides a good overview, but it‘s a bit more concise and may be better as a reference rather than a first Python learning resource.

Python Video Courses

If you prefer to learn by watching instructional videos, there are plenty of free Python video courses to choose from:

1. FreeCodeCamp‘s Python Tutorial – This highly-rated 4-hour course provides a great introduction to Python. It‘s clear, engaging and you‘ll build a good foundation to further your learning.

2. Python for Everybody – This popular Python course by Dr. Charles Severance from the University of Michigan is available for free on YouTube. It‘s based on his open source book "Python for Everybody" and provides a comprehensive intro to the language.

3. Programming with Mosh – This well-structured 6-hour Python course teaches you the basics in a clear and concise manner with a good dose of humor. You‘ll get a solid foundation to build upon.

4. Automate the Boring Stuff with Python – This highly-rated free course is based on the book of the same name mentioned earlier. It‘s a fun and unique approach to learning Python by automating tedious tasks.

There are many more quality free Python courses out there, but these are some of the best ones to start with based on my experience and reviews from other learners.

Interactive Python Coding Challenges

Reading tutorials and watching videos will teach you the Python syntax and concepts, but to really internalize your knowledge, you need to practice coding. Luckily, there are several great platforms that let you solve Python coding challenges right in your browser. Here are a few of the best:

1. HackerRank – HackerRank has a large collection of Python challenges organized by difficulty and concept. It‘s a great way to practice your Python skills and prep for coding interviews too.

2. Codewars – On Codewars, you solve increasingly difficult Python coding challenges called "kata". It‘s almost like a game where you level up your coding skills. The nice thing is you can compare your solution with others after solving a challenge.

3. Codecademy – Codecademy offers free Python courses that teach you the fundamentals through interactive, browser-based coding exercises. It‘s a fun and easy way to apply what you‘re learning.

4. Exercism – Exercism provides a large collection of Python exercises and projects that increase in difficulty. What‘s unique is you download the exercises, solve them locally on your machine with your chosen code editor, and then upload your solution which can then be reviewed by others.

Regularly practicing Python coding challenges will help solidify your knowledge, get you comfortable with the language, and give you confidence in your new skills.

Learning Python Web Frameworks

With a solid foundation in core Python, you may want to explore using the language for web development. Python has several powerful web frameworks like Django and Flask that make it easy to build web applications quickly.

Here are some great free resources for learning Django and Flask:

Django:

• Official Django Tutorial – The official Django documentation has a great tutorial that introduces you to the framework by building a basic poll application.
• Django Girls Tutorial – This beginner-friendly tutorial shows you how to build a blog application with Django, teaching you the basics of the framework along the way.
• Corey Schafer‘s Django Tutorials – This YouTube playlist provides in-depth Django tutorials covering everything from setting up a development environment to deploying your application.

Flask:

• Official Flask Tutorial – The official Flask documentation has a step-by-step tutorial on building a basic blogging application with user registration, login, and more.
• Miguel Grinberg‘s Flask Mega-Tutorial – This comprehensive tutorial walks you through building a complete social blogging application with Flask, teaching you best practices along the way.
• FreeCodeCamp‘s Learn Flask for Python – This free YouTube course provides a great introduction to Flask, showing you how to set up routes, templates, web forms, databases and more.

These resources will give you a solid foundation in Django or Flask so you can start building your own web applications with Python.

Interesting Python Projects to Build

One of the best ways to learn Python is to build projects, and there‘s no shortage of interesting project ideas. Here are a few examples:

1. Web Scraper – Write a Python script to scrape data from a website, like product prices or stock tickers. You can use libraries like BeautifulSoup and Requests to make this easier.

2. Twitter Bot – Create a Twitter bot that automatically tweets, retweets, or likes tweets based on certain keywords or criteria. The Tweepy library makes it straightforward to interact with the Twitter API using Python.

3. Weather App – Build a command line or GUI application that fetches and displays the current weather for a given location using an API like OpenWeatherMap.

4. Web App – Use a Python web framework like Django or Flask to build a functional web application like a blog, task manager, or URL shortener.

5. Machine Learning Project – If you‘re interested in data science and AI, you can use Python libraries like NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib and Scikit-learn to analyze a dataset and build a predictive model. Kaggle is a great place to find interesting datasets.

Remember, the goal is to practice applying what you‘re learning. Don‘t get too caught up in building the perfect project. The experience gained during the process is what matters.

Python Communities and Forums

As you embark on your Python learning journey, you‘ll inevitably run into obstacles and have questions. Luckily, the Python community is known for being open and welcoming to newcomers. Here are some of the best places to ask questions and interact with other Pythonistas:

• /r/LearnPython – This subreddit is specifically geared towards people learning Python and is a great place to ask beginner questions.
• /r/Python – The main Python subreddit has a larger community and covers a broader range of Python-related topics.
• Stack Overflow – Stack Overflow is a popular Q&A platform for programmers. Make sure to search for your question first before posting as it may have already been answered.
• Python Forum – The official Python forum is a good place to ask questions and interact with other Python developers.

Remember, everyone was a beginner at some point. Don‘t be afraid to ask questions – most people are happy to help!

Conclusion

We covered a lot of ground in this post – from why you should learn Python, to the best free Python tutorials, video courses, coding challenges, web frameworks, project ideas, and communities.

With all of these amazing free resources available, there has never been a better time to learn Python. Whether you‘re a complete beginner or an experienced programmer looking to add a new language to your toolbox, Python is a fantastic choice. It‘s beginner-friendly, versatile, in-demand and has a supportive community.

So what are you waiting for? Pick a resource and start your Python journey today. It won‘t be long before you‘re building your own scripts, web apps, and data visualizations. Stay focused, keep practicing, and most importantly – have fun!

Happy coding!