Python Day #1: Getting Started with the Basics of Programming
Discover what Python is, why it's beginner-friendly, and how to get started fast. Learn Python basics, data types, and variables—all explained in plain English.
I’m looking for new ways to provide value to my readers and ensure everyone has a fair chance of success in Python so I’d like to go back to my roots.
Over the last 8+ years I’ve been teaching full-time around the world which has given me the opportunity to work with over 1,500+ students. The last four years I’ve been teaching Python full-time.
From private one-on-one’s, group classes all the way to lectures and webinars. I’ve spent his time curating a structured learning path that ensures my students have the greatest chance of success and don’t just learn but actually master Python as well as their logical thinking and problem solving.
I’m going to begin a new series here, every week for all my readers. These articles will be for both my free and paid readers. I’m going to call this: The Python Roadmap for Success.
Each week you’ll be introduced to a new topic in Python, think of this as a mini starter course to get you going and allow you to have a structured roadmap that actually builds to create you a solid foundation in Python.
Each week, I dive deep into Python and beyond, breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. While everyone else gets just a taste, my premium readers get the whole feast! Don't miss out on the full experience – join us today!
In this article we are going to assume this is day one of Python. I’ll touch briefly on what Python is and put a focus on understanding data types and variables as these will be the building blocks of your foundations.
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What is Python?
It’s a type of computer language that people use to talk to computers and tell them what to do. The cool thing about Python is it’s beginner-friendly. It’s not full of confusing symbols or weird rules, so it’s easier to pick up than a lot of other coding languages.
You can use it for all kinds of stuff—building websites, analyzing data, making apps that learn things on their own (like those smart recommendations you get on Netflix), and a bunch more.
And yeah, fun fact—it’s named after the comedy group Monty Python, not the snake, even though the logo is a snake.
But before diving into Python, it helps to get what programming even is. Basically, it’s just writing out instructions that a computer can follow. Like making a to-do list, but instead of giving it to a person, you’re giving it to a computer and expecting it to follow your steps exactly.
Python Data Types
Now, I want to begin this on day one where we know nothing of programming or Python. If you know someone who want’s to get into Python then share this article with them so they can follow along on a structured learning path that builds.
Before you even begin writing programs or attempting to build groundbreaking applications we need to begin with what data can Python process?
These are called “Data Types” and Python has about eight different types of data that we can work with. I’ll go through each of them and touch on their meaning.
Strings: This type of data is simply a sequence of characters or in easier terms, a string is text. They can be letters, numbers, or symbols. For example, "Hello, World!" is a string. But the key takeaway is a string is just “text” and they are stored in a set of quotes.
Integers: Just like in math an Integer is a type of data. An integer is a whole number of any type. Could be 15, 27, 1023, 1. These are all whole numbers or now integers.
Floats: On the other hand we often have more exact types of numbers, these are floats. If an integer is a whole number then a float is a decimal number, that’s it!
Booleans: This is a type of data that can either be True or False. Since computers only understand 0 and 1, or yes and no, these are attributed as True and False.
Lists: This is one of Pythons built-in data structures that allows us to store many different types of data in a single place. We can change a list in many ways and even organize the list exactly how we want. For example my_list = [23,67,98,23,1]
Tuples: Now on the other hand maybe you want to store more than one value, but also want to ensure that is can not be changed in any way. This would be a tuple, a tuple is kind of like a list but you can not add or change it once you make it. For instance here we could say red = (255, 0, 0) for the RGB color red.
Dictionaries: These are like organizers that holds pairs of info. One part is the name (we call that the key), and the other is the actual thing you’re saving (that’s the value). So if you’ve got stuff like countries and their capitals, or people and their phone numbers, a dictionary is perfect. You just ask for the key, and it gives you the answer. Like this: capital = {"Vietnam" : "Hanoi"}
Sets: Now a set is kind of like a list, but it works a little differently. First off, it doesn’t care about order—stuff isn’t saved in any particular way. And second, it doesn’t keep duplicates. Even if a number shows up more than once, the set only keeps it one time. A set would look like this: numbers = {7, 3, 21, 7, 3}.
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How to Store Data in Python
Since I just introduced you to data types in Python, the next logical question would probably be, how do I store data?
That’s a pretty good question. This is where variables come into play in programming. A variable is basically just a “word that holds a value”, that value being a type of data.
You can name a variable anything you’d like and assign it a type of data as the value. But it’s important to keep a few things in mind. For instance, the name of the variable should represent the value that it is holding.
Also a variable name should NEVER start with a number or use any type of weird characters. To name a variable you can use letters, numbers, and underscores.
Here are some basic variables to give you the gist of it all:
The above code could be considered good variable names, these are following all of Python’s best practices. Now let me put a few bad variable names for you all:
The above are bad because the break all the rules for naming variables such as capitalized, starting with a number, spacing, and using illegal characters.
The only other special term to consider is a constant variable. Really a variable is used to hold data that “could” change. But let’s say we have data that we know will stay the same then we could make a content variable.
My name is never going to change… that’s life. So to symbolize this in Python then I can make the entire variable name uppercase. When another developer sees this they will know that this is a constant variable.
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Why Learn Python?
You might be thinking, “Alright, Python sounds interesting, but is it really worth my time?” Fair question—and the answer is yes, big time. Here’s why:
More job options
A ton of companies—big and small—are using it, which means there are a lot of jobs out there for people who know how to use it. Whether you want to work at a huge company or a new startup, knowing Python can really open some doors.
It helps you think better
Learning Python isn’t just about writing code—it actually teaches you how to break things down and think in a more logical way. And that kind of thinking can help you in all kinds of situations, not just with tech stuff.
You can build cool stuff
Got an idea for a game? A website? Something that shows off data in a fun way? Python makes it possible to take those ideas and actually build them. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll start seeing how much you can create on your own.
My Best Starter Resources
Here are the best resources I have to offer to get you started with Python no matter your background! Check these out as they’re bound to maximize your growth in the field.
Code with Josh: This is my YouTube channel where I post videos every week designed to help break things down and help you grow.
Zero to Knowing: My Python Masterclass platform designed from 8 years teaching experience and that has helped over 1,500+ students succeed with Python.
My Books: Maybe you’re looking to get a bit more advanced in Python. I’ve written 3 books to help with that, from Data Analytics, to SQL all the way to Machine Learning.
The Nerd Nook: This is where you are right now! I write here multiple times per week with the sole goal of breaking down this larger than life topic to help you excel and learn Python faster than you thought was possible.
This article will be the first piece to a larger roadmap but will go behind a paywall after 6 weeks! To help support my work in teaching others consider joining as a premium reader to unlock all these articles, monthly Python projects and in-depth dives.
Wrapping Up Lesson One
At first, Python might just look like a bunch of random code, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see it’s actually a super useful tool. You can use it to build your own apps, get into tech jobs, or even just understand how the stuff around us works.
We went over what Python is, the kinds of data it can work with, and how to store that data using variables. It might feel like a lot right now, but don’t worry—just take it slow, one step at a time. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is a great place to begin.
Keep at it, keep messing around with it, and you’ll be amazed at what you’re able to do. You’re just getting started—and if you’re still interested and want to keep learning, you’re already on the right track.
Let’s keep moving forward with Day #2 next week.
Hope you all have an amazing week nerds ~ Josh (Chief Nerd Officer 🤓)
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