Python for Non-Programmers

If you've never programmed before, the tutorials on this page are recommended for you; they don't assume that you have previous experience.

If you have previous programming experience, the list of programmer-oriented tutorials may get you started more quickly, but the tutorials on this page may still be helpful.

• Python Tutorial
  This tutorial is part of Python's documentation set and is updated with each new release. It's not written with non-programmers in mind, but skimming through it will give you an idea of the language's flavor and style.
• Instant Hacking
  A minimal crash course by Magnus Lie Hetland that's an excellent starting point.
• Learning to Program
  An introduction to programming for those who have never programmed before, by Alan Gauld. It introduces several programming languages but has a strong emphasis on Python.
• How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
  Allen Downey's open source textbook has a Python version, written with Jeff Elkner. It's also available in book form.
• A Non-Programmer's Tutorial for Python
  By Josh Cogliati.
• Handbook of the Physics Computing Course
  Also available in various forms at the author's Python in Education page, this is a preliminary course handbook for 1st-year university students with no computing experience. This course material is still preliminary and assumes some high school-level maths. It does not cover object-oriented programming or graphical applications.
• Beginning Python for Bioinformatics
  By Patrick O'Brien. An introduction to Python aimed at biologists that introduces the PyCrust shell and Python's basic data types.
• Two courses from the Pasteur Institute are aimed at biologists but are useful to anyone wanting to learn Python. Both tutorials are quite extensive, covering data types, object-oriented programming, files, and even design patterns.
  • Introduction to Programming using Python is for people completely new to programming.
  • Bioinformatics course in Python focuses on preparing people with some programming background for using the Biopython modules.
• One Day of IDLE Toying
  A very gentle introduction to the IDLE development environment that comes with Python. This tutorial by Danny Yoo has been translated into nine different languages.
• Learn to Program using Python
  A tutorial by Richard Baldwin that covers basic data types and functions.

For Younger Students

• LiveWires
  A set of Python lessons used during 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 children's summer camps in Britain by Richard Crook, Gareth McCaughan, Mark White, and Rhodri James. Aimed at children 12-15 years old.
• Guido van Robot
  A teaching tool in which students write simple programs using a Python-like language to control a simulated robot. Field-tested at Yorktown High School, the project includes a lesson plan.