Fundamentals of Python: First Programs - The Best Book for CS1 Course with Python
Fundamentals of Python First Programs PDF
Python is one of the most popular and versatile programming languages in the world. It is used for web development, data analysis, machine learning, automation, game development, and more. If you want to learn Python from scratch or improve your skills, you might be interested in reading the book Fundamentals of Python: First Programs, written by Kenneth A. Lambert. In this article, we will give you an overview of the book and show you how to access its PDF version for free.
Fundamentals Of Python First Programs Pdf
What is Python and why learn it?
Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language that was created by Guido van Rossum in 1991. It is named after the comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus. Python has a simple and elegant syntax that makes it easy to read and write. It also supports multiple programming paradigms, such as object-oriented, procedural, functional, and imperative. Python has a large and comprehensive standard library that provides built-in modules for various tasks, such as file handling, networking, database access, GUI development, etc. Python also has a rich set of third-party libraries that extend its functionality and offer solutions for specific domains, such as NumPy for numerical computing, Django for web development, TensorFlow for machine learning, PyGame for game development, etc.
Python features and benefits
Some of the main features and benefits of Python are:
It is free and open source. You can download, use, modify, and distribute Python without any restrictions.
It is cross-platform. You can run Python on various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, etc.
It is easy to learn. You can master the basics of Python in a short time and start writing your own programs.
It is expressive and concise. You can write less code to achieve the same functionality as other languages.
It is dynamic and flexible. You can change the type of variables at runtime and use dynamic features such as introspection, reflection, metaprogramming, etc.
It is interactive and fun. You can use interactive mode or IDLE to test your code on the fly and experiment with different ideas.
Python applications and domains
Python is widely used for various applications and domains, such as:
Web development. You can use frameworks such as Django, Flask, Pyramid, etc. to create web applications with Python.
Data analysis. You can use libraries such as NumPy, pandas, matplotlib, etc. to manipulate, visualize, and analyze data with Python.
Machine learning. You can use libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, etc. to build machine learning models with Python.
Automation. You can use libraries such as Selenium, PyAutoGUI, etc. to automate tasks with Python.
Game development. You can use libraries such as PyGame, PyOpenGL, etc. to create games with Python.
And more. You can use Python for scripting, testing, web scraping, natural language processing, computer vision, etc.
What are the fundamentals of Python?
The fundamentals of Python are the basic concepts and skills that you need to know to write Python programs. They include:
Data types and operators
Data types are the categories of values that you can store and manipulate in Python. Some of the common data types are:
Numbers. They can be integers, floats, complex numbers, etc.
Strings. They are sequences of characters enclosed in quotes.
Booleans. They are logical values that can be either True or False.
Lists. They are ordered collections of values that can be of different types.
Tuples. They are immutable ordered collections of values that can be of different types.
Dictionaries. They are unordered collections of key-value pairs that can be of different types.
Sets. They are unordered collections of unique values that can be of different types.
Operators are symbols that perform operations on values. Some of the common operators are:
Arithmetic operators. They perform mathematical operations such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), modulus (%), exponentiation (), etc.
Assignment operators. They assign values to variables, such as equal (=), plus equal (+=), minus equal (-=), etc.
Comparison operators. They compare values and return Boolean results, such as equal to (==), not equal to (!=), greater than (>), less than (<), etc.
Logical operators. They perform logical operations and return Boolean results, such as and (and), or (or), not (not), etc.
Membership operators. They test if a value is in a collection, such as in (in), not in (not in), etc.
Identity operators. They test if two values are the same object, such as is (is), is not (is not), etc.
Control structures and functions
Control structures are blocks of code that control the flow of execution in a program. Some of the common control structures are:
If statements. They execute a block of code if a condition is True, and optionally another block of code if the condition is False.
For loops. They iterate over a sequence of values and execute a block of code for each value.
While loops. They execute a block of code repeatedly as long as a condition is True.
Break and continue statements. They alter the flow of loops by breaking out of them or skipping to the next iteration.
Pass statement. It does nothing and is used as a placeholder for future code.
Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform a specific task and optionally return a value. You can define your own functions using the def keyword, or use built-in functions provided by Python or its libraries. You can also use lambda expressions to create anonymous functions on the fly.
Modules and packages
Modules are files that contain Python code, such as variables, functions, classes, etc. You can import modules into your program using the import keyword, or use from ... import ... syntax to import specific names from a module. You can also use the dir() function to list all the names in a module, or use the help() function to get documentation on a module or its names.
Packages are collections of modules that are organized in a hierarchical structure using directories and subdirectories. You can import packages into your program using the same syntax as modules, or use the dot (.) notation to access subpackages or submodules within a package. You can also use the __init__.py file to initialize a package or control what names are exported from it.
How to get started with Python first programs?
To get started with Python first programs, you need to install Python on your computer and set up an environment where you can write and run Python scripts. You also need to learn how to use interactive mode and IDLE, which are tools that help you test and debug your code.
Installing Python and setting up the environment
Writing and running Python scripts
A Python script is a file that contains Python code that can be executed by the Python interpreter. You can write Python scripts using any text editor, such as Notepad, Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, etc. You can save your Python scripts with the .py extension, such as hello.py, calc.py, etc.
To run a Python script, you can use the command line or the terminal of your operating system. For example, on Windows, you can open the Command Prompt and type python followed by the name of your script, such as python hello.py. On Linux or Mac OS X, you can open the Terminal and type python3 followed by the name of your script, such as python3 hello.py. You can also use the shebang line (#!) at the beginning of your script to specify which Python interpreter to use, such as #!/usr/bin/env python3.
Using interactive mode and IDLE
Interactive mode is a feature of Python that allows you to enter Python commands and get immediate feedback. You can use interactive mode to test your code, experiment with different ideas, or learn new concepts. To enter interactive mode, you can use the command line or the terminal and type python or python3 without any arguments. You will see a prompt (>>>) where you can type Python expressions and statements. To exit interactive mode, you can type exit() or press Ctrl+D.
IDLE is an integrated development environment (IDE) for Python that comes with the standard installation of Python. IDLE provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a text editor, an interactive shell, a debugger, and other features. You can use IDLE to write, run, and debug your Python scripts. To launch IDLE, you can use the Start menu on Windows or the Applications menu on Linux or Mac OS X. You can also open a Python script with IDLE by right-clicking on it and choosing Open with IDLE.
How to access the PDF version of the book?
The book Fundamentals of Python: First Programs is a comprehensive and engaging introduction to Python programming for beginners and intermediate learners. It covers all the essential topics for a CS1 course while preparing you to study additional languages. The book uses the Python programming language, which is both easy to learn for beginners and scales well to advanced applications. The book also includes exercises, projects, case studies, and appendices that reinforce your learning and help you apply your skills.
The book overview and contents
The book is divided into 13 chapters and 6 appendices that cover the following topics:
Chapter 1: Introduction. It introduces you to Python and its features, applications, history, and philosophy.
Chapter 2: Data Types and Expressions. It teaches you how to use data types and operators in Python.
Chapter 3: Control Statements. It shows you how to use control structures and functions in Python.
Chapter 4: Strings and Text Files. It explains how to manipulate strings and text files in Python.
Chapter 5: Lists and Dictionaries. It demonstrates how to use lists and dictionaries in Python.
Chapter 6: Design with Functions. It guides you how to design and implement functions in Python.
Chapter 7: Simple Graphics and Image Processing. It introduces you to simple graphics and image processing in Python.
Chapter 8: Design with Classes. It instructs you how to design and implement classes in Python.
Chapter 9: Graphical User Interfaces. It presents how to create graphical user interfaces in Python.
Chapter 10: Multithreading, Networks, and Client/Server Programming. It explores how to use multithreading, networks, and client/server programming in Python.
Chapter 11: Inheritance and Polymorphism. It illustrates how to use inheritance and polymorphism in Python.
Chapter 12: Data Structures. It describes how to use data structures such as stacks, queues, linked lists, trees, graphs, etc. in Python.
Chapter 13: Database Programming. It explains how to use database programming in Python.
Appendix A: Installing Python. It provides instructions on how to install Python on your computer.
Appendix B: The ASCII Character Set. It lists the ASCII character set and its codes.
Appendix C: Operator Precedence. It shows the operator precedence in Python.
Appendix D: Answers to Self-Check Exercises. It gives the answers to the self-check exercises in each chapter.
Appendix E: Glossary. It defines the key terms used in the book.
Appendix F: Index. It helps you find the topics and concepts in the book.
The book format and features
The book is available in both print and digital formats. The print format is a paperback book that has 498 pages and measures 7.4 x 1 x 9.1 inches. The digital format is a PDF file that has 498 pages and can be viewed on any device that supports PDF. The book has the following features:
It uses a clear and engaging writing style that explains the concepts and examples in a simple and concise way.
It uses a consistent and logical structure that organizes the topics and subtopics in a coherent and progressive way.
It uses a colorful and attractive layout that enhances the readability and visual appeal of the book.
It uses a variety of examples, exercises, projects, case studies, and appendices that reinforce your learning and help you apply your skills.
It uses a pedagogical approach that includes learning objectives, summaries, self-check exercises, review questions, programming exercises, etc. that help you assess your understanding and progress.
The book download link and license
You can access the PDF version of the book for free from the following link: https://pdfroom.com/books/fundamentals-of-python-first-programs-2nd-edition/8Pe5xlDW5nN. You can also find other links to download the book from other sources by searching on Google or other search engines. The book is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, which means you can share and adapt the book for non-commercial purposes as long as you give appropriate credit to the author and distribute your contributions under the same license.
Conclusion and FAQs
In this article, we have given you an overview of the book Fundamentals of Python: First Programs, written by Kenneth A. Lambert. We have shown you how to access its PDF version for free and what are its main features and contents. We hope you have found this article useful and informative, and we encourage you to read the book if you want to learn Python from scratch or improve your skills. Here are some frequently asked questions about the book:
Q: Who is the author of the book?
A: The author of the book is Kenneth A. Lambert, who is a Professor of Computer Science at Washington and Lee University. He has over 30 years of teaching experience and has written several books on programming languages, such as Java, C#, C++, Visual Basic, etc.
Q: What is the target audience of the book?
A: The target audience of the book is beginners and intermediate learners who want to learn Python programming for general purposes or for a CS1 course. The book assumes that you have some basic knowledge of computer science concepts, such as variables, expressions, statements, functions, etc., but does not require any prior experience with Python or other programming languages.
Q: What is the difference between the first edition and the second edition of the book?
A: The second edition of the book is updated to cover Python 3.x, which is the latest version of Python as of 2019. The first edition of the book covered Python 2.x, which is no longer supported by Python.org as of 2020. The second edition also includes new topics, such as multithreading, networks, client/server programming, data structures, database programming, etc., as well as new examples, exercises, projects, case studies, and appendices.
Q: How can I get more help or feedback on my Python programs?
A: You can get more help or feedback on your Python programs by using online resources, such as websites, forums, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc., that offer tutorials, tips, tricks, solutions, etc., on Python programming. Some of the popular online resources are:
The official Python website: https://www.python.org/
The official Python documentation: https://docs.python.org/3/
The official Python tutorial: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/
Python FAQ: https://docs.python.org/3/faq/
The official Python Style Guide: https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/
The Python subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/
The Python Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/python
The Learn Python subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/learnpython/
The Learn Python website: https://www.learnpython.org/
The Real Python website: https://realpython.com/
The Python for Beginners website: https://www.pythonforbeginners.com/
The Python Tutor website: http://pythontutor.com/
The Codecademy Python course: https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python-3
The Coursera Python courses: https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=python
The Udemy Python courses: https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=python
The edX Python courses: https://www.edx.org/course?search_query=python
The YouTube Python channels, such as:
Corey Schafer: https://www.youtube.com/user/schafer5
Sentdex: https://www.youtube.com/user/sentdex
Tech With Tim: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4JX40jDee_tINbkjycV4Sg
Programming with Mosh: https://www.youtube.com/user/programmingwithmosh
freeCodeCamp.org: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8butISFwT-Wl7EV0hUK0BQ
Q: How can I give feedback or suggestions on the book?
A: You can give feedback or suggestions on the book by contacting the author or the publisher. You can find the author's email address and website on the book's cover page. You can find the publisher's contact information and website on the book's back cover or inside page. You can also write a review or rate the book on Amazon or other online platforms.
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