FreeShort courseLevel 1 · Foundations

Python for Beginners

Start programming with one of the world's most popular languages, with nothing to install. Ten step-by-step lessons take you through the whole foundation, each idea explained with small examples you run yourself: printing and comments, variables and data types, numbers and maths, working with text, decisions with if, lists and tuples, for and while loops, dictionaries and sets, your own functions, and handling errors and using modules. Along the way you build a budget tracker for your portfolio. Each module has tasks you do yourself, a check and a badge.

5 hr 20 min
10 modules
11 badges
Optional verified certificate

Modules

01First Steps in PythonWhat programming is, how to run Python in your browser with Google Colab, print, comments, how Python reads your code, and how to read an error message.Badge: Python First Steps25 min
02Variables and Data TypesStore values in variables, name them well, know Python's main data types, check a value's type, and convert between types.Badge: Python Variables35 min
03Numbers and MathsDo arithmetic in Python: the operators, whole-number division and remainders, the order of operations, rounding, useful built-in functions, the math module and formatting money.Badge: Python Numbers35 min
04Working with TextStrings in depth: quotes and special characters, joining and repeating, length, indexing and slicing, the most useful string methods, splitting and joining, and f-string formatting.Badge: Python Text30 min
05Conditions: if, elif and elseMake your code decide. Comparison and logical operators, if, elif and else, indentation, nested decisions, the one-line form, and which values count as true.Badge: Python Decisions30 min
06Lists and TuplesStore many values in one variable. Create lists, read items by index and slice, add, change and remove items, sort, search and summarise, copy safely, and when to use a tuple instead.Badge: Python Lists30 min
07Loops: for and whileRepeat work without repeating code. for loops over lists, text and range, running totals and counters, enumerate and zip, while loops, break and continue, and a first look at list comprehensions.Badge: Python Loops40 min
08Dictionaries and SetsStore values by name with dictionaries: create, read safely with get, add, change and remove, loop through keys, values and items, count things, and nest data. Then sets for unique values.Badge: Python Dictionaries30 min
09Functions and a Mini ProjectWrite your own functions: parameters and arguments, return versus print, default and keyword arguments, returning several values, scope and docstrings. Then put everything together in a budget tracker for your portfolio.Badge: Python Functions35 min
10Errors, Modules and Next StepsHandle errors gracefully with try and except, raise your own, use Python's built-in modules (random, datetime, statistics), install more with pip, and plan what to learn next.Badge: Python Errors and Modules30 min
Final assessmentPass it (60% or more) to earn the Python Basics course completion badge.

Skills you'll learn

Run Python in Google Colab
Variables, data types and conversions
Numbers, maths and formatting
Working with text
Decisions with if, elif and else
Lists, tuples, dictionaries and sets
for and while loops
Writing functions
Handling errors and using modules

Before you start

No experience needed
A free Google account for Google Colab

The free introduction

This free course is the introduction to Professional AI Engineering. The professional programme goes deeper, with real-world projects, assessments, a capstone and a professional certificate.

See the programme · ₦450,000

Badges and certificate

Earn a free badge for each module you pass, and a free course completion badge with its own credential ID and public page you can share. Learning and badges are always free.

After you finish, you can choose to get an official verified PDF certificate. It's optional. How it works

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Python for Beginners

5 hr 20 min

10 modules

11 badges

Optional verified certificate

Modules

01First Steps in PythonWhat programming is, how to run Python in your browser with Google Colab, print, comments, how Python reads your code, and how to read an error message.Badge: Python First Steps25 min

02Variables and Data TypesStore values in variables, name them well, know Python's main data types, check a value's type, and convert between types.Badge: Python Variables35 min

03Numbers and MathsDo arithmetic in Python: the operators, whole-number division and remainders, the order of operations, rounding, useful built-in functions, the math module and formatting money.Badge: Python Numbers35 min

04Working with TextStrings in depth: quotes and special characters, joining and repeating, length, indexing and slicing, the most useful string methods, splitting and joining, and f-string formatting.Badge: Python Text30 min

05Conditions: if, elif and elseMake your code decide. Comparison and logical operators, if, elif and else, indentation, nested decisions, the one-line form, and which values count as true.Badge: Python Decisions30 min

06Lists and TuplesStore many values in one variable. Create lists, read items by index and slice, add, change and remove items, sort, search and summarise, copy safely, and when to use a tuple instead.Badge: Python Lists30 min

07Loops: for and whileRepeat work without repeating code. for loops over lists, text and range, running totals and counters, enumerate and zip, while loops, break and continue, and a first look at list comprehensions.Badge: Python Loops40 min

08Dictionaries and SetsStore values by name with dictionaries: create, read safely with get, add, change and remove, loop through keys, values and items, count things, and nest data. Then sets for unique values.Badge: Python Dictionaries30 min

09Functions and a Mini ProjectWrite your own functions: parameters and arguments, return versus print, default and keyword arguments, returning several values, scope and docstrings. Then put everything together in a budget tracker for your portfolio.Badge: Python Functions35 min

10Errors, Modules and Next StepsHandle errors gracefully with try and except, raise your own, use Python's built-in modules (random, datetime, statistics), install more with pip, and plan what to learn next.Badge: Python Errors and Modules30 min

Final assessmentPass it (60% or more) to earn the Python Basics course completion badge.