Python Training Agenda
This document provides an outline and plan for a four-day course in
beginning Python programming.
Day 1 AM:
- Introductions, administrative matters.
- Agenda and outline of the course. Goals for the course.
- Introduction to Python: (1) description of Python; (2) comparison
and differences between Python and other scripting languages (Perl,
Tcl, etc); (3) comparison with other languages (C, C++, Java, etc);
(4) comparison of Python and Jython.
- Guidance to available on-line resources: http:/www.python.org, the
standard Python documentation, SIGs (special interest groups), etc.
- Lexical matters: (1) variables and names, (2) line structure, (3)
comments, (4) block structure, (5) operators.
Day 1 PM:
- Preview of Python execution model: (1) how Python evaluates
and runs code; (2) the Python object model.
- Preview of selected statements, for example assignment, print, and
for statements.
- Built-in data types and operations on built-in types: numerical
types, lists/arrays, dictionaries, strings, etc.
- Practical exercises: (1) creating and using tuples and lists; (2)
creating and using dictionaries; (3) creating strings, string
operations, and formatting strings.
Day 2 AM:
- Built-in data types, continued.
- Introduction to structured Python: (1) functions, (2) classes,
(3) modules, (4) packages.
- Practical exercises: (1) functions; (2) simple classes; (3)
modules.
- Python statements: (1) assignment, (2) import, (3) print,
(4) if-then-else.
Day 2 PM:
- Python statements, continued: (1) for; (2) while; (3) continue and
break; (4) try-except; (5) raise.
- Practical exercises -- statements.
Day 3 AM:
- Statements continued: (1) del, (2) exec and the eval() function.
- Structured Python -- functions.
- Practical exercises: statements and functions.
Day 3 PM:
- More structured Python -- modules and packages.
- Review of Python execution model.
- Iterators and generators; list comprehensions, generator
expressions, dictionary and set comprehensions.
- Structured Python, continued -- Object-oriented programming,
classes, and instances.
- Practical exercises: (1) functions; (2) iterators and generators;
(3) classes and object-oriented programming;
Day 4 AM:
- Object-oriented Python -- Implementing and using classes.
- The Python standard libraries -- A review of some significant
modules.
- Practical exercises -- Using the Python standard library.
Day 4 PM:
- Practical exercises: (1) functions; (2) classes; (3) modules.
- Practical exercises -- Application related tasks and problems
suggested by class members. Possible topics: (1) XML processing in
Python; (2) database access with Python; (3) more text processing;
(4) the Python unit testing framework; (5) etc.