The Python Apprentice
The Python Apprentice
About the Book
The Python Apprentice together with The Python Journeyman and The Python Master comprise a trilogy of books on the Python programming language and the Python Standard Library. The material in these books is derived from Sixty North's popular and battle-tested training courses which have led thousands of programmers on a journey to being productive with Python.
Our books, which use Python 3, follow a spiral curriculum: We introduce topics gently and then revisit them on multiple occasions to add the depth required to support your progression as a Python developer. We've worked hard to structure the syllabus to avoid forward references. On only a few occasions do we require you to accept techniques on trust, before explaining them later; where we do, it's to deliberately establish good habits.
About the Authors
Bundles that include this book
Table of Contents
-
Preface
- Errata and Suggestions
- Conventions Used in This Book
- Code examples
- Welcome Apprentice!
- Python Promo
- Overview
-
What is Python?
- It’s a programming language!
- It’s a standard library!
- It’s a philosophy
- The journey of a thousand miles…
-
Chapter 1 – Getting started
- Obtaining and installing Python 3
- Starting Python command line REPL
- Leaving the REPL
- Code structure and significant indentation
- Python culture
- Importing standard library modules
-
Getting
help() - Scalar data types: integers, floats, None and bool
- Relational operators
- Control flow: if-statements and while-loops
- Summary
-
Chapter 2 – Strings and collections
-
str– an immutable sequence of Unicode code points - Moment of zen
-
bytes– an immutable sequence of bytes -
list– a sequence of objects -
dict– associating keys with values - For-loops – iterating over series of items
- Putting it all together
- Summary
-
-
Chapter 3 – Modularity
- Organizing code in a .py file
- Defining functions
- Organizing our module into functions
- The Python execution model
- Setting up a main function with command line argument
- Moment of zen
- Docstrings
- Comments
- Shebang
- Summary
-
Chapter 4 – Built-in types and the object model
- The nature of Python object references
- Argument passing semantics – pass by object-reference
- Python return semantics
- Function arguments in detail
- The Python type system
- Variable declaration and scoping
- Moment of zen
- Everything is an object
- Summary
-
Chapter 5 – Exploring built in collection types
-
tuple– an immutable sequence of objects - The tuple constructor
- Strings in action
- Moment of zen
-
range– a collection of evenly spaced integers -
listin action - Dictionaries
-
set– an unordered collection of unique elements - Collection protocols
- Summary
-
-
Chapter 6 – Exceptions
- Exceptions and control flow
- Handling exceptions
- Handling multiple exceptions
- Programmer errors
-
Empty blocks – the
passstatement - Exception objects
- Imprudent return codes
- Re-raising exceptions
- Exceptions are part of your function’s API
- Guard clauses
- Exceptions, APIs, and protocols
-
Choosing not to guard against
TypeError - Pythonic style – EAFP versus LBYL
- Clean-up actions
- Moment of zen
- Platform-specific code
- Summary
-
Chapter 7 - Comprehensions, iterables, and generators
- Comprehensions
- Moment of zen
- Iteration protocols
- Generator functions
- Generator expressions
- “Batteries included” iteration tools
- Pulling it all together
- Summary
-
Chapter 8 – Defining new types with classes
- Defining classes
- Instance methods
- Instance initializers
- Validation and invariants
- Adding a second class
- Collaborating classes
- Moment of zen
- Booking seats
- Naming methods for implementation details
- Sometimes the only object you need is a function
- Polymorphism and duck-typing
- Inheritance and implementation sharing
- Summary
-
Chapter 9 – Files and resource management
- Files
- Context managers
- Moment of zen
- Binary files
- File-like objects
- Other resources
- Summary
-
Chapter 10 – Unit testing with the Python standard library
- Test cases
- Fixtures
- Assertions
- Unit testing example: text analysis
- Using fixtures to create temporary files
- Using the new fixtures
- Using assertions to test behavior
- Testing for exceptions
- Testing for file existence
- Moment of zen
- Summary
-
Chapter 11 – Debugging with PDB
- Debugging commands
- Palindrome debugging
- Summary
- Afterword: Just the Beginning
-
Appendix A – Virtual environments
- Creating a virtual environment
- Activating a virtual environment
- Deactivating a virtual environment
- Other tools for working with virtual environments
-
Appendix B – Packaging and distribution
-
Configuring a package with
distutils -
Installing with
distutils -
Packaging with
distutils
-
Configuring a package with
-
Appendix C – Installing third-party packages
-
Introducing
pip - The Python Package Index
-
Installing local packages with
pip - Uninstalling packages
-
Introducing
- Notes
The Leanpub 45-day 100% Happiness Guarantee
Within 45 days of purchase you can get a 100% refund on any Leanpub purchase, in two clicks.
See full terms
Do Well. Do Good.
Authors have earned$10,898,062writing, publishing and selling on Leanpub, earning 80% royalties while saving up to 25 million pounds of CO2 and up to 46,000 trees.
Learn more about writing on Leanpub
Free Updates. DRM Free.
If you buy a Leanpub book, you get free updates for as long as the author updates the book! Many authors use Leanpub to publish their books in-progress, while they are writing them. All readers get free updates, regardless of when they bought the book or how much they paid (including free).
Most Leanpub books are available in PDF (for computers), EPUB (for phones and tablets) and MOBI (for Kindle). The formats that a book includes are shown at the top right corner of this page.
Finally, Leanpub books don't have any DRM copy-protection nonsense, so you can easily read them on any supported device.
Learn more about Leanpub's ebook formats and where to read them
Top Books
- #1
Functional event-driven architecture: Powered by Scala 3
Gabriel VolpeExplore the event-driven architecture (EDA) in a purely functional way, mainly powered by Fs2 streams in Scala 3!
Leverage your functional programming skills by designing and writing stateless microservices that scale, powered by stateful message brokers.
- #2
Practical FP in Scala: A hands-on approach
Gabriel VolpeA practical book aimed for those familiar with functional programming in Scala who are yet not confident about architecting an application from scratch.
Together, we will develop a purely functional application using the best libraries in the Cats ecosystem, while learning about design patterns and best practices.
- #3
入門 日本語自然言語処理
Masato Hagiwara and Paul O'Leary McCann日本語テキストを処理したい全てのプログラマ・エンジニアの方へ。分かち書きなどの基本から、自然言語生成などの最新の話題までをカバー。動かして学べるコードや、参照文献も付いています。言語学や機械学習の知識が無くても問題ありません。
- #4
Book of Monads
Alejandro Serrano MenaIn functional programming, at the heart of input/output, failure, state, logic, and much more, lies a powerful abstraction called monad. This book provides a journey from the very first concepts, to the myriad of monads available to programmers, down to the categorical foundations.
- #5
Ansible for DevOps
Jeff GeerlingAnsible is a simple, but powerful, server and configuration management tool. Learn to use Ansible effectively, whether you manage one server—or thousands.
- #6
Functional Programming Made Easier
Charles ScalfaniA Functional Programming book from beginner to advanced without skipping a single step along the way.
In my 40 years of programming, I've felt that programming books always let me down, especially Functional Programming books. So, I wrote the book I wish I had 5 years ago.
Functional Programming will never be easy, but it can be easier.
- #7
Visualise, document and explore your software architecture
Simon BrownA short guide to visualising, documenting and exploring your software architecture.
- #8
Introducing EventStorming
Alberto BrandoliniThe deepest tutorial and explanation about EventStorming, straight from the inventor.
- #9
Introduction to Japanese Natural Language Processing
Masato Hagiwara and Paul O'Leary McCannA thorough guide for programmers working with Japanese text, covering fundamental issues like tokenization and recent research topics like generating natural language texts. Working examples are accompanied by extensive reference to allow problem solving even without a background in Japanese or Machine Learning.
- #10
Cloud Strategy
Gregor Hohpe“Strategy is the difference between making a wish and making it come true.” A successful migration to the cloud can transform your organization, but it shouldn’t be driven by wishes. This book tells you how to develop a sound strategy guided by frameworks and decision models without being overly abstract nor getting lost in product details.
Top Bundles
- #1
Software Architecture for Developers: Volumes 1 & 2 - Technical leadership and communication
2 Books
"Software Architecture for Developers" is a practical and pragmatic guide to modern, lightweight software architecture, specifically aimed at developers. You'll learn:The essence of software architecture.Why the software architecture role should include coding, coaching and collaboration.The things that you really need to think about before... - #2
Modern C++ Collection
3 Books
Get All about Modern C++C++ Standard Library, including C++20Concurrency with Modern C++, including C++20C++20Each book has about 200 complete code examples. Updates are included. When I update one of the books, you immediately get the updated bundle. You can expect significant updates to each new C++ standard (C++23, C++26, .. ) and also... - #3
CCIE Service Provider Ultimate Study Bundle
2 Books
Piotr Jablonski, Lukasz Bromirski, and Nick Russo have joined forces to deliver the only CCIE Service Provider training resource you'll ever need. This bundle contains a detailed and challenging collection of workbook labs, plus an extensively detailed technical reference guide. All of us have earned the CCIE Service Provider certification... - #4
All the Books of The Medical Futurist
6 Books
We put together the most popular books from The Medical Futurist to provide a clear picture about the major trends shaping the future of medicine and healthcare. Digital health technologies, artificial intelligence, the future of 20 medical specialties, big pharma, data privacy, digital health investments and how technology giants such as Amazon... - #6
Abandon Your Job - Leaving the Rat Race with Python
8 Books
Now, get all the great Python and Freelancing books from finxter.com in one single bundle!Coffee Break Python - All Python BasicsCoffee Break Python Workbook - Practice the basics of PythonCoffee Break Python Mastery Workouts - Practice advanced Python conceptsCoffee Break Python Slicing - All about SlicingCoffee Break Python NumPy - Get started... - #8
10 Books Bundle - A New Career in Tech 🚀
10 Books
Do you want to create yourself a new and profitable skillset - in one year or less? Do you want to position yourself on the right side of change finally? Do you want to work from home and set your own work schedule while choosing fun and interesting coding projects? Software developers and freelance developersearn six figuresin the US, according... - #9
The Python Craftsman
3 Books
The Python Craftsman series comprises The Python Apprentice, The Python Journeyman, and The Python Master. The first book is primarily suitable for for programmers with some experience of programming in another language. If you don't have any experience with programming this book may be a bit daunting. You'll be learning not just a programming...
