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 60-day 100% Happiness Guarantee
Within 60 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$11,714,583writing, 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
Recipes for Decoupling
Matthias NobackWrite software that survives
- #2
OpenIntro Statistics
David Diez, Christopher Barr, Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel, and OpenIntroA complete foundation for Statistics, also serving as a foundation for Data Science.
Leanpub revenue supports OpenIntro (US-based nonprofit) so we can provide free desk copies to teachers interested in using OpenIntro Statistics in the classroom and expand the project to support free textbooks in other subjects.
More resources: openintro.org.
- #3
C++20 - The Complete Guide
Nicolai M. JosuttisAll new language and library features of C++20 (for those who know previous C++ versions).
The book presents all new language and library features of C++20. Learn how this impacts day-to-day programming, to benefit in practice, to combine new features, and to avoid all new traps.
Buy early, pay less, free updates.
Other books:
- #4
CQRS by Example
Carlos Buenosvinos, Christian Soronellas, and Keyvan Akbary- Leverage your Software Architecture skills by learning everything about CQRS in detail with lots of examples
- Develop faster applications by applying CQRS and fostering Read Models and Projections
- Learn how to apply CQRS into a brownfield project from a pragmatic approach
- #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
Maîtriser Apache JMeter
Philippe Mouawad, Bruno Demion (Milamber), and Antonio Gomes RodriguesToute la puissance d'Apache JMeter expliquée par ses commiteurs et utilisateurs experts. De l'intégration continue en passant par le Cloud, vous découvrirez comment intégrer JMeter à vos processus "Agile" et Devops.
If you're looking for the newer english version of this book, go to Master JMeter : From load testing to DevOps
- #7
Jetpack Compose internals
Jorge CastilloJetpack Compose is the future of Android UI. Master how it works internally and become a more efficient developer with it. You'll also find it valuable if you are not an Android dev. This book provides all the details to understand how the Compose compiler & runtime work, and how to create a client library using them.
- #8
The PowerShell Scripting and Toolmaking Book
Don Jones and Jeff HicksLearn the patterns, practices, and details of PowerShell Scripting and Toolmaking from the industry's two most recognized experts on the subject.
- #9
Mastering STM32 - Second Edition
Carmine NovielloWith more than 1200 microcontrollers, STM32 is probably the most complete ARM Cortex-M platform on the market. This book aims to be the most complete guide around introducing the reader to this exciting MCU portfolio from ST Microelectronics and its official CubeHAL and STM32CubeIDE development environment.
- #10
Introduction to Data Science
Rafael A IrizarryThe demand for skilled data science practitioners in industry, academia, and government is rapidly growing. This book introduces concepts from probability, statistical inference, linear regression and machine learning and R programming skills. Throughout the book we demonstrate how these can help you tackle real-world data analysis challenges.
Top Bundles
- #1
Software Architecture
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
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
Pattern-Oriented Memory Forensics and Malware Detection
2 Books
This training bundle for security engineers and researchers, malware and memory forensics analysts includes two accelerated training courses for Windows memory dump analysis using WinDbg. It is also useful for technical support and escalation engineers who analyze memory dumps from complex software environments and need to check for possible... - #6
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...
