Best Python coding courses: Learn to code online in 2021 (original) (raw)
The ultimate beginner-friendly programming language.
By
Haley Henschel
Senior Shopping Reporter
Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.
on February 17, 2021
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Overview
Table of Contents
Sitting around with "a lot of time on my hand," Dutch computer scientist Guido van Rossum decided to take on a fun little side project over Christmas break in 1989: building a new programming language. The one he used in projects at work was overcomplicated and clunky, but he thought he could use some of its better features to create something more forgiving, flexible, and easier to read.
Van Rossen developed his language mostly in his free time over the course of the next year (with the help of some colleagues' feedback), eventually deciding to name it "Python" after the British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, whose published scripts he was reading at the time of its implementation. In the years since, it's basically become the Holy Grail of general-purpose programming languages.
"I certainly didn’t set out to create a language that was intended for mass consumption," van Russum told The Economist in 2018. Yet according to SlashData's most recent State of the Developer Nation report, Python is one of the most popular and fastest-growing programming languages out there with 9 million active developers worldwide, having added 2.2 million net users in the past year alone. (It's now second only to JavaScript, which boasts 12 million active developers.) Moreover, the almost 65,000 developers polled for Stack Overflow's 2020 Developer Survey named Python their third most loved programming language and the one they wanted to learn most.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in software development (or simply want to future-proof your current gig), this is definitely the bandwagon to hop on.
What's so great about Python?
Python's popularity can be credited to a bunch of different factors:
- Its syntax is extremely simple and neat, which make it easy to read, easy to write, and very easy to learn. If you're just dipping your toes into the world of coding, it's an excellent jumping-off point for other programming languages.
- It has an active community and detailed online documentation, so there are tons of resources for users to explore and build upon.
- It has an extensive standard library. A programming language's standard library is a collection of ready-made, commonly used functions and script modules, which you can use to simplify the coding process and avoid writing everything manually.
- It's productive. Compared to other programming languages like C, C++. and Java, Python can get the same task done in fewer lines of code. Similarly, it's great for whipping up prototypes in the early stages of a project's development.
- It's open-source, which means it's entirely free to download, modify, and distribute.
- It's cross-platform. Python code works the same on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- It plays well with others. Python code is both "extensible" and "embeddable," meaning you can write some of it in a different language and put it in another language's source code, respectively.
- It's versatile. From tech to IT, web design, social media, finance, insurance, healthcare, retail, banking, and even aerospace, Python is a general-purpose programming language whose real-world applicability is seemingly limitless.
- It's scalable. Python's simplicity makes it a go-to for personal projects, but it's also powerful enough for the likes of Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Google, Dropbox, Reddit, and NASA.
- It's adaptable. What's especially interesting about Python is that despite being three decades old, it's stuck around *and* continued to grow at a remarkable rate alongside new technologies. (SlashData's report notes that it's a favorite among machine learning developers, data scientists, and Internet of Things engineers.) Per Associate Prof. Daniel Guetta of Columbia Business School, "Python today is what Excel was 20 years ago."
Simply put, it's where the (good) jobs are at. According to a 2020 survey of over 116,000 software engineers by the tech hiring platform HackerRank, nearly half of hiring managers worldwide look for Python programming skills in their potential employees. (It came in second only to JavaScript in that poll.) Furthermore, a recent analysis of the jobs site Indeed by the software development company Daxx found that the average U.S.-based Python developer makes $110,840 a year, making it the second best-paid programming language behind Ruby.
SEE ALSO: 7 of the best online learning platforms to advance your career (or side hustle)
More broadly, any sort of programming knowledge will give you a leg up in the job market these days. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the employment of software developers will grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, which is "much faster than the average for all occupations."
What kind of jobs can you get knowing Python?
Conducted by the software vendor JetBrains in partnership with the Python Software Foundation (a nonprofit that holds the language's trademark, manages its open-source licensing, and funds its development), the most recent official Python Developers Survey found that its users work across the fields of science, education/training, accounting/finance/insurance, and medicine/health, though the vast majority are in IT/software development. More than two-thirds are employed full-time by a company or organization, as opposed to just 6% who are self-employed and 5% who are freelancers.
"Python today is what Excel was 20 years ago."
Notably, the vast majority of Python developers polled for that study have five or fewer years of experience with the language, and 29% have under a year of professional coding experience overall. In other words, it doesn't take much to break into the industry. (To add to that point, Stack Overflow's report found that Python developers typically have higher salaries with fewer years of experience compared to users of other languages.)
What are the best Python courses?
While large tech companies like Apple and Google typically hire software developers with Bachelor's degrees or higher, Python's gentle learning curve makes self-taught online classes and bootcamps a smart choice for novice or casual programmers. After sorting through dozens of expert reviews and hundreds of comments on the subreddit r/LearnPython (an excellent resource for Python newbies), we've concluded that the best Python classes tick all or most of the following boxes:
- They're not too expensive. Some of the best Python classes are cheap or even free. (If you're spending thousands of dollars, you're doing it wrong.)
- They offer lifetime access to class materials so you can refer back to and build upon what you've previously learned.
- They're self-paced.
- They're not subscription-based so you're not penalized for learning slowly.
- They're updated regularly with the latest version of Python. New releases come out every 12 months; the latest is Python version 3.9. (Avoid courses on Python 2 — that version's dead as of Jan. 1, 2020. RIP.)
- They offer opportunities for feedback and staff support. Coding with Python in professional settings is often a very collaborative experience. (Fifty-three percent of Python Developers Survey participants said they worked on a team.)
- They give real-world context to Python concepts so you can see the potential of those lines of code on your computer screen.
- Their instructors are engaging. Coding can sometimes be dull and tedious, so it helps to have a teacher who not only understands the language but makes it fun to learn, too. (Most Python courses on the online learning marketplace Udemy are great picks for this reason.)
With those criteria in mind, here's a rundown of the Python courses we recommend taking.
Can you get certified in Python?
While most learning platforms will give you a certificate of completion for finishing a Python course, and companies like Microsoft offer Python certification exams, credentials don't really matter in the world of programming (as opposed to, say, the finance industry). People on r/LearnPython often compare the career of a programmer to that of a photographer in that your work should speak for itself, so channel your energy into building a nice portfolio of projects on GitHub instead of chasing fancy diplomas. (And for what it's worth, the Python Software Foundation doesn't offer, recognize, or recommend any certifications.)
The Good & The Bad
- Lifetime access to course/learning materials
- Includes 14 articles and 19 coding exercises
- Goes on sale often
- Both Portilla and the course itself get AMAZING reviews from students
- Offline viewing available on the Udemy mobile app (available for iOS and Android)
- Prospective students can preview select lessons before buying the class
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Covers Python 2 (not relevant anymore)
- Some students say lessons feel rushed toward the end
Why We Like It
One of Udemy's most popular classes of all time, "2021 Complete Python Bootcamp: From Zero to Hero in Python" is a video-centric crash course for wannabe programmers who have never touched a line of code before in their lives. (Seriously — one of its very first lessons is on how to install Python.) Instructor Joe Portilla begins the course with basic rundowns of Python data types and operators, working his students up gradually to intermediate topics like web scraping and the use of Python with email, images, and PDFs. Two "Milestone Projects" in which you'll make applications and games are sprinkled among 23 sections of interactive lessons; those are capped off by a final project of your choosing as well as a few bonus lectures and some tips on how to explore more advanced Python concepts.
Details
- Platform: Udemy
- Price: $139.99
- Instructor(s): Jose Portilla, head of data science at Pierian Data Inc.
- Prerequisites: None
- Class duration: 22 hours, 3 minutes (self-paced)
- Certificate of completion: Yes
The Good & The Bad
- Instructor has tons of experience and a fantastic rep
- Flexible deadlines
- College-level education
- Opportunities for further learning via the Python for Everybody Specialization
- Terrific ratings
- Very beginner-friendly
- Prospective students can preview its syllabus
- No graded assignments or certificate if you go the free audit route
- Pace might feel a little slow if you already have some programming experience
- Set enrollment periods
Why We Like It
This super simple five-chapter class on the basics of constructing a program in Python is a Coursera bestseller and the top-rated Python course on Class Central, a popular online class search engine and reviews site — as of Jan. 2021, it boasted a 4.9/5-star rating there with over 26,500 student reviews. Offered through the University of Michigan and taught by the beloved "Dr. Chuck," it's technically the opener to Coursera's five-part Python for Everybody Specialization ($49/month), but you can audit it separately for free if you don't mind forgoing graded assignments and a formal certificate of completion. (Note that the four other courses in that Specialization also have a "free audit" enrollment option, so you're set up for further learning.)
For a more detailed breakdown of how Coursera's pricing works, check out Mashable's guide to the best online learning platforms .
Details
- Platform: Coursera
- Price: Free to audit (otherwise $49/month)
- Instructor(s): Dr. Charles Russell Severance, clinical professor at the University of Michigan School of Information
- Prerequisites: Basic math knowledge, moderate computer experience
- Class duration: Approx. 19 hours divided up over 7 weeks (set start date with flexible deadlines)
- Certificate of completion: No
The Good & The Bad
- Includes 4 articles and 3 downloadable resources
- Lifetime access to course/learning materials
- Yehia has a very positive, encouraging tone
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Frequently on sale
- Offline viewing via the Udemy mobile app (available for iOS and Android)
- Prospective students can preview select lessons
- Sticks to the very basics (not "Beginner to Pro" like its description says)
- Some students say the quizzes and exercises could be way more challenging
- No suggestions for further Python learning/resources
Why We Like It
Billed as "the world's most fun project-based Python course," "The Python Bible" aims to teach you how to apply programming fundamentals across 11 hands-on coding exercises. Instructor Ziyad Yehia is funny and upbeat, past students say, and his 75-ish lectures are fast-paced but thorough enough for Python rookies to understand. (In fact, you might find this class a little too easy if you've already got some Python experience under your belt.). Topics covered include object-oriented programming, or OOP; logic and data structures; and Python loops — knowledge you can use to both write and refine basic code.
Details
- Platform: Udemy
- Price: $94.99
- Instructor(s): Ziyad Yehia, CEO and core instructor at Internet of Things Academy
- Prerequisites: None
- Class duration: 9 hours, 8 minutes (self-paced)
- Certificate of completion: Yes
The Good & The Bad
- Instructor gives away free codes on Reddit every month
- Lifetime access to course/learning materials
- Also a book!
- Prospective students can preview select lessons
- Inexpensive
- Includes 41 downloadable resources
- Offline viewing on the Udemy mobile app (available for iOS and Android)
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Some lessons are a little niche
- Several modules need updating
Why We Like It
Find out how Python can be applied to your day-to-day workflow via "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python Programming," a 51-lesson class based on the instructor Al Sweigart's book of the same name. (Both come highly recommended from the subreddit r/LearnPython, which you should definitely bookmark — Sweigart posts free codes for the class every there every month.) With lessons on how to use Python to program Excel spreadsheets, crawl websites, parse PDFs and Word documents, send emails, and other productivity-boosting task automation, it's a stellar resource for office workers, academics, and administrators.
Details
- Platform: Udemy
- Price: $49.99
- Instructor(s): Al Sweigart, software developer, UI designer, and tech book author
- Prerequisites: Basic computer skillls
- Class duration: 9 hours, 30 minutes (self-paced)
- Certificate of completion: Yes
The Good & The Bad
- 7-day free trial
- Weekly office hours
- Students can test out of subjects they already know
- Active support forum
- Build a portfolio as you learn
- Curated curriculum
- Access to Slack community for live support/feedback
- Peer reviews
- Download videos for offline viewing
- Pause or cancel anytime
- Can get expensive
- No mobile app
Why We Like It
"Real-world job roles often require a lot of reviewing other people’s code and design," says the online tech school Treehouse, which is why it's made peer feedback an integral part of its Python Development "TechDegree." Comprised of interactive videos, workspaces, quizzes and five projects, the months-long online coding bootcamp on building apps and working with data comes with access to an exclusive Slack community for live support and weekly office hours with your instructors. You'll graduate with a decent-sized portfolio and plenty of experience troubleshooting code.
Details
- Platform: Treehouse
- Price: $199/month
- Instructor(s): Kenneth Love, Python engineer; Treasure Porth, web developer; Craig Dennis, backend developer; Jay McGavren, developer and author; Ashley Boucher, software developer; and Megan Amendola, UX designer and software developer
- Prerequisites: None
- Class duration: 2 to 5 months (self-paced)
- Certificate of completion: Yes
The Good & The Bad
- Extremely qualified instructors
- Certificate can be shared directly to LinkedIn
- Sister class ("Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science") presents an opportunity for further learning
- r/LearnPython really likes this one
- Learn at your own pace
- Certificate of completion costs extra
- Set enrollment periods
- Covers Python 3.5, which isn't the latest version available
- High learning curve for students with no programming background
Why We Like It
Want a fancy education, minus the student debt? Enroll in "Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python," a completely free computer science course from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (via the nonprofit online learning platform eDX) that zeroes in on Python. A little more rigorous than most of the other classes on this list, it aims to help students develop a ~computational mindset~ while learning the basics of program-writing, testing, and debugging. If you manage to slog through it, you have the option of purchasing a certificate of completion for $75. (That feels pretty reasonable for an MIT credential, especially since the course itself is free.)
Details
- Platform: edX
- Price: Free
- Instructor(s): John Guttag, professor of computer science and electrical engineering at MIT; Eric Grimson, professor of medical engineering and computer science at MIT; and Ana Bell, lecturer on computer science and electrical engineering at MIT
- Prerequisites: High school algebra and a "reasonable aptitude" for math; students with no programming background will experience a higher learning curve
- Class duration: 9 weeks (recommended: 14 to 16 hours/week) with set learning schedule
- Certificate of completion: Yes, for $75
The Good & The Bad
- Flexible payments available
- Free program preview
- Mobile learning app
- Highly qualified instructors
- Dedicated program support team
- Peer learning and feedback
- Real-world case study
- Expensive
- Set enrollment periods
Why We Like It
Offered by the Columbia Business School's Executive Education program, "Python for Managers" is a two-part class for established professionals who want to get "into the programming action" — whether that's by learning how to apply technical concepts to their day-to-day business decisions or simply better communicating with programmers they work with. (CBS says representative roles include project managers, growth hackers, data scientists, VPs, entrepreneurs, and other managerial types who have "outgrown Excel for data analysis.") The first half of the course covers Python fundamentals, while the latter delves into business applications. "Mini challenges" for hands-on Python practice are interspersed throughout its eight weeks of learning, which culminate in a final project.
Details
- Platform: Columbia Business School
- Price: $2,250
- Instructor(s): Mattan Griffel, adjunct assistant professor of business decision, risk, and operations at Columbia Business School; and Daniel Guetta, associate professor of professional practice in the disciple of decision, risk, and operations at Columbia Business School and director of the Center for Pricing Revenue Management and Business Analytics Initiative
- Prerequisites: None
- Class duration: 2 months (6 to 8 hours/week) with set learning schedule
- Certificate of completion: Yes
Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.