My Python and Django Journey

Published: Nov. 22, 2015, 8:50 a.m. Back

Author: rachell

 

(in order of difficulty)

Bootcamps are a great jump-start but I feel like that's what they are, a start. With your programming education or even a diet to be successful you have to make it a lifestyle. So I like to think of this as a start of my life-long journey of programming. For me, this started a year ago very slowly but I have been picking up momentum along the way, so get out of the way or watch out!

This is what I've done (* or what I haven't done but want to) up until now.

1. Command Line:

Codecademy

2. Python:

Basics: Codecademy Python

Contents:

  • Variables, Strings, Lists, If Else, For Loops, Dictionaries, Functions, Classes
  • Advanced Topics:Iteration, list slicing, bitwise, lambda
  • Projects: supermarket pricing, student grading, battleship game, exam stats

MOOC Courses:

University of Michigan: Python For Everybody

My thoughts: I wish I had started with this course. It's great for someone with no experience. Challenging but not so much you want to throw your computer out the window.

Course Syllabus:

  • Introduction - Why we program?, Variables and Expressions, Conditional code, Functions, Loops and Iteration, Strings, Files, Lists, Dictionaries, Tuples, Optional Topic: Regular Expressions

Rice university:Interactive Python Part 1 Part 2

My thoughts: When I did this course part 1 and 2 were combined into one course. It's challenging but fun. I liked making real projects but didn't like using their online code editor. I also learned a lot by grading other students' code and getting feedback from other students on mine. It was also a little encouraging that partial credit could be given on the assignments.

Projects:

  • Binary Search: "number guess"
  • If/else: "rock paper scissors lizard spock"
  • Modulo arithmetic: "stopwatch"
  • Vector graphics: "pong"
  • Game state and manipulations: "Memory","BlackJack" 
  • Final Project: "Asteroids"

A good review of the course:here

MIT on Edx: Intro to CS and Python

My thoughts: I tried this once when I was just starting to learn Python but realized it was over my head. I tried again 6 months later and it was still difficult but I was able to pass. One thing I found difficult was the grading system was all or nothing. If you're looking for a challenge this is it!

SPECIFIC TOPICS COVERED:

  • Introduction to Python: objects, expressions and numerical types; variables and assignments; branching programs; iteration; functions; structured types; classes.
  • Introduction to algorithms (ways to approach problem solving): exhaustive enumeration; approximation techniques; bisection search; Newtons’ method; recursion.
  • Testing and debugging.
  • Cool things going on in computer science research at MIT.

Practice:

A complete tutorial with advanced topics: Learn Python*, Tutorials Point*

Practice challenges and see others' code: Coderbyte, Hackerrack

Helps to debug and visualize what code you're writing: Python Tutor

Projects: Idiot Inside*

3. HTML/CSS

Frameworks:

  1. Bootstrap
  2. Materialize

Tutorials:

Get the Basics with: Codecademy Web Track

Udacity Video Lectures and Projects:

Intro to HTML/CSS, Responsive WebDesign

4. Django:

Putting it all together: (command line, python, html, css, django, virtual environment, deployment):

Django Girls Tutorial

 

 

~~~A Closing Note~~~

Along with everything here I also did some Pygame, Raspberry Py, Linux Ubuntu and a touch of Javascript, but I didn't do it alone. I had some awesome people helping me along the way. Doing it alone is possible but I think having this awesome Django Girls Seoul community helps keep me focused and motivated. A huge shout out to Hassan Abid and Jin Park. They both let me bother them with my endless questions and errors and I'm sure there will be more to come. Thank you!

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