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Comment: Initial addition of Beginner's Guide
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    (This is the program that reads Python programs and carries out their
    instructions; you need it before you can do any Python programming.)
     See [BeginnersGuide/Download "Downloading Python"] for instructions
     for downloading the correct version of Python.		   (This is the program that reads Python programs and carries out their
  instructions; you need it before you can do any Python programming.)
  See [BeginnersGuide/Download "Downloading Python"] for instructions
  for downloading the correct version of Python.
Line 15: Line 15:
  * You'll want to select a
     [/editors text editor] that has
     support for Python.		   * You'll want to select a [http://www.python.org/editors text editor] that has support for Python.
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    with your new Python interpreter.   with your new Python interpreter.
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      * If English isn't your first language, you might be more comfortable with a tutorial that's been translated into your language. Consult python.org's [/doc/NonEnglish.html list of Non-English resources].       * If English isn't your first language, you might be more comfortable with a tutorial that's been translated into your language. Consult python.org's [http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html list of Non-English resources].
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     [/doc/ Python's online documentation].
     It includes [/doc/current/tut/ a tutorial]
     that may be helpful, [/doc/current/lib/ a
     Library Reference] that lists all of the modules that come
     standard with Python, and [/doc/current/ref/ the Language Reference] for a complete (if rather dry) explanation
       of Python's syntax.		   [http://www.python.org/doc/ Python's online documentation].
  It includes [http://www.python.org/doc/current/tut/ a tutorial]
  that may be helpful, [http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/ a Library Reference] that lists all of the modules that come
  standard with Python, and [http://www.python.org/doc/current/ref/ the Language Reference] for a complete (if rather dry) explanation of Python's syntax.
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      for suggested titles.   for suggested titles.
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      programs and little snippets of code that can help you learn.
  * Need help from a human? Read [BeginnersGuide/help.html "Getting Help"] for
       mailing lists and newsgroups.		   programs and little snippets of code that can help you learn.
  * Need help from a human? Read [BeginnersGuide/help.html "Getting Help"] for mailing lists and newsgroups.
Line 42: Line 37:
  * Teachers can join the [/sigs/edu-sig/ EDU-SIG],
    a mailing list for discussion of
    Python's use in teaching at any level ranging from K-12 up to
     university.		   * Teachers can join the [http://www.python.org/sigs/edu-sig/ EDU-SIG],
  a mailing list for discussion of
  Python's use in teaching at any level ranging from K-12 up to
  university.
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* The first place to look is the [/pypi/ Python Package Index].  * The first place to look is the [http://www.python.org/pypi/ Python Package Index].
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* If you can't find anything relevant in the Package Index,
  try [/search/ searching python.org] - you can
  find anything mentioned on the Python site, in the [/doc/faq/ FAQs], or in the
  newsgroup. More info: [/search/#help where to
  search].		  * If you can't find anything relevant in the Package Index,
 try [http://www.python.org/search/ searching python.org] - you can
 find anything mentioned on the Python site, in the [http://www.python.org/doc/faq/ FAQs], or in the
 newsgroup. More info: [http://www.python.org/search/#help where to
 search].
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* Next, try [http://www.google.com Google] or other
  search engine of your choice. Searching for "python" and some relevant keywords will usually find something helpful.		  * Next, try [http://www.google.com Google] or other
 search engine of your choice. Searching for "python" and some relevant keywords will usually find something helpful.
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* Finally, you can try posting a query to the comp.lang.python Usenet group.  * Finally, you can try posting a query to the comp.lang.python Usenet group.
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 * Python is a product of the [/psf/ Python Software Foundation], a non-profit organization that holds the copyright. [/psf/donations.html Donations to the PSF] are
tax-deductible in the USA, and you can donate via credit card or
PayPal.		  * Python is a product of the [http://www.python.org/psf/ Python Software Foundation], a non-profit organization that holds the copyright. [http://www.python.org/psf/donations.html Donations to the PSF] are tax-deductible in the USA, and you can donate via credit card or PayPal.
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* To report a bug in the Python core, use the [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=5470&atid=105470 Python Bug Tracker] at SourceForge.  * To report a bug in the Python core, use the [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=5470&atid=105470 Python Bug Tracker] at SourceForge.
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* To contribute a bug fix or other patch to the Python
core, read the [/dev/ Python Developer's Guide]
for more information about Python's development process.		  * To contribute a bug fix or other patch to the Python
 core, read the [http://www.python.org/dev/ Python Developer's Guide]
 for more information about Python's development process.
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* To contribute to the official [/doc/ Python
documentation], join the [/sigs/doc-sig/ Documentation SIG], write to docs@python.org, or use the [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=5470&atid=305470 Patch Manager] to contribute a documentation patch.		  * To contribute to the official [http://www.python.org/doc/ Python documentation], join the [http://www.python.org/sigs/doc-sig/ Documentation SIG],   write to docs@python.org, or use the [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=5470&atid=305470 Patch Manager] to contribute a documentation patch.
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* To announce your module or application to the Python community,
use [news:comp.lang.python.announce comp.lang.python.announce]. See
[/community/lists.html#comp-lang-python-announce the guide to Python mailing lists] for more information.		  * To announce your module or application to the Python community,
 use [news:comp.lang.python.announce comp.lang.python.announce]. See
[http://www.python.org/community/lists.html#comp-lang-python-announce the guide to Python mailing lists] for more information.
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* To propose changes to the python core, post your thoughts to [news:comp.lang.python comp.lang.python].  If you have an
implementation, follow the [/patches/ Python Patch Guidelines].		  * To propose changes to the python core, post your thoughts to [news:comp.lang.python comp.lang.python].
 If you have an implementation, follow the [http://www.python.org/patches/ Python Patch Guidelines].
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Beginner's Guide to Python

New to programming? Python is free, and easy to learn if you know where to start! This guide will help you to get started quickly.

New to Python?

  • Read our brief [BeginnersGuide/Overview brief overview of Python] to learn the key points.
  • First, you need to get the Python interpreter installed on your computer. (This is the program that reads Python programs and carries out their instructions; you need it before you can do any Python programming.) See [BeginnersGuide/Download "Downloading Python"] for instructions for downloading the correct version of Python.

  • You'll want to select a [http://www.python.org/editors text editor] that has support for Python.

  • Next, you're going to want to read a tutorial and try some simple experiments with your new Python interpreter.

    • If you've never programmed before, see [BeginnersGuide/NonProgrammers "Python for Non-Programmers"].

    • If you have previous programming experience, consult [BeginnersGuide/Programmers "Python for Programmers"], which lists more advanced tutorials.

    • If English isn't your first language, you might be more comfortable with a tutorial that's been translated into your language. Consult python.org's [http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html list of Non-English resources].

  • Once you've read a tutorial, you can browse through

    [http://www.python.org/doc/ Python's online documentation]. It includes [http://www.python.org/doc/current/tut/ a tutorial] that may be helpful, [http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/ a Library Reference] that lists all of the modules that come standard with Python, and [http://www.python.org/doc/current/ref/ the Language Reference] for a complete (if rather dry) explanation of Python's syntax.

  • Most Python books will include an introduction; see [IntroductoryBooks the book list] for suggested titles.

  • Consult the [BeginnersGuide/Examples "Examples and Sample Code"] page for small programs and little snippets of code that can help you learn.
  • Need help from a human? Read [BeginnersGuide/help.html "Getting Help"] for mailing lists and newsgroups.
  • Or, you can pay for [BeginnersGuide/Courses a Python course].

  • Teachers can join the [http://www.python.org/sigs/edu-sig/ EDU-SIG], a mailing list for discussion of Python's use in teaching at any level ranging from K-12 up to university.

Looking for a particular Python module or application?

Want to contribute?

[http://www.python.org/community/lists.html#comp-lang-python-announce the guide to Python mailing lists] for more information.

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BeginnersGuide (last edited 2025-10-19 18:34:50 by CarolWilling)

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