Python Basics

Python Basics covers everything you need to write and read simple Python programs: installation, variables, data types, control flow, functions, and the most common data structures. We assume you have never programmed before or that you are coming from another language; explanations are kept clear and examples are runnable. If you see an error you do not understand, use the Errors & Exceptions index to look it up by name.

Start with Getting Started to install Python and run your first script. Then learn how to store and shape data: variables, data types, operators, and conditionals and loops for control flow. Functions let you reuse logic and structure larger programs. After that, focus on the structures you will use every day: lists, dictionaries, tuples, sets, and strings. With those in place, you can handle file handling, exception handling, modules, and later classes and objects and inheritance.

Each article builds on the previous ones. For quick task‑oriented recipes (e.g. read a CSV, call an API, loop with an index), see the How‑To guides. For deeper explanations of a single idea (e.g. list vs tuple, decorators, comprehensions), see Core Concepts. For “what does this error mean?”, use Errors & Exceptions.