Best Way to Learn Python (Free and Paid Python Tutorials)

Python’s popularity is constantly increasing, mainly due to its use in emerging technologies such as data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. It’s also taken software development by storm with its efficiency, versatility, and ease of learning.

Currently, Python is the second most popular programming language (after JavaScript) on GitHub. Whether you want to learn Python as a complete beginner or you already have some experience with coding and want to upskill yourself for better career prospects, this article is for you.

We’ve curated a list of the best Python tutorials, including both free and paid resources.

Check Out Our Video Guide to the Best Python Tutorials

What Is Python?

Python is an open source and high-level programming language designed by Guido van Rossum. Released in 1991, this programming language’s design philosophy aims at code readability, which is why it’s one of the easiest languages to learn.

In addition, Python is an object-oriented, reflective, functional, procedural, and structural language. All these approaches of Python help programmers write logical and clear code for projects of all scales.

As of now, there are three major versions of Python, Python 3 being the latest. It also supports a wide range of libraries to simplify writing the code.

Features

Python’s features are:

• Open source and free: Python is open source, and you can download its code for free to use and modify it for your projects.
• Easy to learn: Python is becoming popular because it’s easy to learn compared to other languages. Its simpler syntax uses plain English with less complexity. Hence, it’s developer-friendly and easy to code.
• Extensive libraries: Python’s standard library is extensive with rich modules and functions that help you complete your projects faster instead of writing code from scratch. You can find reusable code for processes like image manipulation, unit testing, CGI, and more. Examples include Django, Flask, NumPy, and SciPy.
• Extensible: Python is highly extensible with different modules to extend the core functionality. For example, you can add a programmable interface to an existing application.
• Object-oriented: Python uses object-oriented programming concepts, such as objects, classes, inheritance, data encapsulation, and more.
• Interpreted and easy to debug: Python executes code linearly, like Java, C, and C++. This way, there’s no need for compilation, and debugging becomes easy.
• Dynamically-typed: Specifying a variable type such as char, int, double, etc., is not needed in Python as it’s decided during code run time rather than at the start. As a result, it makes programming simpler and reduces many lines of code.
• Portable: Python uses portable code. So, you can use the same code across different platforms like Windows, macOS, Unix, or Linux.

Where Is Python Used?

Python is a versatile programming language. You can use Python for a variety of purposes, including:

• Web development: Due to its efficiency, speed, and other positive aspects, Python is excellent for web development. With the availability of extensive libraries like Django and Flask, the process becomes much more manageable. Some popular companies using it for this purpose include Instagram, Reddit, Uber, and Spotify.
• Software development: Using Python, you can create software programs and applications running on your devices. Many Python packages, such as NumPy, Tkinter, SciPy, etc., simplify the software development procedures. You can also develop complex apps with scientific and numeric computing. A few biggies who use it for software development include Dropbox, PyChess, BitTorrent, Gramps, etc.
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence: From search engines and social media to chatbots and virtual assistants, algorithms are everywhere and powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence. Python’s exclusive libraries, such as SciPy, Seaborn, TensorFlow, NumPy, Pandas, etc., serve these purposes.
• Data Science: Python is used extensively in Data Science. It has plenty of related libraries and frameworks such as PyBrain, Bottle, Flask, web3py, etc., useful in data science to visualize and analyze large volumes of data and other purposes. It also helps in web scraping, which has become quite essential these days for businesses.
• Creating desktop GUIs: Due to Python’s modular structure, it works on various operating systems and lets you build desktop GUIs utilizing an efficient framework, module, or text processor, such as PyGUI, PyGtk, PyQt4, PyQt5, etc.
• Game development: You can develop games using Python libraries like PySoy (a 3D game engine based on Python). Games developed using Python are Disney’s Toontown Online, Battlefield 2, Frets on Fire, etc.

4 Benefits of Learning Python

Learning Python has several advantages for your career prospects. Let’s find out the answer to the question, “Why learn Python”?

1.Efficient in Development

Python is not only easy to learn and code, but it also accelerates the entire development process. It has a wide range of frameworks, packages, libraries, and modules that don’t require you to do everything from scratch.

You can also utilize reusable code to write the code faster with stability. It helps you automate standard processes and save time to focus on the logic and other vital aspects of web and software development.

2. Extremely Versatile

Python is a highly versatile language, which is one of the reasons behind its popularity and high usability. From small- to large-scale projects, Python works with the same efficiency. Apart from the uses mentioned above, developers use it for deep learning, data engineering, process automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and more.

That said, its versatility could be due to the massive number of functions, methods, frameworks, and libraries it supports. And Python’s readability, popularity, and usability have further encouraged many more libraries, making the language more user-friendly.

3. Demand for Python Developers

The demand for Python developers is increasing in the market with its popularity and usage in emerging technologies. It finds use in business services, insurance, aerospace, retail, banking, finance, info-tech, consulting, healthcare, and hardware, just to name a few.

The top companies using Python are Google, NASA, YouTube, Quora, IBM, HP, Qualcomm, and Dropbox. And they also hire Python developers frequently.

In 2021, the average salary of Python developers in the US is $110,840 annually. So, learning Python can be rewarding for your career.

4. Supportive Community

Although there’s official Python documentation available, sometimes you may get stuck, especially if you are a beginner. At this time, a supportive community is something that can help you. Fortunately, Python has a vast community of developers you can turn to in case of doubts or questions.

You can find online forums such as Stack Overflow, open source communities, and local meet-ups to explore the language. In addition, there are lots of courses, tutorials, websites, and other resources dedicated to Python (some of which we’ll discuss in this article).

How to Learn Python Step by Step

Even if your hands are on the best Python tutorial, you may not reap the total value out of it if you don’t know the best way to learn Python. This is why let’s talk about the step-by-step process of learning Python.

Step 1: Think About Why You Want to Learn Python

Before you start something, figure out why you want to do it in the first place. The same applies to learning Python. There must be some goal to keep you motivated throughout this journey; otherwise, it may be painful to make it through.

Figure out why Python interests you, whether you want to upskill yourself or build a career as a Python developer. It could be data science, ML, AI, building websites, apps, and games, scripts for work automation, data analysis, web scraping, or anything else.

Once you set your goal, proceed with the next step.

Step 2: Understand the Basics

Understand Python basics clearly without any doubts. Learn the syntax, fundamental programming language aspects like variables, data types, functions, etc. Python resources mentioned in this article will help you in this step.

However, it could become tedious if you just go through the theory. The key here is to practice and take breaks in between.

Write simple code on your own or through examples given in your chosen Python tutorial. After the basics are complete, you can move to advanced topics.

Step 3: Apply the Knowledge on Projects

After the basics, try completing a project to implement your knowledge. Projects would unleash your potential and help you learn more while building a portfolio to display the potential employers.

You can create structured projects on data science, ML, websites, mobile apps, games, automation scripts, etc. You’ll find lots of resources for structured projects such as Dataquest, Scikit-learn documentation, Bottle tutorial, Codecademy, Learning Robotics using Python, and Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, just to name a few.

After you complete the advanced topics, work on projects you create on your own. Use the resources available to you, but work on what you wish to do with Python.

By this time, you must have learned to find errors and debug them. You can extend previous projects, find open source platforms for contribution, volunteer in non-profits, contribute on GitHub, and so on.

Step 4: Collaborate With Others

Collaborating with other learners and experts will help you expand your knowledge, discuss stuff, and learn tips and tricks to apply to your projects. You can meet them at various Python communities, forums, meet-ups, and events. Some examples include Stack Overflow, Python.org, Reddit, and Sololearn.

Step 5: Keep Practicing

Learning is a continuous process. Hence, after you have completed all the steps, always keep practicing what you’ve learned. Be in the game as a full-time Python developer or a part-time hobbyist to create Python projects in various industry verticals.

Just keep the practice on!

Next, we’ll finally reveal the best Python tutorials.

Best 25 Free Tools and Resources to Learn Python

Our top 25 choices for free Python resources are:

1. Python.org

If you are searching for a free resource to learn Python, check out the official Python documentation on Python.org. It’s helpful for beginners and experienced developers as it covers a wide range of topics from basic to advanced, all about Python programming.

• It provides a brief explanation of Python for beginners.
• It demonstrates how to install Python, IDE, and interpreters. You can read tutorials and experiment with the Python interpreter.
• Python.org provides a comprehensive guide with advanced topics for Python developers, from installing dependencies to style guides, writing the code, issue tracking, troubleshooting, continuous integration and testing, and much more.

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No
• Tutorials are translated into 81 languages to help non-native English speakers learn Python more efficiently.
• Showcases a complete list of pages included in the Beginner’s Guide that you can download and read
• It makes learning fun with multiple exercises and quizzes. It also checks your Python style with dynamic score calculation and hints.
• Offers other references to learn Python, including Codecademy, DataCamp, Dataquest, etc.

Apart from tutorials and guides, you can access Python-related podcasts, informational videos, latest events and news, developer community, success stories, FAQs, and so on.

2. Codecademy

One of the best places on the internet to learn Python for free is Codecademy. This e-learning platform offers lots of courses in Python, both free and paid. Python 2 is a free course they provide, which is a helpful introduction to basic programming concepts and Python.

They begin with theory and then ask learners to write Python code online utilizing the concepts. The course has been undertaken by employees at NASA, IBM, Google, Facebook, and others.

Some of the topics they cover are:

• Python syntax
• Python string and console output
• How to use control and conditional flow to write programs
• Python functions, loops, dictionaries, and data structure lists

The best thing about this course is that all the exercises and lessons run directly on your browser; hence, there is no need to install Python on your computer.

Codecademy also provides a code editor for free that you can practice while writing code. You can even join a forum to interact and discuss with other members.

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration to complete: 25 hours
• Certificate: You can earn certification after course completion with the PRO membership
• Prerequisites: None

3. Udemy

Udemy has an extensive collection of courses on a variety of subjects, including Python. They offer both free and paid lessons suitable for beginners to experts. If you are looking for video-based tutorials, Udemy is among the best places.

Their free Introduction to Python Programming course is an easy and quick introduction to the Python programming language. This tutorial is available in English and begins with topics like:

• Python basics, strings, data types, and variables
• Loops, conditions, functions, and file manipulations
• Writing Python scripts and functions

Some features of the course include:

• Course-type: Video-based
• Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes, on-demand video
• Students enrolled: 619,075
• Ratings: 4.4
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No

Udemy’s Python from Beginner to Intermediate in 30 minutes course prepares you for advanced Python concepts. It includes a series of tutorials and lectures on Python programming, and you’ll learn how to code from scratch and install Python.

Entrepreneurs, students, or anyone interested in learning Python can take this course. Here, they teach you:

• Python basics
• Functions, modules, strings in Python
• Slicing, sequences, conditional, and loop statements
• File handling and object-oriented programming

Some features of the course include:

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes, on-demand video
• Ratings: 4.2
• Students enrolled: 92,015
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No

As the name suggests, Udemy’s Python for Absolute Beginners course is best for people who have absolutely no idea about Python or any other programming language for that matter. The instructors teach how to code in Python 3, coverings these topics:

• Python installation
• How to run Python scripts and set up PyCharm IDE
• Variables, numbers, strings, lists, dictionaries, and boolean operators
• Modules, function, loops, arguments, and return values
• How to develop a calculator app leveraging Python
• Final project

Some features of the course include:

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 2 hours 16 minutes, on-demand video
• Ratings: 4.5
• Students enrolled: 75,783
• Certificate: No
• Prerequisites: Downloading Python 3 and PyCharm (both open source)

4. Coursera

Coursera is the platform where you can learn from various courses from the world’s top universities, including Yale, Stanford, University of Sydney, and many more. Coursera offers a free Python course: Python for Everybody Specialization by the University of Michigan.

This course will help you learn how to program in Python and analyze data. At the end of the course, you will develop Python programs by yourself and collect, clean, visualize, and analyze data using it.

They have added subtitles in 12 languages, including English, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Italian, French, German, Turkish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. Every specialization course requires you to complete a hands-on project successfully to earn the certificate.

The course covers these topics:

• Python installation and writing programs
• Python basics
• How to use variables to store, calculate, retrieve data
• How to utilize core programming aspects like loops and functions
• Skills like data structure, basic programming languages, DBMS, web scraping, SQL, Tuple, Python semantics and syntax, and more

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: Approximately 8 months
• Ratings: 4.8
• Students enrolled: 1,056,382
• Certification: Yes, shareable on LinkedIn, professional networks, and with employers
• Prerequisites: None

5. Learnpython.org

If you are looking for a text-based resource to learn Python, Learnpython.org is a good option. It is an interactive tutorial, which is helpful for everyone whether you are experienced or not. You can also join their Facebook group for discussions, updates, and questions.

The tutorial includes topics such as:

• Variables and their types, lists, operators, conditions, loops, functions, lists, string formatting, string operations, objects and classes, packages and modules, and dictionaries
• Data science lessons include Pandas basics and Numpy arrays
• Advanced tutorials such as generators, sets, list comprehensions, function arguments, exceptional handling, regular expressions, serialization, code introspection, partial functions, closures, filters, maps, and Reduce

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Students enrolled: 575,000
• Prerequisites: None
• Certification: You can go for certification at LearnX and showcase it on your LinkedIn profile

6. FreeCodeCamp

Learn Python: Full Course for Beginners is a tutorial that FreeCodeCamp offers, and it’s excellent, especially if you love text-based courses. However, they also have a YouTube video where they have explained Python concepts beautifully for beginners.

On the website, you can learn:

• Python basics, including variables, control flow statements, loops, arrays, data structure, dictionary, etc.
• Class and object
• Object-oriented programming concepts such as data encapsulation and inheritance

The best thing is they have explained each concept with good examples and coding. The YouTube video has also covered how to install PyCharm and Python, how to build a calculator, and ideas on Python interpreters. Overall, it’s a pretty good way to go if you’re entirely new to programming and Python.

Features

• Course-type: Video-based
• Duration: 4 hours 20 minutes of YouTube video
• Views: 24+ million views
• Prerequisites: None

They also have a Medium account where you can read hundreds of helpful articles on various programming languages.

7. DataCamp

DataCamp shines when it comes to educating people about data science. They offer this course — Introduction to Python — to help you master data analysis basics in Python and expand your skills by learning Numpy for scientific computing.

There are 11 videos and 57 exercises included in the course, and they’re completely free. Another benefit to DataCamp is you don’t need to install Python on your machine; instead, they offer an impressive user interface and a web compiler.

The USP of this course that sets it apart from other online Python tutorials is making students learn Python for data science. Here, you’ll learn:

• Effective ways to store data and manipulate it
• Data science tools for analysis
• Basic Python concepts
• How to utilize Python interactively
• How to utilize Python using a script
• To create variables and ideas on Python’s data types

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 4 hours
• Students enrolled: 3 million+
• Ratings: 4.6/5
• Prerequisites: None in terms of skills, just a Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn account

8. eDx

Similar to Coursera, eDx is also an e-learning platform that provides online courses from top global universities. Currently, they have 3000+ courses available and tie-up with 160+ universities, including Harvard, MIT, Berkeley, and more.

Just hop on to edX’s website and search for the courses you need, and it will show all the relevant courses and programs available.

Let’s talk about some of the free Python courses they offer.

If you want to take your basic Python knowledge to the next level, Using Python for Research by Harvard University is the one for you. Offered by Harvard University, it will help you learn Python 3 and how you can utilize it for your research.

Here, you’ll learn:

• Basics of Python 3 programming
• Some Python tools such as SciPy and NumPy for research purposes
• How to implement Python tools for research in practical scenarios

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 12 weeks, 2-4 hours/week
• Students enrolled: 284,309
• Certificate: You can earn a Verified Certificate by paying $169.14
• Course type: Self-paced based on your time
• Language: English
• Prerequisites: Some prior experience in Python programming

Other free courses available are:

• Python Basics for Data Science by IBM: This course teaches about Python, its applications in Data Science, its basics, how to utilize Pandas for data analysis, and more. This self-paced course’s duration is 5 weeks, and you can add a certificate by paying $99.
• Computing in Python I: Fundamentals and Procedural Programming by Georgia Tech helps you learn computing basics in Python, such as variables and operators, and you can also write and debug your program. It takes 5 weeks to complete, and you can add a certificate by paying $130.30.
• Machine Learning with Python: A Practical Introduction: This introductory course helps you learn machine learning methods, algorithms, statistical modeling, and real-life examples of how MI affects society. It is a 5-week course by IBM, and you can add a certificate by paying $99.

9. Google’s Python Class

Google uses Python for many projects, including system building, ad minutes tools, code evaluation tools, APIs, and data analysis. As part of Google for Education, their Python Class is free and highly useful to people with basic programming skills.

This class includes lecture videos, text content, and code exercises to help you practice coding in Python. Here, you’ll learn:

• Basic Python concepts such as lists and strings in the first exercises
• Full program exercises involving text files, HTTP connections, and processes
• How to install and setup Python

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 2 days
• Prerequisites: Basic programming skills
• Certificate: No

You can also watch their video tutorials on YouTube directly.

10. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is not just a networking platform for professionals but also a hub of helpful resources to learn plenty of skills, including Python. They offer Python Essential Training for free by signing up for LinkedIn Learning and starting your free month.

In this course, the instructor demonstrates Python 3 in generating well-designed scripts and maintaining existing projects. It is helpful for both beginners and intermediate-level learners.

The course covers:

• Python’s basic syntax, usage, and advanced features like objects, exceptions, generators, and more
• How values and types relate to objects
• How to utilize functions, control statements, and loops
• Python module system
• How to use decorators and generators
• Examples showing Python scripting in a real-world implementation

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 4 hours 51 minutes
• Viewers: More than 20,000 people have already like this course
• Certificate: Shareable certificate by LinkedIn Learning
• Includes quizzes in 16 chapters
• Access on smartphone and tablet
• Prerequisites: None

11. Microsoft

Learn to write fundamental code, explore console output and input, and declare variables with Microsoft’s Introduction to Python course. It ties in with their Azure learning resources, but it is also useful for students, Python beginners, and developers.

The course includes 10 units and covers various topics, such as:

• Basics of Python
• An exercise on how to create an application using Python
• Data types, variables, a “Hello” program, how to read keyboard input
• How to create a calculator application

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Course duration: 1 hour 7 minutes
• Ratings: 4.7/5
• Prerequisites: None
• Language: English

12. Simplilearn

Simplilearn is a leading online learning platform with extensive courses on data science, software development, IT, cloud computing, digital marketing, project management, and more emerging technologies.

Simplilearn’s Python Tutorial for Beginners is designed to help you learn the language in the easiest way possible with exercises. It makes it effortless to grasp concepts like object-oriented programming (OOP) classes, attributes, threading, scripting, and more. The course is useful for beginners and intermediate-level learners.

In this course, you’ll learn:

• How to install Python on Windows
• OOPs concept
• PyCharm and NumPy
• Python’s variables, numbers, loops, functions, conditional statements, lists, strings, slicing, RegEx, threading, sets, dictionaries, etc.
• Python threading, classes and objects, Pandas, Tuples, IDEs, and Matplotlib
• Scikit and Django framework
• Skills to become a Python developer
• Interview questions

You can also seek help from their community forum if you have some doubts.

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Course duration: 9 hours and includes 33 lessons
• Course type: Video-based tutorial
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No

13. SoloLearn

SoloLearn offers a lot of free Python courses aimed at learners with different skill levels. And their learner base is increasing exponentially, with millions of learners on each of their courses offered.

They offer 5 Python courses:

• Python Core
• Python for Beginners
• Python for Data Science
• Intermediate Python
• Python Data Structures

Out of them, Python Core is the most popular, with 7.2 million learners. This course will help you learn Python with code writing practices. You can even collect points for it and expand your skills to land better opportunities.

This course is divided into 10 modules. Each module combines lessons and their respective practices or exercises to test your skills learned. The module-related topics covered are:

• Basic Python concepts and why you should learn it
• Strings and variables, newlines, string operations, working with inputs
• Control structures like if and else statements, boolean and comparisons, operators and conditions, loops, lists, range
• Functions and modules, standard library, and pip
• Exceptions and files
• Dictionaries, Tuples, slices, functions, string formatting, text analyzer
• Functional programming, Lambda, Generators, maps and filters, decorators, recursion, etc.
• OOP concepts, including classes, inheritance, encapsulation, etc.
• Regular expressions
• Pythonicness and packaging

Features

• Course type: Video type
• Students enrolled: 7.2 million
• Certificate: No
• Prerequisites: None

Apart from Python, SoloLearn also offers free courses on many other topics, such as JavaScript, HTML, Responsive Web Design, CSS, SQL, Angular + NestJS, PHP, jQuery, and more.

14. Tutorials Point

Tutorial Point is an excellent platform that provides quality content for free. Their Python Tutorial helps you learn Python with an in-depth, text-based tutorial with rich examples. It’s best for beginners in Python and for those who are new to programming languages.

In addition, there are lots of practical exercises and coding options so you can test your skills. Even if you have some prior knowledge of Python, you can polish your coding skills with the help of this tutorial.

Not only does it cover basic Python concepts but also advanced subjects, including:

• The reasons why you should learn Python
• Python’s characteristics and applications
• Environment setup
• How to write your first “Hello World” program in Python
• Python’s basic syntax, variables, operators, loops, numbers, lists, strings, dictionary, tuples, date and time, modules, functions, exceptions, etc.
• Advanced level topics such as classes, objects, regression, CGI programming, networking, database access, multithreading, sending email, GUI programming, XML processing, and extensions

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of terminologies used in computer programing
• Downloadable PDF version of the tutorial
• A quick guide
• Resources, job search, and discussion panel
• Certificates: No

15. W3Schools

W3Schools is a renowned website that offers plenty of tutorials, including Python in an easy-to-understand language. They offer a Python Tutorial, which has well-organized lessons and examples.

In addition, you can use their editor — “Try it Yourself” — to edit Python code all by yourself and then view the results.

The topics covered in this tutorial are:

• Python introduction and how to get started
• Syntax, comments, data types, variables, numbers, strings, casting, booleans, operators, tuple, lists, Lambda, OOPs concepts, Python PIP, etc.
• File handling with Python, reading files, writing, creating, or deleting files.
• Python Modules — NumPy, SciPy, and Pandas tutorial
• Python Matplotlib — Pyplot, markers, plotting, line, labels, subplots, grid, histograms, scatter, pie charts, and bars
• Machine Learning with Python
• Python MySQL and MongoDB
• Python references, how-to guides, examples, and quizzes

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: After completing this tutorial, you can test your Python skills with their online quizzes. Next, you can apply for a certificate by remitting an examination fee and taking the online exam anywhere, anytime.

Apart from Python, W3Schools has courses and tutorials for HTML, JavaScript, CSS, SQL, Bootstrap, PHP, C++, jQuery, Java, and more. You can also find lots of references on this site for various technologies to boost your knowledge.

16. Programming with Mosh

YouTube is also a great platform where you can find lots of Python tutorials for free. Programming with Mosh is one of the best Python tutorial sources on YouTube. The creator of this channel is Mosh, who offers a Python for Beginners tutorial on this YouTube channel.

This tutorial has all the basic concepts of Python and even includes 3 projects for you to complete. The topics covered are:

• Python 3 installation
• Writing the first Python program
• Basic concepts like variables, type conversion, formatted strings, arithmetic operations, math functions, operators, loops, 2D lists, Emoji converter, parameters, tuples, unpacking, constructors, OOPs concepts, and so on.
• Python cheat sheet
• Weight converter program
• Creating a Guessing game and car game
• Directories, Pip, and Pypi
• Projects on Automation with Python, ML with Python, and creating a website using Django

Features

• Tutorial type: Video-based
• Duration: 6 hours 14 minutes
• Views: 18+ million
• Subscribers: 1.85 million
• Recommends additional books on Python
• Includes supplementary materials
• Prerequisites: None

17. CS DOJO

CS Dojo is a fantastic YouTube channel that offers a Python Tutorial for Absolute Beginners. It also has tutorials available for learners with intermediate-level Python skills.

All the lessons in the tutorial are explained in easy language with suitable examples. The instructor also gives some valuable tips that you can use to make the best out of this tutorial. In addition, you can also download sample files here. The topics covered in it are:

• Introduction to Python and its usage
• IDE and Jupyter Notebook
• How to install Jupyter and Python
• Variables and how to assign them
• A practice problem and solution

Features

• Tutorial type: Video-based
• Duration: 24 minutes
• Views: 6+ million
• Channel subscribers: 1.68 million
• Prerequisites: None

18. Clever Programmer

Another YouTube Python tutorial on the list is Clever Programmer by Qazi. This is also an excellent option if you are a complete beginner who wants to learn Python from scratch.

By far, he has uploaded 350+ videos on his channels, all dropping value bombs for learners. In addition, if you want to become a web developer, he offers a masterclass as well. The topics he covers in his tutorial — Python Tutorial for Beginners — are:

• All the basic Python concepts
• Casting, slicing, tuples, join and split, etc.
• Dictionaries, mutability, Regex, and list comprehension
• Web scraping and Zip functions
• 4 projects: tic tac toe game, Twilio SMS application, to-do list application, and Craiglist clone
• Python Freelancer Guide

Features

• Tutorial type: Video-based
• Duration: 11 hours
• Views: 2+ million
• Subscribers: 968,000+
• Prerequisites: None

19. Pythonspot

Pythonspot is another helpful resource if you are looking for text-based Python resources for free. This website has a complete Python tutorial covering Python 2 and 3. It is suitable for both professional developers and beginners.

They have explained every concept in depth with practical examples to help you understand it easily. The topics included in it are:

• Basic concepts of Python, OOPs concepts, recursive functions, factory method, Lambda, threading, graphs, modules, Binary numbers, Python debugging, etc.
• Databases: Read/write files, flat database, SQLite, MySQL, and ORM
• Web development: Python web development, JSON encoding & decoding, Flask, and Django
• GUI: PyQt4, PyQt5, wxPython, and Tkinter
• Network: HTTP, FTP, POP3, link extraction, and more
• Advanced: Matplotlib, regular expression, creating Quantum Computing apps, Chrome plugins, speech engines, and fun tricks using Python
• More tutorials on Android, computer vision, robotics, and creating games with Python

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No

20. Studytonight

Another free resource to learn Python from scratch is Studytonight. They offer a Python Tutorial for Beginners to teach Python basics and then gradually prepare you for advanced-level concepts, including OOP concepts in detail.

The content is easy to understand with examples, making it a popular online tutorial. You’ll get plenty of exercises to test your Python skills learned in this tutorial and implement the learning in creating useful tools.

They also have a Q&A forum to help learners discuss and seek help from each other. The topics covered in the tutorial are:

• Python basics, Python 2.x vs Python 3.x, syntax, functions, string, input and output, variables, operators, and so on
• Complex data types, OOP concept, errors and file handling, multithreading, logging, MySQL, and miscellaneous topics
• Library functions

They also cover Python libraries like NumPy, Matplotlib, Tkinter, Network programming, and web scraping with BeautifulSoup.

Features

• Course type: Text-based
• Prerequisites: None
• Duration: Self-paced
• Certificates: No

21. Full Stack Python

If you have some basic familiarity with programming languages, you can go for the Full Stack Python tutorial. This free online Python tutorial will help you achieve proficiency in Python to grab better career opportunities and implement the learning practically.

The tutorial focuses on teaching you how to build, operate, and deploy Python apps. This open source book describes technical topics and concepts in simple language. The course content lets you learn it serially or select a specific topic and click on it to view.

It includes topics such as:

• Introduction to Python, Python 2 or Python 3, and their usage
• Python community, companies using it, best resources, podcasts, and must-watch videos
• Development environments and working with databases
• Web development: web frameworks like Flask, Django, etc., template engines, web design, static site generators, testing, networking, API creation and integration, security, and more
• Web app development, DevOps, and Meta concepts

Features

• Course type: Book
• Duration: Self-paced
• Prerequisites: Basic Python knowledge
• Certificate: No
• Available for purchase in PDF, MOBI, and EPUB formats

22. Invent with Python

If you’ve never written a single line of code before, Invent with Python is a good choice. Apart from the basic concepts that you can find in other resources, this website shines because it teaches you skills to build valuable tools for daily purposes.

The author of this website has published lots of free online books on Python and has presented all the concepts beautifully so that you can implement the knowledge in the real world.

Whether you are a professional who wants to upgrade your skills, a student who wants to pursue a career in software development, or a hobbyist who likes to craft video games, this website with superb online books is for you.

There are plenty of online books available that you can read online for free, get an ebook copy from this publisher for free, or purchase a copy on Amazon. Here are just a few:

• The Big Book of Small Python Projects
• Beyond the Basic Stuff with Python
• Automate the Boring Stuff with Python (Second Edition)
• Cracking Codes with Python
• Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python
• Making Games with Python & Pygame

23. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python

A fabulous text-based material you can refer to learn Python is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python. It contains a comprehensive explanation for each Python concept and is handcrafted to help you understand Python, its installation, and its usage in the real world.

This guide is helpful for both beginners and expert developers and helps them practice Python effectively. It also contains a concise list of recommendations instead of a list containing each Python web framework.

The topics include:

• Choosing a Python interpreter
• Installing Python on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Using Pipenv and virtual environments
• Development environment: IDEs, text editors, interpreters, and other tools
• Project structuring, code style, reading and testing the code, documentation, logging, choosing a license, and more
• Python applications like network applications, web apps and framework, HTML scraping, command-line apps, GUI apps, databases, networking, continuous integration, scientific applications, cryptography, machine learning, and more
• Deploying the code and sharing it

Features

• Course type: Book
• Duration: Self-paced
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No
• Available to download in PDF format
• Translations in English, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese

24. Python for You and Me

Python for You and Me is an online book available free to read. It is also known as the PYM book and explains Python programming language in simple words. This book is helpful for programmers who want to learn Python and also for complete beginners.

All the content in this book is divided into clean chapters with topic-directed lessons. The subjects it covers are:

• Python installation on Windows, Linux/GNU
• How to use Python interpreter, source file, indentation, whitespace, code evaluation, etc.
• mu editor: how to install and use it
• Variables, data types, expressions, operators, control flow statements, and loops
• Data structures, strings, functions, file handling, exceptions, class, and modules
• How to use vs code, PEP8 guidelines, virtualenv, decorators, iterators, and generators
• Simple code testing, annotations, type hinting, a project structure
• Developing command-line apps and a simple GUI app with PyperCard
• Flask

Features

• Course type: Book
• Duration: Self-paced
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No
• Available to download in PDF, HTML, and EPUB formats

25. Talk Python to Me

Talk Python to Me is an excellent podcast dedicated to Python and related concepts and technologies. It is available as free and PRO editions. It focuses on organizations and people who code in Python. They invite different guests in each of their episodes to talk about their work in Python.

For these reasons, it offers a huge opportunity to learn from actual Python coders and implement Python yourself to create awesome apps and tools. So far, they have 320 recorded episodes on exciting Python-related topics.

In addition, they also offer online Python courses for beginners on PyCharm and other subjects.

Features

• Material type: Podcast
• Available on: Google Podcasts, iTunes, Overcast, and Soundcloud
• You can also find them on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and GitHub

Best 9 Paid Tools and Resources to Learn Python

So far, we’ve seen free online courses on Python. But if you’re a serious developer or want to build a solid career as a Python developer, you might choose to take up some of the paid courses available.

Here we go!

1. Udemy

Along with free Python courses, Udemy offers a handful of paid courses as well, and it’s probably one of the best places to learn Python online. Their paid courses are available for beginners to expert developers.

Here, you get advanced-level study apart from basic Python concepts. Some of the best paid Python courses available on Udemy are:

1. 2021 Complete Python Bootcamp from Zero to Hero in Python

This course is designed to help you learn Python from scratch and go to advanced levels to create games and applications. The course is comprehensive and straightforward on Python 3 and is suitable for people who have never programmed before, have some basic knowledge, or want to gain advanced-level skills in Python.

The course content is divided into 23 sections and 155 lectures. It covers the following topics:

• Python basics and course FAQs
• Python setup, objects, and basics of data structure
• Comparison operators, statements, functions, and models
• OOP, package and modules, exceptions, and error handling
• Decorators, generators, advanced modules,
• Web scraping, emails, working with spreadsheets, images, PDFs, and CSV files
• Bonus material: GUIs and Python 2
• 2 Milestone projects and a final Capstone project on Python

Features

• Course type Video-based
• Duration: 22 hours 13 minutes
• Students enrolled: 1,311,104
• Ratings: 4.6/5 (368,004 ratings)
• 14 articles and 19 coding exercises
• Language: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, and Portuguese
• Prerequisites: Just a computer and internet connection
• Lifetime access on TV and mobile
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: $117.99, 30-day money-back guarantee

2. The Python Bible

Considered one of the best resources to learn Python, The Python Bible is something you can check out. It is designed for beginners in programming or Python, and people with basic Python skills can also leverage it.

They have interactively formulated the content to explain technical aspects, making learning fun and easy to grasp. The course content is divided into 11 sections and 74 lectures, including:

• Course introduction
• Python installation and getting started
• Variables, numbers, strings, and conditional flow
• Data structures, loops, functions, and OOP in Python
• Resources

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 9h 8min
• Students enrolled: 117,563
• Ratings: 4.6/5 (33,530 ratings)
• 4 articles, 11 coding exercises, and 3 downloadable resources
• Language: English, Spanish, and Portuguese
• Prerequisites: Laptop/desktop with internet connection
• Lifetime access on TV and mobile
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: $165.85, a 30-day money-back guarantee

Honorable mentions: Apart from these two popular Python courses, Udemy has plenty of other useful and paid courses available. It includes Python for Data Science and ML Bootcamp, Learn Python Programming Masterclass, 100 Days of Code, and The Python Mega Course.

2. Codecademy

Codecademy has appeared once in our free Python resource above. That was for Python 2. But if you want to learn Python 3, Codecademy offers a paid course — Learn Python 3 — which you can take up by choosing their PRO membership plan.

This course introduces you to both basic Python and programming concepts in general. The current version, Python 3, has various improvements from Python 2 that increase the code’s simplicity and efficiency while writing.

It covers topics such as:

• Python syntax and a “Hello World” program
• How to create control flow, logical operators, and boolean variables
• Lists, loops, functions, code challenges, strings, modules, and dictionaries
• Automated file handling, classes, and arguments
• Portfolio projects: Block letters, create receipts, and magic 8-ball game

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 30 hours
• Students: 45M+ Codecademy learners
• It includes quizzes and articles in each section
• Prerequisites: None, just your device and internet
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: Monthly subscription costing around $20

3. eDx

As discussed before, eDx is a reputed online learning platform with ties to the world’s top universities. Apart from free courses, they also offer paid programs with professional certificates to increase your skills and career prospects.

Some of the best paid Python courses they offer are:

1. Introduction to Python Programing

This course is offered by Georgia Tech and is designed for anyone who wants to learn Python. It will take you from being a complete newbie to a proficient Python programmer.

This demanding course will provide you a solid base in Python and other computer science studies. It is designed uniquely, covering basic computer science principles to Python concepts.

You’ll access short videos with live programming exercises, multiple-choice questions, and real-world examples, in addition to receiving constant feedback from instructors on your understanding and progress.

The topics it covers are:

• Programming fundamentals like writing codes, execution, interpreting results, etc.
• Basics such as variables, operators, boolean arithmetic, etc.
• Control structures, error handling, and Python libraries
• Data structures and file manipulation
• OOP skills and algorithms

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 5 months, 9-10 hours/week, self-paced
• 4 skill-building courses
• Certification: Yes
• Fee: $536

2. Python Data Science

If you want to pursue a career in data science, the Python Data Science course by IBM can be a wise option. No matter if you’re entirely new to this field or have already some experience, this course is going to help you upskill yourself.

It will prepare you to pursue a career in machine learning and data science. The course includes extensive lessons on each Python concept, data visualization and analysis, and a practical introduction to machine learning. In the end, you’ll get to complete a final capstone project with a real-life business problem.

This course aims at job readiness and hands-on learning, and you’ll work with datasets and use Python libraries and toolkits.

The topics this course covers are:

• Python basics and their application on data science
• Iterative concepts using tools like IBM cloud and Jupyter Notebooks
• Analyzing data with tools like NumPy and Pandas
• Creating data visualizations with Folium, Seaborn, and Matplotlib
• Building ML models with Scipy and Scikit-learn
• Solving real-life problems related to Data Science

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 7 months, 3-5 hours/week, self-paced
• 6 skill-building courses
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: $574

4. Coursera

Coursera offers lots of Python courses, and the Python 3 Programming Specialization course by the University of Michigan is one of the best among them. It will help you become a proficient Python programmer by teaching you basic and intermediate-level Python 3 concepts and exercises.

By the time this program completes, you’ll be able to write programs to query APIs and extract data, use new APIs, and modules by reading the Python documentation. This course will help you take your next step if you’ve already tackled Coursera’s Python for Everybody Specialization (as discussed in the free resources section).

The topics included in this course are:

• How to understand and inspect APIs and third-party libraries suitable to use with Python 3
• Application of imaging library in Python to view and manipulate images
• Using Python tesseract library (py-tesseract) with Python 3, detecting images using Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
• Using an open source library — OpenCV — for facial recognition in images and manipulate the faces and use it for contact sheets
• Hands-on project to earn the course completion certificate

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: Approx. 5 months, 7 hours/week (suggested)
• Ratings: 4.7/5 (12,777 ratings)
• Students enrolled: 137,249
• Subtitles: English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, German, Korean, Vietnamese, and Portuguese
• Prerequisites: No
• Certificate: Yes, shareable
• Fee: 7 days free trial and then $49/month

Apart from this, Coursera has other decent Python courses, such as:

• Crash Course on Python by Google: This 32-hour course is for beginners and helps you understand Python and its importance in automation. It also guides you in creating Python objects.
• Python for Data Science, AI, & Development by IBM: Enrolled by 300,000+ students, this 17-hours course helps you learn Python for web development, data science, and artificial intelligence.

5. One Month

Learn Python by One Month is a best-selling Python course online that you can complete in 30 days. If you’re a beginner, this is one of the best Python courses you can go for, as it is designed especially for newbies.

It has essential ingredients to help you learn Python coding:

• Bite-sized content
• Weekly goals
• Hands-on projects

Their Learn Python course curriculum is also taught at the prestigious Columbia Business School. Additionally, they have refined their lessons with feedback from MBA students and business leaders in the past 3 years.

The topics include:

• Python basics and intermediate-level concepts
• How to write scripts in Python
• Working with Python frameworks such as Flask
• How to extract data from APIs
• How to build a website with Python

Features

• Course type: Video tutorial
• Duration: 30 days
• 6+ hours of step-wise video tutorials
• Real-world based Python projects
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: $299 annual membership, 100% money-back guarantee if not satisfied

Another appreciable thing about One Month is that they provide a combination of video lectures and discussions between learners and instructors. You can interact with other learners via a Slack channel.

6. Learn Python the Hard Way

If you’re a book-lover with a desire to learn Python, Learn Python the Hard Way by Zed Shaw is all you need. In this fantastic book to educate Python to beginners, the author has simplified the way of learning Python so you can move from level zero to a higher-level Python programmer smoothly.

The course content is divided into 52 brilliant exercises to help you learn how Python works, write code, correct your mistakes, and tips and tricks to improve your skills. It covers topics that include:

• Installing a Python environment
• Writing and organizing code
• Basic mathematics, variables, strings, file handling, logic, and looping
• Data structure and program design
• OOP, classes, objects, and modules
• Python packaging, automated testing, and debugging
• Basic web and game development

This book has a DVD with 5+ hours of videos where Zed Shaw discusses different aspects of the book to help you even more.

Features

• Course type: Book
• Duration: Self-paced
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: No
• Price: $38 on Amazon

7. Udacity

Another online learning platform offering Python courses is Udacity. Their Learn Immediate Python course is a part of their nano degree program that comprises miniature courses in various programming languages.

This course helps you gain practitioner-level Python skills and learn to implement machine learning, data science, and more.

This course is excellent for people who want to learn advanced-level Python. It equips the learners to utilize the features and capabilities that Python provides and streamline app functionalities that perform complex tasks like classifying files, web scraping, and more.

After you complete the program, you’ll achieve a portfolio demonstrating your Python skills so you can apply to relevant jobs.

The topics covered are:

• Advanced Python lessons like methods, functions, problem-solving strategies, object-based design, class and objects, creating codebases, and fusing Python with external documents
• How to write, extend, and structure codes to support the development of large systems
• How to utilize open source libraries to add advanced functionalities quickly and package the code into your libraries
• How to apply object-oriented programming to keep your code modular, understandable, and clear

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 2 months, 10 hours/week
• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of Python and object-oriented programming
• Rating: 4.6/5
• Includes real-world projects with immersive content from experts
• Technical mentor support to guide you, answer your questions, and motivate you
• Career support such as resume support, LinkedIn profile optimization, and GitHub portfolio review
• Flexible learning plan based on your schedule
• Unlimited feedback loops and submissions
• Price: $530.58 for 2 months

8. Simplilearn

Simplilearn is a hub of high-quality tutorials in various disciplines, including Python. Their Python Certification Course is a comprehensive tutorial that will educate you on Python basics, multiple operations, Django, shell scripting, and more.

In addition, you’ll undertake a hands-on project to complete in the end and prepare yourself for a successful career in Python programming. The course educates you on the applications of Python in the real world and comes with lots of modules, assignments, and projects.

This course covers the following topics:

• Python basics and learning objectives
• Data operators, functions, and conditional statements
• File operations and error handling
• Django and shell scripting
• Unit test and logging infrastructure
• Networking concepts
• Live virtual class on the above first four topics

Features

• Course type: Video
• Duration: 38-hour blended learning, 30-hour instructor-led learning, and 8-hour self-paced learning online
• 5 tests at each lesson’s end, 1 final project, and 20+ assisted practices for each module
• Prerequisites: None
• Certificate: Yes
• Fee: $135.50 for self-paced and $243.95 for online Bootcamp, both lifetime access

9. Codingnomads

Want to build apps from scratch with APIs and SQL?

Learn Python Online by Codingnomads is yet another excellent option. Completing this course successfully also helps you make an exciting career in web development, AI, and Data Science.

The course includes topics such as:

• Python use cases and basic concepts
• Critical tools for programmers like GitHub, virtual environments, PyCharm IDE, and CLI
• Python programming to build automation software
• Introduction to SQL and databases and their integration with Python
• How to integrate Python apps with RESTful APIs and leverage data sets in millions
• A Capstone project

Features

• Course type: Video-based
• Duration: 200-hour curriculum and 9+ hours of video tutorials
• 500+ pages of tutorials and documentation
• 300+ lab exercises and code samples
• 150+ custom demos and video tutorials
• Member-only forum access to connect to instructors and students
• Prerequisites: None
• Certification: Yes
• Fee: Multiple levels of monthly payment programs and a free trial

Summary

Python is in high demand these days. And it’s expected to remain so in the future since it has wonderful capabilities for emerging technologies. But if you want to learn Python, set a goal first.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or already a bit experienced with programming languages, take up a suitable Python resource. It can be in the form of videos, text-based learning, books, podcasts, or blogs. You can also take a mixed approach, such as alternating taking up a video course and listening to your favorite Python podcast.

Choose a Python tutorial based on your goals, skill level, whether you want a certification, and, lastly, your budget. And after you’ve completed your Python course, keep implementing your skills in real-world projects to achieve your goals, and continue learning and experimenting.

Do you have any tips for learning Python? Share in the comments section!