How to (re)learn Python (especially if you are a Java programmer)

If you need to learn Python quickly for CS 4100, or simply review from an earlier course, don't worry, it is much easier than just about any other language, and all you really need to do is learn a few big differences from your current language.

1. If you want to use the Anaconda distribution of Python 3 and notebooks, download from this site: https://docs.continuum.io/anaconda/ and get the Anaconda cheat sheet.
2. If you want to : https://docs.continuum.io/anaconda/ and get the Anaconda cheat sheet.
3. Go through the Python Tutorial at https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/ at least up to section 4.7.2.
4. Download and read through PythonRefresher.ipynb.
5. Here are some other sites that are useful if your main language has been Java:
   • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXkWy58MV2Y
   • https://antrix.net/static/pages/python-for-java/online/
   • http://python4java.necaiseweb.org/
   • https://wiki.python.org/moin/MovingToPythonFromOtherLanguages
6. If you want to get a text from Amazon, I would recommend one of the following, all available instantly for Kindle or the Amazon Cloud Reader:
   • Python Companion
   • Python Pocket Reference
   • Learning Python (very complete, but a bit too much, it is 1648 pages long!)
7. Good summary of the most useful Python libraries for Data Science.

8. Finally, the following book from O'Reilly, available online through Mugar, is an excellent, complete summary of all that you need to know about Python for data science; it covers Python, Jupyter notebooks, Numpy, and Pandas, all things that we will use this term. This is a great text to have on your shelf if you intend to take any data science classes.

   

Here are some additional resources for various Python-related things: