The friendly, relaxed programming book
Those learning to code learn about functions very early on in their journey. Not only do beginners use Python functions right from their first lesson, but they also learn to define their own Python functions early on. It may be tempting–and in my experience, it's a common pitfall early on–for a relative beginner to think… Continue reading Moving On From The Basics of Python Functions [#1 in Intermediate Python Functions Series]
Read the docs. Look at the source code. Yes, these are great tips to figure out what's happening underneath the hood. But sometimes you want to do a bit of experimentation and exploration of your own first. It's more fun this way. And sometimes more instructive, too. Here's something I came across today which I… Continue reading Mini-Post: Exploring Python Functions Through Experimentation
Functions in Python are one of those topics for beginners! Most understand what functions are at a basic level. However, there's much more detail and nuance to defining and calling functions in Python. As with most things in coding and Python, there's nothing better than a good analogy to picture what's happening behind the scenes.… Continue reading Functions in Python are Like a Coffee Machine
You need to make a copy of an object in a Python program. How difficult can it be? Not very. But you also need to know the difference between shallow and deep copy in Python and decide which one you need. In this article, you'll read about the difference between shallow and deep copy when… Continue reading Shallow and Deep Copy in Python and How to Use __copy__()
How does the likelihood of winning a tennis match change as the likelihood of winning a single point changes? How about the probability of a best-of-five match ending in three sets? Let's have some fun exploring some of these questions using a Python tennis match simulation program. I won't try to factor in all the… Continue reading Part 2: Simulating a Tennis Match Using Object-Oriented Programming in Python—Wimbledon Special
With Wimbledon underway, I thought of paying homage to the classic tennis tournament with a program simulating a tennis match in Python. I'll use this program to explore several key concepts in Object-Oriented Programming. You'll write a program which will allow you to do two things: Part 1: You can keep the score of a… Continue reading Simulating a Tennis Match Using Object-Oriented Programming in Python—Wimbledon Special Part 1
You may think the Python turtle module isn't useful for anything. "It's just for kids", is what many think of it. However, this module allows you to explore and experiment with many areas of Python. In this article, you'll write a Python turtle animation of a sunrise scene using named tuples: https://videopress.com/v/OgwI5VyJ?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true As you work… Continue reading Sunrise: A Python Turtle Animation Using Named Tuples
You have come across numpy.meshgrid() already. You may even have used it. But do you know what it does and how it does it? If your answer is "I'm not sure", then you're not alone. Some people find this function hard to understand. Others understand what it does but not why it's needed. And some… Continue reading numpy.meshgrid(): How Does It Work? When Do You Need It? Are There Better Alternatives?
Exploring Python iterators and their dependence on the data they're created from
Visualising Maths using Python - Understanding sines and cosines and their link with the circle through an animation using Python and turtle