12 Best Python Tutorials For Beginners

Are you a Python newbie looking for quality learning resources? Or maybe you want to go over all the Python development basics to make sure you've got it all covered? You're in the right place. Here are 12 most comprehensive Python tutorials and resources dedicated to beginners.

For more advanced Pythonistas, we recommend this article: Best Python Resources for intermediate and advanced Python developers.

BTW: Why do you want to learn Python? Know your goal before beginning to learn Python. Identify your motivation to gain focus and choose the best resources for achieving your goals. For example, if you’re interested in becoming a web developer, it doesn’t make sense to delve into Python data science tutorials.

Top Python beginner tutorials

1. The Python Tutorial

The best place to start is the official Python tutorial, of course. It covers all the basics you need to know to begin your journey with Python or refresh your knowledge of its fundamentals. It's basically a tour of the language and the standard library. If you're looking for a quick-start guide to Python, this is the best pick.

2. The Python Guru

This tutorial is dedicated to real newbies to the world of programming, but it goes in really deep when discussing some fundamental Python concepts. It also introduces some more advanced Python constructs like regular expressions. That's why it's useful even for software developers experienced in other technologies.

3. Real Python

Check out this incredibly useful repository of free, detailed, and practical Python tutorials created by professional Python developers. It teaches everything you need – from the absolute basics of the language to more complex topics like web development and data science. The best thing about this resource is that you get to learn Python from the ground up, covering all the basics.

4. Learn Python

If you're looking for a straightforward and non-intimidating introduction to Python, you'll like this tutorial. The site features an interactive Python interpreter that allows following the lessons without having to install Python locally. It basically follows the approach of the incredibly popular Try Ruby tutorial – and it works!

5. Learn Python the Hard Way

Even if the name sounds intimidating, the tutorial is anything but. In fact, it covers everything a Python beginner needs to know. It uses the “hello world” example from the console to the web. Great for those starting out with absolutely zero knowledge about programming or Python.

6. Python Basics

Another amazing tutorial. Again, it covers the Python basics, but also includes some more complex topics like regular expressions or object-oriented programming. Look into this resource if you want to test your knowledge in practice – the tutorial consists of some really useful exercises.

7. Online Python Tutor

This tutorial is slightly different than the other we show you in this guide. Online Python Tutor offers a visual step-by-step representation of how a Python program runs. It's great for those who are new to programming. It basically shows how the machine executes each line of the source code, step by step.

8. Python Koans

Another interesting tutorial is Python Koans, a part of Edgecase's Ruby Koans that uses a test-driven approach to build an interactive tutorial on Python basics. It's great for those who want to take advantage of sequential steps in learning Python – the tutorial fixes assertion statements that fail in a test script. Perfect for newbies who enjoy solving puzzles on their own – but might be too tricky for total programming beginners.

9. Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist

This is an exciting resource because it introduces basic computer science concepts through the use of Python. The book explores the features of Python, adding useful information about best practices, design patterns, and debugging. Rich in exercises, case studies, and assignments (like  GUI programming or Markov Analysis), this book is a great starting point for ambitious beginners.

10. awesome-python

This is an exhaustive list of all the Python frameworks, libraries, and software. Perfect if you're just getting started with Python and want to learn more about its ecosystem.

11. easy-python

Just like awesome-python, it's a list of the elements in the Python ecosystem. The only difference is that it's not a Git repository, but a Docs file.

12. Extra resource: Hacker News Tools of the Trade

This list isn't specific to Python, but it will come in handy to every software developer because it includes all the tools and services useful for building software projects.

Bonus: Django Girls Tutorial - Not only for women!

This is a great tutorial that offers a quick introduction to creating web applications from the ground up. It shows all the required elements of web development from how the Internet network works, through Python programming basics and fundamentals of HTML/CSS, to using web frameworks like Django. Moreover, the tutorial has been translated into many languages and created by huge global community.

Do you want to explore the secrets of Django? Check out the list of the 6 best Django tutorials and books for advanced developers by Dominik Kozaczko.

Time to practice! Hone your skills in open-source projects

There's no better way to hone your Python skills than becoming part of an open-source project. By joining open-source projects developers get the chance to learn more about how this incredibly versatile technology works in practice.

We've prepared a guide to help you get your foot in the door and become a member of the Python community:

Python best practices: How to contribute to Python open-source projects

PS. Check out our open-source projects here.

At Sunscrapers, we believe in lifelong learning and support the Python community by organizing, sponsoring, and speaking at Python events and meetups.
Check out our blog to learn more about Python best practices and tips to become a better software developer.