That’s a great initiative!
Python is one of the best first programming languages because it’s simple,
readable, and widely used. Since your friend has no prior programming experience, the approach
should be slow, structured, and practice-focused. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get started:
1. Set Up the Basics
Install Python:
Download and install Python from python.org. During installation, check “Add Python to PATH”.
Install an Editor (IDE):
Beginners can start with:
o Thonny (very beginner-friendly)
o VS Code (popular and versatile)
o Or use Jupyter Notebook (great for experimenting).
2. Start with the Fundamentals
Before coding projects, understand the building blocks:
Printing: print("Hello, World!")
Variables: name = "Alice", age = 20
Data types: strings, numbers, lists, booleans
Basic operators: + - * / %
Input from user: input("Enter your name: ")
👉 Recommended practice: Write tiny programs like a calculator or greeting app.
3. Learn Programming Concepts (Step by Step)
1. Control flow
o if-else statements
o for and while loops
o Practice: Guessing game or multiplication table program
2. Functions
o Writing reusable code:
o def greet(name):
o return f"Hello {name}"
3. Lists, Dictionaries, and Tuples
o Storing and accessing data
o Practice: Contact book using a dictionary
4. File handling
o Reading and writing text files
5. Error handling (try/except)
4. Practical Mini Projects (very important for learning!)
Calculator
To-do list app
Simple quiz game
Rock-Paper-Scissors game
Basic weather app (using APIs later)
5. Introduce Libraries (After Basics)
Python has powerful libraries—once the basics are clear:
Math & Data: math, random, datetime
Visualization: matplotlib
Automation: os, shutil
Fun: turtle (for graphics)
6. Daily Practice
Write code every day (even small snippets).
Solve beginner challenges on:
o HackerRank
o LeetCode (Easy section)
o Codewars
7. Learning Resources
Books (Beginner-friendly):
o “Automate the Boring Stuff with Python” by Al Sweigart
o “Python Crash Course” by Eric Matthes
Free Tutorials:
o Python.org beginner guide
o YouTube channels like Corey Schafer & Programming with Mosh
8. Mindset Tips
Start small and be patient.
Don’t try to learn everything at once.
Debugging is part of learning—Google errors!
Build real mini-projects—they help more than just reading.
🔹 When to Start Libraries
Libraries should not be the very first step.
Your friend should first learn:
1. Variables
2. Loops & conditions
3. Functions
4. Lists/dictionaries
👉 After these basics (usually 2–4 weeks of practice), it’s the right time to introduce libraries.
🔹 Beginner-Friendly Python Libraries (Good to Start With)
1. turtle – fun library for drawing shapes & patterns (great for visual learners).
2. import turtle
3. t = turtle.Turtle()
4. t.forward(100)
5. t.right(90)
6. t.forward(100)
(Feels like drag-and-drop because you see results immediately).
7. random – for games like dice roll, rock-paper-scissors.
8. import random
9. print(random.randint(1,6)) # Dice
10. math – for mathematical operations.
11. import math
12. print(math.sqrt(16))
13. pygame (later, not at the start) – making simple 2D games.
🔹 If You Want Drag-and-Drop Style First
Try Blockly for Python or Tynker, where blocks get converted into Python code.
Or install Jupyter Notebook (comes with Anaconda) → where you can run code in small chunks,
almost like dragging cells around.
👉 So to answer your question: libraries should be introduced after the basics, but some simple ones like
turtle, random, and math can be shown within the first 2–3 weeks to keep things fun.
