Python Ultimate Beginner's Guide

Welcome to the world of Python! This guide will walk you through the first steps of becoming a Python developer. We will cover installation, basic syntax, and writing your first program.

1. Installing Python

Before you code, you need the interpreter. Go to python.org and download the latest version.

Important: During installation on Windows, make sure to check "Add Python to PATH". This allows you to run python from the command line.

python --version

Run the above command in your terminal to verify installation.

2. Your First Program

The "Hello, World!" program is a tradition. In Python, it's just one line.

print("Hello, World!")

Save this in a file named `hello.py` and run it with `python hello.py`.

3. Variables and Data Types

Python is dynamically typed, meaning you don't declare types explicitly.

# Integer
count = 10

# Float
price = 19.99

# String
message = "Python is fun"

# Boolean
is_active = True
                

4. Control Flow

Python uses indentation (whitespace) to define blocks of code, instead of curly braces like C or Java.

age = 20
if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult.")
else:
    print("You are a minor.")
                

Consistency is key. Use 4 spaces for indentation.

5. Loops

Loops allow you to repeat code.

While Loop

count = 0
while count < 5:
    print(count)
    count += 1
                

For Loop

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
for fruit in fruits:
    print(fruit)