This course provides a quick Python overview. It is for experienced programmers looking for key Python essentials to get productive quickly.

The aim of this mini-course is to give experienced developers a clear and concise overview of the Python language, so they can understand and write Python code in as short a time as possible. There are many Python books, courses, and tutorials out there, but this one is different in a way that it provides only the bare minimum information to be productive, thereby making use of your existing programming knowledge and not wasting your time with unnecessary background information.

If you want to learn Python quickly, this is the course for you.

Python Quickstart for Experienced Programmers

The latest major version of Python is Python 3. Python 2 is [no longer supported](https://www.python.org/doc/sunset-python-2/). Although it comes pre-installed on some operating systems, you should not use it.

# Linux

Almost all Linux distributions come pre-installed with Python. Just be sure that you are using Python 3. Some distros come with both Python 2 and Python 3, and you may need to type `python3` to use that version.

# macOS

From Catalina onwards, Python comes as part of the macOS developer tools, and this is the recommended way to install it for a quick start. If you do not already have the dev tools installed, then type:

Get a quick guide to install Python on your local machine.


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Appendix A: Installing Python

Linux

macOS