If you want to learn to program, Python is an excellent first language to test the water with. Its straightforward syntax and insistence on properly structured code make it easy to learn, but it’s also popular and versatile enough to do something with once you’ve learned the ropes. Developing dynamic websites, desktop software, and supporting data science – you name it, Python can do it. It’s a fixture in the top five most popular coding languages ahead of such stalwarts as PHP and Javascript, so it’s a great choice if you’re looking to start a career as a coder.
Video tutorials are a great way to learn a new programming language and the online course marketplace Udemy has over 500 Python courses to choose from. Here are our top five.
1. Complete Python Bootcamp
The single most popular Python course, Complete Python Bootcamp lives up to its name and is ideal if you want to learn general programming principles alongside Python.
This is, in truth, a programming course that happens to use Python and it does exactly what you’d expect – taking the student from knowing nothing about the subject through to object-oriented programming and exceptions. It then moves onto some quite advanced features of the language including Decorators and Generators. I suspect some students will give up at this point as, while useful for optimizing code, features like these are best learned once you have some experience of the more fundamental features of Python under your belt.
Overall, this is the closest you’d get to a full education in Python and programming. It’s extensive, complete, and presented in a personable manner by instructor Jose Portilla and it’ll suit those who want to touch on all aspects of the language, albeit in a sometimes academic form.
2. The Python Mega Course: Build 10 Real World Applications
This is a good pick for people who like to learn by actually building something. Projects include desktop apps that use the Tkinter toolkit for building a GUI and SQLite for storing records. There’s also a quite brilliant computer vision project that uses the OpenCV library to recognize movement through a webcam before logging this online to form a basic security app.
The course also shows how to scrape a webpage for data using the Beautiful Soup library. You could, for example, use this to extract reviews from an Amazon page ready to display on your website. You create that site using the tutorial on combining Python and Flask – the framework that underlies Pinterest.
3. Complete Python Masterclass
As the name suggests, this is another wide-ranging course. In contrast to either of the previous two, Complete Python Masterclass focuses more on examples for desktop apps rather than fragments of code or online development.
Every commonly used aspect of the core Python language is explored in this course, almost always by having the instructor type in the code for a working example and encouraging the student to follow along. Various complete examples of apps are created including a blackjack game.
But perhaps the biggest draw of this course is that it’s being very actively developed with new modules being added regularly – these are heralded with a “coming soon” section in the course. At 38 hours, this is already the biggest of the courses in this top five, and it’s growing all the time.
4. Data Science and Machine Learning with Python – Hands On!
Python is widely used for science and data analysis and this course focuses on two aspects of these: data mining and machine learning.
Unlike the other courses, Data Science and Machine Learning is a course focused on training the student for a job in this industry rather than providing general education. Instructor Frank Kane analyzed the specific skills being advertised for in job listings and came up with a syllabus to match. To complete the course, you’ll need a decent grasp of maths as it includes concepts such as probability and regression analysis.
While you’ll be able to brush up your knowledge as you follow the examples through, if you struggled with GCSE Maths, this is probably not the course, or career, for you. The course also expects some experience of basic Python, so maybe pick another one first before starting out.
5. Python and Django Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp
This is another career-focused course – this time preparing the student to develop dynamic web applications using Python and the Django framework. Over the duration of the course, students learn how to build an entire website from the ground up. From there, they learn how to combine Python, Django, and SQL to build interactive apps featuring databases and templating.
Although PHP is used more widely for web development (it is, for example, the language WordPress is built-in), the Python/Django combination is used for a number of high profile services including Instagram. As a bonus, this course even teaches the CSS, HTML, and Javascript you need to know to get started building web apps.
6. Introduction to Python Programming
An absolutely free Python course (one of the reasons we like it), this option has a 4.4 Star rating and costs nothing to enroll. As a pre-requisite course to any of the others we’ve mentioned, this course takes you through the foundation of Python programming. With short, easy lessons you won’t learn Python in its entirety but because it’s free it’s a great place to start before committing to a purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.
Are Udemy courses worth it?
Udemy is an online collection of classes where internet users can learn a variety of useful skills and knowledge. While some of these courses are not a suitable alternative to a college degree many do offer certifications of completion. For something like programming, they’re an invaluable resource if you’re up to making a name for yourself in the industry.
No, you probably won’t be a world-renowned surgeon thanks to Udemy, but for programmers who can make a name for themselves without the highest college credentials, it’s certainly worth the time and money.
Does Udemy offer refunds?
Yes, on many courses. Assuming the course you’ve purchased partakes in Udemy’s 30-day refund policy you can request a refund by visiting the web site. It does take 5-10 business days to receive your refund but it will be returned to the original payment method unless otherwise requested.
If you aren’t eligible for a refund (for whatever reason) you will receive credits on Udemy that you can use for another course within the website.
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