Programming for Beginners

What a program is and how code turns into something that runs.

• Programs, algorithms and instructions
• Source code, compilers and interpreters
• Choosing a first language
• Setting up your tools
• Writing and running a first program
• Where programming is used

• What is Python?
• Install Python on your computer
• What is Java?

Storing and naming information.

• What a variable is
• Numbers, text and true/false values
• Naming rules and good names
• Converting between types
• Comments
• Printing results

• Variables and Name Binding
• What is a variable?
• Data types in Java

Doing calculations and talking to the user.

• Arithmetic operators and remainder
• Comparison and logical operators
• Order of operations
• Reading input from the keyboard
• Formatting output
• Common beginner mistakes with types

• Arithmetic Operators
• Reading User Input
• Reading input with Scanner

Letting a program choose what to do.

• if, else if and else
• Comparing values
• Combining conditions
• Nested decisions
• Flowcharts and pseudocode
• Testing every branch

• The if and if-else Statements
• The elif Ladder and Logical Conditions
• if-else: choose one of two paths

Doing the same work many times without copying code.

• Why loops exist
• while loops
• for loops and counting
• Stopping with break and skipping with continue
• Nested loops and patterns
• Tracing a loop in a table

• The while Loop
• The for Loop and range()
• The for loop

Naming a piece of work so it can be reused.

• Why functions help
• Defining and calling a function
• Parameters and return values
• Default values
• Local and global variables
• Small functions and good names

• Defining and Calling Functions
• Parameters and Arguments
• Define and call a method

Working with many values at once.

• Lists and arrays
• Indexing and the first and last item
• Looping over a list
• Common tasks: sum, largest, search, reverse
• Strings as sequences of characters
• Useful string operations

• What is a List?
• Looping and List Comprehensions
• What is an array?
• Search in a String: indexOf, contains, startsWith

Looking things up by name instead of position.

• Key-value pairs
• Adding, reading and updating entries
• Counting things with a dictionary
• Sets for unique values
• Choosing the right structure
• Grouping related data together

• Dictionaries: Key-Value Mapping
• Sets: Unique Collections and Membership

Finding and fixing problems calmly.

• Syntax errors, runtime errors and logic errors
• Reading an error message line by line
• Print debugging and tracing
• Using a debugger
• Handling errors with try and catch
• Asking a good question when you are stuck

• What is an Exception?
• The try and except Blocks
• What is an exception?

Thinking through a problem before writing code.

• Restating a problem and writing examples
• Brute force first
• Pseudocode
• Searching a list
• Sorting basics
• Testing with your own examples

• Understanding a Problem and Its Constraints
• Restate the problem and make examples
• Start with brute force

A first look at classes and files, then putting everything together.

• Objects and classes in simple terms
• Reading and writing a text file
• Splitting a program into files
• Saving your work with Git and GitHub
• Planning a small project
• Where to go next: web, data, apps, exams or interviews

• Classes, Instances and the self Parameter
• Reading and Writing Text Files
• Build a number guessing game