Learn Python for Free with an Online Guide and Mac OS X
Want to learn a new programming language? Python is one of the hippest languages in use these days, but why pay for books and coursework when you can do this all on your own, for free, on your Mac? You can do exactly that with Dive Into Python 3, which has been made available as a free download online or as a PDF.
A couple notes, the book is for Python 3, but Mac OS X Lion bundles Python 2.7, so you’ll want to download the latest version. Here’s all you’ll need to get started:
- Xcode 4.1 – free download from the App Store
- Text Editor with Python syntax highlighting – Xcode works for this, or TextWrangler is highly recommended too, it’s the free little brother to BBEdit
- Python 3.2.1 for Mac OS X 10.6 and 10.7 (direct link, other OS versions here)
- Bookmark DiveIntoPython3.org or better yet…
- Download the entire book as a PDF and example files, for free – you can then save and open the PDF on your iPad for quick reference if you want
Thanks to Mike for the link to HackerNews, where the discussion thread also include recommendations for the official tutorial on Python.org and the accompanying reference guide as two additional great resources for learning.
Update: Another good Python book that is available for free online viewing is Learn Python the Hard Way, thanks to those who recommended this one.
Wow! What a great roundup of learning tools, which I’ve paid for in the past. If you’re at all interested in learning Python, take advantage of this free offer.
Chris
Friends of Mac
The “Dive Into” books are pretty good, there is also a free one for HTML5
What Xcode is it for ?
It shouldn’t matter, the book is for Python 3 though so just be sure to download that.
If infortmioan were soccer, this would be a goooooal!
Why do you need XCode at all? Python is part of standard Unix; AFAIK all you should need is the updated Python package and a text editor.
Will definitely be checking this out! Thank you!
XCode may install a newer version of Python than what ships with OS X, plus Xcode is a decent code editor. It may be an optional step, but I already have Xcode 4.3 installed so I can’t confirm that myself.
I grabbed the PDF for Dive Into Python 3 but I couldn’t find a download option for HTML5 guide, so I just went ahead and “Print as PDF” and joined the pages, it turns out ok.
App Store will not let me have Xcode 4.1. Says requires Lion. Is 3.2.6 (for Snow Leopard) OK? tia.
Nope. Apple is being like Micro$oft with this.
Yes 3.2.6 is fine for using Xcode IDE. You don’t need Xcode to use Python 3 though if you install it separately.
This is another free online book and it is better for total newcomers
http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/
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