Python 3: Deep Dive (Part 1 - Functional)

Delve into the Core of Python 3: A Deep Dive for Intermediate Programmers

This course is not for beginners. If you've been coding Python for a few weeks or months, consider solidifying your foundational skills before embarking on this advanced series. However, if you're an experienced Python programmer eager to understand the inner workings and more complex aspects of the language, this is the course for you.

Do you find yourself asking questions like:

• How do specific Python features actually work under the hood?
• Are there more Pythonic ways to achieve a given task?
• What is a closure, and how does it differ from a lambda function?
• How do decorators function, and how can you create your own?
• Why do certain boolean expressions behave unexpectedly, and how can you leverage this?
• How does the import mechanism in Python operate, and what causes side effects?

If so, this course will provide the answers.

What You'll Gain:

This course offers a fundamental and in-depth understanding of the Python language and its powerful standard library. We're focusing on the core of Python, not just third-party libraries. We'll be using the canonical CPython implementation. You'll need Jupyter Notebooks to fully benefit from the downloadable, annotated code examples. This course is designed to help you explore Python and solve the questions that arise as you build more complex applications.

In Python 3: Deep Dive (Part 1), we will explore:

• Variables: Understand how variables are simply references to objects in memory.
• Namespaces and Scopes: Master variable scope and how namespaces organize your code.
• Python Numeric Types: A comprehensive look at Python's built-in number types.
• Boolean Type: Go beyond basic True and False – explore the nuances of Python's boolean behavior.
• Run-time vs. Compile-time: Understand the impact on function defaults, decorators, and module importing.
• Functions: A thorough examination of functions, including lambda functions.
• Functional Programming: Learn and apply functional programming techniques like map, reduce, filter, and zip.
• Closures: Unlock the power of closures and their applications.
• Decorators: Master decorators – how they work and how to create your own.
• Imports, Modules, and Packages: Gain a deep understanding of Python's import system.
• Tuples and Named Tuples: Explore the use of tuples as data structures, including named tuples for enhanced readability.

Course Prerequisites:

This is an intermediate to advanced Python course. You should be comfortable with:

• Basic Python concepts: variables, data types (strings, booleans, integers, floats), for and while loops, if/else statements, lists, tuples, dictionaries, and sets.
• Defining functions using def, instance methods, and basic properties using @property decorators.
• Importing modules from the standard library (e.g., import math).

Technical Requirements:

• Python 3.6 (or higher) installed.
• Ability to run Python programs from the command line or in an IDE (PyCharm recommended).
• Jupyter Notebooks installed for interactive coding and code examples.