Python Crash Course – Week 1 Assessment Study Guide

We’re back with the study guide designed to help you prepare for the the Google IT Automation with Python Certification program on Coursera! This week we’ve arrived at the first graded assessment, and what you’ll need to pass it. With this guide, you can become well-informed on the basics of Python programming and be prepared to take your assessment, or just learn more about Python.

Things you need to know

Below are the terms and concepts you’ll want to review ahead of the assessment:

What is programming, and programs?

Computer programming is essentially the process of creating instructions and commands that can be understood and followed by a computer or other electronic device. A program is a set of instructions that tells the computer what tasks to perform, often written in a specific programming language. Programs might include commands for processing data, displaying information on the screen, or controlling other devices connected to the computer system.

I find that an important aspect of computer programming to understand is this: Computers are dumb. When you breakdown the incredibly complex programs that are layered together by countless engineers over decades, you realize just how explicit your instructions have to be in order for a computer to run your program without errors or mistakes.

Programs vs Scripts

“Program” is a broad term encompassing various code-based creations. On the other hand, “scripts” often refer specifically to concise snippets of code, typically written in a language like Python, JavaScript, or Lua (often referred to as scripting languages). Scripts often lend themselves to automation and streamlined processes.

Good uses for automation

Understand some of the commonly relevant use cases for automation, as not all tasks are ideal for automation. Examples:

• Troubleshooting software or hardware issues.
• Installing and configuring new software or applications.
• Automating patching and updates for operating systems and applications.
• Automatically detecting and remediating security threats or vulnerabilities.
• Generating reports on system performance or usage metrics.
• Monitoring server health and capacity utilization.
• Tracking asset inventory and user access levels across networks, systems, applications, etc

Further reading: New Programmer Pitfalls – When Automation Requires More Effort Than Manual Work

Characteristics of Python

Understand some of the characteristics specific to Python, such as:

• Cross-platform capability: Python is compatible with most major operating systems, including Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. This makes it a great language to use for developing applications for multiple platforms simultaneously.
• Wide variety of applications: Python is used in a wide variety of domains, including data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), web development, and game development. It can also be used to develop desktop applications and general purpose scripting languages.
• Used in common niche places: Python is widely used in data science and other scientific fields, making it a great choice for people looking to work in those areas.
• Good for general purpose scripting and programming: Python is an excellent language for creating quick scripts or programs that are easy to maintain and modify. Its syntax is clear and concise, making it easier to read than many other languages.

Additional Terms and Concepts

• Programming language
• Syntax
• Semantics
• Logic errors
• Function

Things you need to be able to do

Most of what you need to be able to do was covered in our previous article.

Review: Python Crash Course – Week 1 Section 3 – Hello World and Python as a Calculator

A few things were glossed over or seemingly not mentioned in the course, such as common syntax errors.

• Misspellings.
  • Pretty straightforward. Python will recognize the keyword print but it will not recognize pfint.
• Case-sensitivity mistakes.
  • Python is case sensitive, and can cause errors similar to misspellings. So don’t try to call the print function with Print() or PRINT() only print() is going to work.
• Block introduction characters, in the case of Python – colons :
  • Often used to mark the start of the code that will make up a function, or an if statement, remembering to place a colon and where is going to save you a lot of headaches later. Read more.
• Incorrect indentations.
  • In Python indentation is how code blocks are started. Read more.
• Parenthetical types – () [] {}
  • This isn’t crucial for the quiz at this point, but will be important later on. Read more.
• Quote types – “” ”
  • When creating a string with quote marks, you need to be careful to use the same kind for opening and closing your quotes. You also want to be consistent with which type you use throughout your code, but that’s not a hard requirement. Read more.

Conclusion

Week 1 comes to a close, along with module 1 of the course. While it may have been a slow start, rest assured that the journey of learning programming rapidly accelerates in its complexity and frustrations. Remember not to rush; take the time to pause and delve into any challenges you encounter. Next, we’ll dive deeper into Variables, Functions, and Conditionals as we embark on week 2 of our coding journey.