Python Fundamentals
As you will experience in the programming course during the first semester, programming is a fundamental skill for engineers in the renewable energy sector. There is a wealth of learning material available, including books, websites, tutorials, cheat sheets, and more. In this section, we have compiled a list of resources that we found particularly accessible and valuable. All of these materials are essential for the programming course, so by familiarizing yourself with these concepts in advance, you can set yourself up for a smoother and more successful learning journey with python.
An introduction to programming (with python)
The online course Python for Everybody (PY4E) offers a great starting point to learn about the concepts of programming in general and get a first exposure to python. We recommend the
- the Introduction, and
- the Chapter on Variables, expressions, and statements.
Focus on the big picture and try to get a sense of what this journey of learning to program will entail. You can also test your understanding by completing the quizzes and exercises at the end of each chapter.
Before moving on further, we strongly recommend you to do some hands-on exercises. Check out the sections on using python online and exercise blocks 1 & 2 to get you started.
Covering more ground
After your first steps, continue with the following material.
- Read the Python Syntax tutorial on indentation.
- Work through the PY4E chapter on Conditional execution.
- Read Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 8.5, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10 in the e-book by Downey (2012).
At this point you should be ready to tackle exercise block 3
Learning by quizzing
A fun way to deepen what you’ve learned above, or to test your current knowledge if you have some programming experience already, is to try the following quizzes. You may encounter questions on topics we haven’t covered yet—just skip those.
If you find the questions on a specific topic too hard, take the corresponding tutorial in the left sidebar on https://www.w3schools.com/python/.