Python, beyond the basics [closed]

Answer 1

I'd suggest writing a non-trivial webapp using either Django or Pylons, something that does some number crunching. No better way to learn a new language than commiting yourself to a problem and learning as you go!

Answer 2

Well, there are great ressources for advanced Python programming :

• Dive Into Python (read it for free)
• Online python cookbooks (e.g. here and there)
• O'Reilly's Python Cookbook (see amazon)
• A funny riddle game : Python Challenge

Here is a list of subjects you must master if you want to write "Python" on your resume :

• list comprehensions
• iterators and generators
• decorators

They are what make Python such a cool language (with the standard library of course, that I keep discovering everyday).

Answer 3

Something great to play around with, though not a project, is The Python Challenge. I've found it quite useful in improving my python skills, and it gives your brain a good workout at the same time.

Answer 4

Write a web app, likely in Django - the docs will teach you a lot of good Python style.

Use some of the popular libraries like Pygments or the Universal Feed Parser. Both of these make extremely useful functions, which are hard to get right, available in a well-documented API.

In general, I'd stay away from libs that aren't well documented - you'll bang your head on the wall trying to reverse-engineer them - and libraries that are wrappers around C libraries, if you don't have any C experience. I worked on wxPython code when I was still learning Python, which was my first language, and at the time it was little more than a wrapper around wxWidgets. That code was easily the ugliest I've ever written.

I didn't get that much out of Dive Into Python, except for the dynamic import chapter - that's not really well-documented elsewhere.

Answer 5

The Python Cookbook is absolutely essential if you want to master idiomatic Python. Besides, that's the book that made me fall in love with the language.

Answer 6

I'll plug Building Skills in Python. Plus, if you want something more challenging, Building Skills in OO Design is a rather large and complex series of exercises.