Python - versatile language

• is widely used in various domains which use data science, AI, web development, and many more.
• can automate repetitive tasks
• analyze data efficiently
• build large-scale modular solutions

Software development

• includes Python scripting but also…
• … includes collaborating on projects
• and often contributing to open-source

What the course includes?

• Slightly more Python (e.g., dictionaries)
• Structuring your scripts
• Applying good practices in software development (version control, tests, etc.)

What the course isn’t?

• A beginner’s course in Python (you’re expected to know what are functions, conditional statements, etc.)
• An advanced course in Python (we won’t be covering advanced topics like decorators, generators, objects, etc.)
• Solely Python applications of S&S theory

Exams, tests and assignments

• Exams: None
• Tests: Well… You should be able to explain code snippets. So, make sure you’re present in class!
• Assignments / Exercises: Yes, with every session, you’ll have some exercises to help you implement what you’ve learned.

Assessment and grading

• Your projects will be assessed based on the following criteria:
  • Project’s implementation of git
  • Proper Python syntax and structuring
  • Documentation
  • Testing
  • Packaging
• If you follow the lectures and their exercises, you should be well-prepared for the assessments and wouldn’t need to do much outside class.

IDEs (in order of easiest to hardest for beginners)

• Jupyter notebook / Jupyterlab : use both terminal and text editor there
• VS Code : great for Python and general software development, with many extensions available
• PyCharm, Spyder : popular IDEs for Python with many features (not as versatile as VS Code)
• Simply use your computer’s default text editor (e.g., Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on macOS) and the terminal
• Best way is to use only the terminal (with vim or nano as text editors), but also the one with the steepest learning curve!

Teaching Team

• Course webpage (https://geet-george.github.io/test-doc-pack) → slides also available there!
• Instructor: Geet George (g.george@tudelft.nl)
• TAs
  • Dita Lumban Gaol
  • Koen Haakman
  • Owen O’Driscoll

Google, Stackoverflow, Tutorial blogs and videos

• Great beginner-friendly resources available everywhere on the internet
• Stackoverflow: The problem you’re facing is very likely something someone has already faced a decade ago. Learn from others’ mistakes ;)

Your classmates

Nothing wrong with learning from each other!

But learn the reasoning and the principles behind the code, don’t just replicate the code. It doesn’t help anyone.

ChatGPT, Github Co-Pilot, Gemini, pick your poison…

• Honestly, these tools are not good for beginners or students.

• Skips the learning process and leads to a lack of understanding of the underlying concepts.

• You should understand every line of code that is in your project.

• Sometimes, AI tools can help, but make sure you completely understand the solution they provide.

• These are used extensively now in the industry, so familiarity with them can be beneficial. However at your level use them as tools, not crutches.