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A Whirlwind Tour of Python is a concise but fast-paced introduction to core Python concepts, created by Jake VanderPlas as a companion to his work in scientific computing and data science. It consists of a series of Jupyter notebooks that walk through syntax, semantics, control flow, data structures, functions, errors, iterators, list comprehensions, generators, modules, strings, regular expressions, and a short preview of data science tools. The material is aimed at people who already know how to program in another language and want to transition efficiently into idiomatic Python, particularly for research and analytical work. Each notebook mixes short explanations with executable code cells, encouraging readers to run, modify, and experiment with examples as they go. The project also backs a free O’Reilly report and an online version of the book, making it easy to read in the browser or work locally with the notebooks.
Features
- Structured as a sequence of self-contained Jupyter notebooks
- Focused on essential Python language features for scientific and data work
- Assumes prior programming experience to keep the pace high and concise
- Serves as a stepping stone into the Python Data Science Handbook and broader ecosystem
- Freely available under CC0 for reuse in courses, workshops, and internal training
- Available both as an online book and as downloadable notebooks for local execution
Project Samples
