10 Interactive Courses to Level Up Your Python Skills

Here are a few of our favorite courses to learn Python on Educative – ranging from beginner to intermediate.

Hey Grokking Python readers!

We know that it is easy to get overwhelmed with the myriad of coding courses and learning tools available online. It can be difficult to know where to start or how to keep up with programming trends if you’re just sifting through the Internet. There are many online platforms where you can find trusted Python courses, but today we'd like to focus on Educative.

Educative offers 60+ Python courses, projects, and learning paths. Every resource is created by industry pros and reviewed by the technical team here at Educative.

Grokking Python is of course curated by the Pythonistas at Educative, so we are excited to share a few of our personal favorite resources currently on the platform. We enjoy these courses for their depth and high level of interactivity. No matter where you are in your learning journey, we think that you will find something useful here, too.

We'll break down each course on this list with:

• A brief synopsis & main key concepts

• Prerequisites

• Who the course is for

• The main goal or outcome

Get started in Python with these beginner courses

1. Learn Python 3 from Scratch

To kick off the list we have the quintessential Python intro course. This course is perfect for those who are curious about Python or about coding in general. It starts with what Python is, its basic building blocks, and then moves on to more complex concepts like iteration and data structures. In detail, this course covers the basics of:

• Data types and variables

• Conditional statements

• Functions

• Loops

• Data Structures and Libraries

Prerequisites: None

Use Case: You want to start your coding journey by creating a base of Python knowledge to build off of.

Outcome: You will be able to create your own basic applications in Python 3.

2. Python 101: Interactively Learn how to Program with Python 3

This course starts with the very basics of programming in Python and is intended as a comprehensive introduction to the language. It covers a great deal of material and requires no incoming knowledge.

The course is broken into 5 parts:

Part I – Python basics

Part II – a subset of Python’s Standard Library

Part III – intermediate material

Part IV – small tutorials

Part V – Python packaging and distribution

The core concepts covered in this course are too long to list but some of the highlights include:

• String manipulation

• Lists, tuples, and dictionaries

• Conditional statements and loops

• Importing modules

• Functions and classes

• Logging

• Tkinter and Lambda

• SQLAlchemy, virtual environments, and more

Prerequisites: None

Use Case: You want to learn the most popular programming language in the world. It covers everything you will need to know to build a rock solid base of knowledge in Python 3.

Outcome: You should feel comfortable taking on more involved, intermediate courses or projects in Python 3.

3. Build your own Chatbot in Python

This is a very brief one hour course that covers the basics of artificial intelligence (AI) and its evolution over time. It also explains the concept of machine learning (ML) and how significant it is in advancements made to AI.

The course supplies several different interactive code examples:

• a world clock

• a calculator

• a chatbot

Prerequisites: None

Use Case: You’re a Python beginner who wants a quick shot of knowledge. This is an ideal beginner course that builds on a fundamental knowledge of variables, loops, control statements, and lists.

Outcome: You will have built your own chatbot that is able to be trained once it passes security checks.

4. Matplotlib for Python: Visually Represent Data with Plots

This course will teach you how to create and customize plots using Matplotlib. It starts by introducing the basics, how to manipulate individual elements, and then examines the many different types of plots at your disposal with Matplotlib.

In greater detail, the course covers:

• How to draw a figure

• How to add text to a plot, and other elements

• How to draw different types of plots

Prerequisites: Some prior knowledge of basic Python libraries like the mathematical extension, NumPy and the data analysis tool, Pandas can improve understanding, but are by no means required.

Use Case: You want to learn the various methods for visually representing data in Python. This course is designed for beginners.

Outcome: You will have important data science skills to add to your resume like the ability to graphically represent data analysis.

Dive deeper into intermediate Python material

5. Recursion for Coding Interviews in Python

The course begins by explaining what recursion is and when to use it. It then explains the differences between recursion and iteration. The course uses in-browser widgets to demonstrate increasingly complicated recursion problems involving:

• numbers

• strings

• arrays

• data structures

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of programming in Python.

Use Case: You’re a Python programmer that struggles with recursion. This course is designed to help you ace any recursion-related interview questions.

Outcome: You will be able to solve all kinds of real-world recursion problems.

6. Learn Object-Oriented Programming in Python

This course starts from the very basics of object-oriented programming (OOP) and slowly builds up to advanced concepts. The course is tailored for Python specifically by highlighting how each OOP concept applies to Python as well as how certain Python features conveniently facilitate OOP.

The course covers:

• Classes and objects

• Information hiding

• Inheritance

• Polymorphism

• Object relationships

Prerequisites: Procedural programming experience and knowledge of functions and methods

Use Case: You’re a programmer who wants to learn OOP fundamentals for the first time, or wants to brush up on more advanced concepts like polymorphism.

Outcome: You will have familiarity with OOP and the fundamental pillars of Python.

7. Django: Python Web Development Unleashed

Django is a free, open-source web application framework written in Python. The course is centered around an interactive project that will have you developing a fictional music playlist website called “Zing It.”

The course will cover:

• Django basics

• Django applications

• Templates in Django

• Static files, models and forms in Django

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of Python, grasp of basic internet concepts like HTTP, knowledge of HTML and CSS, familiarity with concepts of relational databases and SQL.

Use Case: You’re a prospective or current python developer and want to learn the Django framework for web development.

Outcome: You will have a fully fledged Django application to show off in your portfolio.

8. Flask: Develop Web Applications in Python

This course teaches the micro-framework, Flask. Like Django, Flask is open-source, but it is referred to as a micro-framework because it does not require particular tools or libraries. This course is project-based and centers around designing a website for a fictional animal rescue organization called “Paws Rescue Center.” 

The course goes on to cover:

• Static templates and static files

• Dynamic templates

• Forms and requests

• Database connection

• Operations on models

Prerequisites: Basic Python concepts, knowledge of HTML and CSS, as well as HTTP protocol and client-server architecture

Use Case: You’re interested in learning quick and easy web development skills. This course helps prospective full-stack developers expand their skill-set, or current developers brush up and stay current.

Outcome: You will have a working Flask web application to add to your portfolio.

9. Data Structures and Algorithms in Python

Data structures and algorithms are some of the most important concepts in modern computer science. A deep understanding of these concepts are essential for solving both real-world problems and those posed as coding questions in a technical interview.

Most notably, the course covers data structures like:

• Stacks

• Linked lists

• Arrays

• Binary Trees

• Binary Search Trees

There are problems and solutions for the following algorithms and techniques:

• Binary Search

• Recursion

• String Processing

Prerequisites: Familiarity with basic programming concepts in Python

Use Case: You are a programmer in Python and wish to learn the crucial intermediate concepts of data structures and algorithms.

Outcome: You should have a healthy grasp on data structures and algorithms pertinent to contemporary interview questions and the real-world application of problem solving techniques.

10. Build a REST API Using Python and Deploy it to Microsoft Azure

In this course, you will learn how to build a `REST API` using the lightweight web framework for Python FastAPI. 

Specifically this course walks you through how to build two different `APIs`:

• Optical Character Recognition (supporting concurrent processing)

• Sentiment Analysis and Key Phrase Extraction using Azure Text Analytics Service

Prerequisites: This course is not for beginners and requires a background in Python basics, as well as more advanced Python concepts like logging.

Use Case: You are confident with Python basics and want to learn how to build an API using FastAPI.

Outcome: You will have a solid understanding of what it takes to build an API as well as one of your own APIs deployed to Microsoft Azure.

Not quite what you're looking for?

If none of these specific courses really interest you, Educative also offers personalized Python learning plans. After taking a short, three minute survey, you will receive a custom tailored plan based on your experience and goals.

If you want to get more information about these courses and other Python resources that Educative offers, check out the post this article was adapted from, Top 10 courses to learn Python online. 

What are the best Python courses you've taken? We are curious to hear about your experiences using Educative and other learning platforms – just let us know in the comments or by replying to this email.

As always, happy learning!