Python Basics Tutorial

Welcome to the Python Basics Tutorial! This guide will cover the fundamental concepts and syntax of the Python programming language. Python is known for its simplicity and readability, making it a great choice for beginners and experienced programmers alike.

Installation

Before you start, make sure you have Python installed on your system. You can download the latest version from the official Python website.

Hello World

Let's begin with a classic: the "Hello World" program. This program is a staple for learning any programming language.

print("Hello, World!")

This code will display the message "Hello, World!" in the console.

Variables

In Python, variables are used to store data. Here's an example:

name = "Alice"
age = 25

In this example, name and age are variables. The value of name is "Alice", and the value of age is 25.

Data Types

Python has several built-in data types, including strings, integers, floats, and booleans.

Strings: Textual data
```
message = "Hello, Python!"
```
Integers: Whole numbers
```
number = 42
```
Floats: Numbers with decimals
```
pi = 3.14159
```
Booleans: True or False
```
is_valid = True
```

Lists

Lists are a collection of items in a specific order. You can create a list using square brackets [].

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

You can access elements in a list using their index:

print(fruits[0])  # Output: apple

Control Flow

Control flow is how the program executes code based on conditions. Here's an example using if statements:

age = 18

if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult.")
else:
    print("You are not an adult.")

Functions

Functions are blocks of code that perform a specific task. Here's an example of a function that calculates the square of a number:

def square(number):
    return number * number

result = square(5)
print(result)  # Output: 25