On a Book, a Hybrid Course, and a Space Invaders Clone in `turtle`
1. The Python Coding Book is out • 2. Beyond the Basics Hybrid Course starting soon • 3. Who wants to write a Space Invaders clone using `turtle`? My latest tutorial
Brief today. Signposting to other places, including my latest long-form tutorial for Real Python.
First, The Python Coding Book is now out in paperback and EBook. As the book’s subtitle says, this is a friendly and relaxed programming book for beginners. I’ll post some snippets below if you want to read more.
Secondly, the Beyond the Basics hybrid cohort course is starting in a few weeks’ time. It’s hybrid because part of it is self-learning and part of it is live. The cohort students all work on the same video content during the week and then meet with me live at the end of the week for a 90-minute session—plus daily discussions on a dedicated forum for the cohort.
Read more here about Beyond the Basics cohort course.
Finally, this:
Yes, it’s built in `turtle` and I have a step-by-step tutorial for you. This is a tutorial I published on RealPython.com this week which you can read and follow here: https://realpython.com/build-python-turtle-game-space-invaders-clone/
More about The Python Coding Book
Table of Contents
First Edition, 368 pages
0 Preface • How to Learn to Code
Before You Start • Downloading Python and an IDE
1 Getting Started: Your First Project
2 Loops, Lists, and More Fundamentals
3 Power-up Your Coding: Create Your Own Functions
4 Data, Data Types, and Data Structures
Monty and The White Room: Understanding Programming
5 Dealing With Errors and Bugs
6 Functions Revisited
7 Object-Oriented Programming
Blurb
Imagine a programming book that feels like a conversation with a friend who’s here to show you the ropes—that’s The Python Coding Book by Stephen Gruppetta. This isn’t a dry textbook. It’s a warm, engaging guide into the world of Python programming, designed with beginners in mind.
With an approach that emphasises clarity and the joy of learning, Stephen guides you through the core concepts of programming, breaking down the barriers that make coding seem inaccessible to many. This book is built on the premise that to truly grasp programming, you need to understand the ‘why’ just as much as the ‘how’. Through engaging explanations, thoughtful analogies, and practical projects, you’re not just learning to code—you’re learning to think and solve problems like a programmer.
Forget about overwhelming details and rapid leaps in complexity. The Python Coding Book introduces concepts at a pace that ensures comprehension, building a solid foundation that instils both knowledge and confidence.
Are you ready for a rewarding journey? The Python Coding Book is more than a book—it’s your first step towards mastering programming with Python. This book is an invitation to not only learn Python but to fall in love with coding.
Testimonials
“It’s the first time I’m understanding what everything does.”
“Your writing is succinct, easy to understand, and process oriented, which I really appreciate. I’m starting to realise that my first experiences with programming weren’t at all representative of my abilities to problem solve or structure my thinking. It has been a great confidence booster for me, and I’m sure other folks are also realising that they were never really the problem. It was the lack of resources or inaccessible information that was the issue. Thanks again for this wonderful resource.”
“The clarity of your writing has helped me understand Python at a deeper level.”
“Thank you for this great resource. I believe this book is the most comprehensive way to understand the material, going beyond the mere memorisation of code snippets or syntax. I recommend it to everyone I talk to who is looking for a Python resource for getting started and who wants to really understand what they are doing at a deeper level.”