What is coding?
Computer programmers, or “coders,” are people who write step-by-step instructions that can make a computer perform a task. Coders can get
computers to do addition, make music, move a robot across a room, or fly a rocket to Mars.
Dumb boxes
A computer can’t do anything of its own accord—it just sits there like a dumb box until it’s told exactly what to do. Because computers can’t think for themselves and can only do as they’re told, coders have to do the thinking for them and write their instructions carefully.
Programming languages
In order to tell a computer what to do, you need to learn a programming language. Visual languages are easy for beginners to learn, while professional coders use text-based languages. This book is based on the popular text-based language Python.
Why Python?
Python is a great language for getting started
with computer programming. Many schools
and universities use it to teach coding. Here
are some of the reasons that Python’s so useful.
