Python Crash Course is the world’s bestselling programming book, with over 1,500,000 copies sold to date!Python Crash Course is the world’s best-selling guide to the Python programming language. This fast-paced, thorough introduction will have you writing programs, solving problems, and developing functioning applications in no time.You’ll start by learning basic programming concepts, such as variables, lists, classes, and loops, and practice writing clean code with exercises for each topic. You’ll also learn how to make your programs interactive and test your code safely before adding it to a project. You’ll put your new knowledge into practice by creating a Space Invaders–inspired arcade game, building a set of data visualizations with Python’s handy libraries, and deploying a simple application online.As you work through the book, you’ll learn how to:Use powerful Python libraries and tools, including pytest, Pygame, Matplotlib, Plotly, and DjangoMake increasingly complex 2D games that respond to keypresses and mouse clicksGenerate interactive data visualizations using a variety of datasetsBuild apps that allow users to create accounts and manage their own data, and deploy your apps online Troubleshoot coding errors and solve common programming problems New to this edition: This third edition is completely revised to reflect the latest in Python code. New and updated coverage includes VS Code for text editing, the pathlib module for file handling, pytest for testing your code, as well as the latest features of Matplotlib, Plotly, and Django.If you’ve been thinking about digging into programming, Python Crash Course will provide you with the skills to write real programs fast. Why wait any longer? Start your engines and code!Covers Python 3.x Read more

Data is at the center of many challenges in system design today. Difficult issues need to be figured out, such as scalability, consistency, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability. In addition, we have an overwhelming variety of tools, including relational databases, NoSQL datastores, stream or batch processors, and message brokers. What are the right choices for your application? How do you make sense of all these buzzwords?In this practical and comprehensive guide, author Martin Kleppmann helps you navigate this diverse landscape by examining the pros and cons of various technologies for processing and storing data. Software keeps changing, but the fundamental principles remain the same. With this book, software engineers and architects will learn how to apply those ideas in practice, and how to make full use of data in modern applications.Peer under the hood of the systems you already use, and learn how to use and operate them more effectivelyMake informed decisions by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of different toolsNavigate the trade-offs around consistency, scalability, fault tolerance, and complexityUnderstand the distributed systems research upon which modern databases are builtPeek behind the scenes of major online services, and learn from their architectures Read more

This brilliant CGP book is the perfect no-nonsense guide for anyone who wants to learn Python. It contains clear notes on all the key programming skills - ideal for Python beginners, GCSE Computer Science students, and as an introduction to Python at A-Level.There are plenty of useful practice questions, fully-worked examples and coding challenges throughout, with full answers included at the back of the book.We've even added over 250 downloadable files covering different areas of Python - they're just the ticket for anyone looking for practical, on-screen practice. If that wasn't enough, there are video solutions to walk you through some of the coding challenges and we've also included a free Online Edition of the entire book - just use the unique code printed inside the cover to gain access.Don't miss our matching Python Programming Cards (9781837741380) to become a real Python pro! Read more

The Pragmatic Programmer is one of those rare tech books you'll read, re-read, and read again over the years. Whether you're new to the field or an experienced practitioner, you'll come away with fresh insights each and every time.Dave Thomas and Andy Hunt wrote the first edition of this influential book in 1999 to help their clients create better software and rediscover the joy of coding. These lessons have helped a generation of programmers examine the very essence of software development, independent of any particular language, framework, or methodology, and the Pragmatic philosophy has spawned hundreds of books, screencasts, and audio books, as well as thousands of careers and success stories.Now, twenty years later, this new edition re-examines what it means to be a modern programmer. Topics range from personal responsibility and career development to architectural techniques for keeping your code flexible and easy to adapt and reuse. Read this book, and you'll learn how to:Fight software rotLearn continuouslyAvoid the trap of duplicating knowledgeWrite flexible, dynamic, and adaptable codeHarness the power of basic toolsAvoid programming by coincidenceLearn real requirementsSolve the underlying problems of concurrent codeGuard against security vulnerabilitiesBuild teams of Pragmatic ProgrammersTake responsibility for your work and careerTest ruthlessly and effectively, including property-based testingImplement the Pragmatic Starter KitDelight your usersWritten as a series of self-contained sections and filled with classic and fresh anecdotes, thoughtful examples, and interesting analogies, The Pragmatic Programmer illustrates the best approaches and major pitfalls of many different aspects of software development. Whether you're a new coder, an experienced programmer, or a manager responsible for software projects, use these lessons daily, and you'll quickly see improvements in personal productivity, accuracy, and job satisfaction. You'll learn skills and develop habits and attitudes that form the foundation for long-term success in your career. You'll become a Pragmatic Programmer."One of the most significant books in my life."--Obie Fernandez, Author, The Rails Way"Twenty years ago, the first edition of The Pragmatic Programmer completely changed the trajectory of my career. This new edition could do the same for yours."--Mike Cohn, Author of Succeeding with Agile, Agile Estimating and Planning, and User Stories Applied". . . filled with practical advice, both technical and professional, that will serve you and your projects well for years to come."--Andrea Goulet, CEO, Corgibytes, Founder, LegacyCode.Rocks". . . lightning does strike twice, and this book is proof." --VM (Vicky) Brasseur, Director of Open Source Strategy, Juniper NetworksRegister your book for convenient access to downloads, updates, and/or corrections as they become available. See inside book for details. Read more

Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, offers essential advice on building and running a startup—practical wisdom for managing the toughest problems business school doesn’t cover, based on his popular ben’s blog.While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in.Filled with his trademark humor and straight talk, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for veteran entrepreneurs as well as those aspiring to their own new ventures, drawing from Horowitz's personal and often humbling experiences. Read more

The classic guide to how computers work, updated with new chapters and interactive graphics"For me, Code was a revelation. It was the first book about programming that spoke to me. It started with a story, and it built up, layer by layer, analogy by analogy, until I understood not just the Code, but the System. Code is a book that is as much about Systems Thinking and abstractions as it is about code and programming. Code teaches us how many unseen layers there are between the computer systems that we as users look at every day and the magical silicon rocks that we infused with lightning and taught to think." - Scott Hanselman, Partner Program Director, Microsoft, and host of HanselminutesComputers are everywhere, most obviously in our laptops and smartphones, but also our cars, televisions, microwave ovens, alarm clocks, robot vacuum cleaners, and other smart appliances. Have you ever wondered what goes on inside these devices to make our lives easier but occasionally more infuriating?For more than 20 years, readers have delighted in Charles Petzold's illuminating story of the secret inner life of computers, and now he has revised it for this new age of computing. Cleverly illustrated and easy to understand, this is the book that cracks the mystery. You'll discover what flashlights, black cats, seesaws, and the ride of Paul Revere can teach you about computing, and how human ingenuity and our compulsion to communicate have shaped every electronic device we use.This new expanded edition explores more deeply the bit-by-bit and gate-by-gate construction of the heart of every smart device, the central processing unit that combines the simplest of basic operations to perform the most complex of feats. Petzold's companion website, CodeHiddenLanguage.com, uses animated graphics of key circuits in the book to make computers even easier to comprehend.In addition to substantially revised and updated content, new chapters include:Chapter 18: Let's Build a Clock!Chapter 21: The Arithmetic Logic UnitChapter 22: Registers and BussesChapter 23: CPU Control SignalsChapter 24: Jumps, Loops, and CallsChapter 28: The World BrainFrom the simple ticking of clocks to the worldwide hum of the internet, Code reveals the essence of the digital revolution. Read more

Learn how to create, train, and tweak large language models (LLMs) by building one from the ground up! In Build a Large Language Model (from Scratch) bestselling author Sebastian Raschka guides you step by step through creating your own LLM. Each stage is explained with clear text, diagrams, and examples. You'll go from the initial design and creation, to pretraining on a general corpus, and on to fine-tuning for specific tasks. Build a Large Language Model (from Scratch) teaches you how to: Plan and code all the parts of an LLMPrepare a dataset suitable for LLM trainingFine-tune LLMs for text classification and with your own dataUse human feedback to ensure your LLM follows instructionsLoad pretrained weights into an LLM Build a Large Language Model (from Scratch) takes you inside the AI black box to tinker with the internal systems that power generative AI. As you work through each key stage of LLM creation, you'll develop an in-depth understanding of how LLMs work, their limitations, and their customization methods. Your LLM can be developed on an ordinary laptop, and used as your own personal assistant. About the technology Physicist Richard P. Feynman reportedly said, “I don't understand anything I can't build.” Based on this same powerful principle, bestselling author Sebastian Raschka guides you step by step as you build a GPT-style LLM that you can run on your laptop. This is an engaging book that covers each stage of the process, from planning and coding to training and fine-tuning. Read more

Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2024AI is changing what it means to be human. This is the unrivalled investigation into the impact of AI on how we live now.'The intimate investigation of AI that we’ve been waiting for, and it arrives not a moment too soon.' – Shoshana Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance CapitalismThrough the voices of ordinary people in places far removed from Silicon Valley, Code Dependent explores the impact of a set of powerful, flawed, and often exploitative technologies on individuals, communities, and our wider society. Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor at the FT, exposes how AI can strip away our collective and individual sense of agency – and shatter our illusion of free will.AI is already changing what it means to be human, in ways large and small. In this compelling work, Murgia reveals what could happen if we fail to reclaim our humanity.'A nuanced, thoughtful and very accessible picture of a world deeply affected by AI' – Martha Lane Fox'Highly readable and deeply important' – The Guardian'Code Dependent is the No Logo of the 2020s' – The Times Read more

CGP's Python Programming Cards cover all the key skills for GCSE Computer Science students!There are 64 cards in the pack, with a mixture of question cards and programming challenges. Each question card has quick questions to get started, harder questions to test your programming knowledge, and fully explained answers on the back.The programming challenge cards have coding challenges on the front with handy hints and tips on the back. We've also included online Python code files with full solutions to each task and worked video solutions which explain the key parts of the challenges.Just scan the QR codes on the cards to access your Python files and videos!Don't miss our matching Python Programming Guide (9781789088625) to become a real Python pro. Read more

Are you tired of the glass being half empty?Do you worry you don’t have the strength to cope when something bad happens? (And something bad ALWAYS happens!)Stoicism changed the lives of its followers for the better and now it can do the same for you.The Stoics knew what made for a good person – and a good life. Four simple virtues empowered them to cope with the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, ill health and even bereavement. Now you too can discover for yourself what gave them the emotional resilience to make the most of any situation.Do you want more enjoyment in life instead of stressing all the time?In Stoicism: How to Use Stoic Philosophy to Find Inner Peace and Happiness, you will learn about what made the ancient philosophers so wise. You will uncover how to find the opportunity in any challenge and how you can use your journal to transform your life. If you’re looking for the answer to modern stresses and strains, you’ll find it in Stoicism. Specifically, you will discover:Why so many successful people are StoicThe counterintuitive reason you should welcome misfortuneStoicism’s four Virtues and how you can apply them in any situationHow you can find opportunity in any challengeHow you can welcome hardship – and why this is an essential ingredient for happinessHow Plato’s view will transform the way you see the worldWhy you will never have complete control over your life and this is okayWritten in plain English, this book takes profound concepts and delivers them in bite-sized chunks anyone can understand, even if you’re completely new to philosophy.Life’s a journey, but you don’t have to travel alone. With Stoicism on your side, you’ll be able to roll with the punches and make the most of whatever comes your way, good or bad.Discover the Secrets to Stoicism Today by Scrolling Up and Clicking the "Add to Cart" Button at the Top of the Page. Read more

Managing people is difficult wherever you work. But in the tech industry, where management is also a technical discipline, the learning curve can be brutal—especially when there are few tools, texts, and frameworks to help you. In this practical guide, author Camille Fournier (tech lead turned CTO) takes you through each stage in the journey from engineer to technical manager.From mentoring interns to working with senior staff, you’ll get actionable advice for approaching various obstacles in your path. This book is ideal whether you’re a new manager, a mentor, or a more experienced leader looking for fresh advice. Pick up this book and learn how to become a better manager and leader in your organization.Begin by exploring what you expect from a managerUnderstand what it takes to be a good mentor, and a good tech leadLearn how to manage individual members while remaining focused on the entire teamUnderstand how to manage yourself and avoid common pitfalls that challenge many leadersManage multiple teams and learn how to manage managersLearn how to build and bootstrap a unifying culture in teams Read more

Get the definitive handbook for manipulating, processing, cleaning, and crunching datasets in Python. Updated for Python 3.9 and pandas 1.2, the third edition of this hands-on guide is packed with practical case studies that show you how to solve a broad set of data analysis problems effectively. You'll learn the latest versions of pandas, NumPy, and Jupyter in the process. It's ideal for analysts new to Python and for Python programmers new to data science and scientific computing. Read more

Don't waste time bending Python to fit patterns you've learned in other languages. Python's simplicity lets you become productive quickly, but often this means you aren't using everything the language has to offer. With the updated edition of this hands-on guide, you'll learn how to write effective, modern Python 3 code by leveraging its best ideas. Discover and apply idiomatic Python 3 features beyond your past experience. Author Luciano Ramalho guides you through Python's core language features and libraries and teaches you how to make your code shorter, faster, and more readable. Complete with major updates throughout, this new edition features five parts that work as five short books within the book: Data structures: Sequences, dicts, sets, Unicode, and data classes Functions as objects: First-class functions, related design patterns, and type hints in function declarations Object-oriented idioms: Composition, inheritance, mixins, interfaces, operator overloading, protocols, and more static types Control flow: Context managers, generators, coroutines, async/await, and thread/process pools Metaprogramming: Properties, attribute descriptors, class decorators, and new class metaprogramming hooks that replace or simplify metaclasses Read more

Even bad code can function. But if code isn’t clean, it can bring a development organization to its knees. Every year, countless hours and significant resources are lost because of poorly written code. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Noted software expert Robert C. Martin presents a revolutionary paradigm with Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship . Martin has teamed up with his colleagues from Object Mentor to distill their best agile practice of cleaning code “on the fly” into a book that will instill within you the values of a software craftsman and make you a better programmer—but only if you work at it. What kind of work will you be doing? You’ll be reading code—lots of code. And you will be challenged to think about what’s right about that code, and what’s wrong with it. More importantly, you will be challenged to reassess your professional values and your commitment to your craft. Clean Code is divided into three parts. The first describes the principles, patterns, and practices of writing clean code. The second part consists of several case studies of increasing complexity. Each case study is an exercise in cleaning up code—of transforming a code base that has some problems into one that is sound and efficient. The third part is the payoff: a single chapter containing a list of heuristics and “smells” gathered while creating the case studies. The result is a knowledge base that describes the way we think when we write, read, and clean code. Readers will come away from this book understanding How to tell the difference between good and bad code How to write good code and how to transform bad code into good code How to create good names, good functions, good objects, and good classes How to format code for maximum readability How to implement complete error handling without obscuring code logic How to unit test and practice test-driven development This book is a must for any developer, software engineer, project manager, team lead, or systems analyst with an interest in producing better code. Read more

As organizations shift from monolithic applications to smaller, self-contained microservices, distributed systems have become more fine-grained. But developing these new systems brings its own host of problems. This expanded second edition takes a holistic view of topics that you need to consider when building, managing, and scaling microservices architectures. Through clear examples and practical advice, author Sam Newman gives everyone from architects and developers to testers and IT operators a firm grounding in the concepts. Read more

To deliver the insights that give them a competitive advantage, organizations increasingly turn to the proven Medallion architecture. Yet implementing a robust data architecture can be difficult, particularly when it comes to using the Medallion architecture's Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers--done wrong, it can hamper your ability to make data-driven decisions. This practical guide helps you build a Medallion architecture the right way with Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric.Drawing on hands-on experience from the field, Piethein Strengholt demystifies common assumptions and complex problems you'll face when embarking on a new data architecture. Architects and engineers of all stripes will find answers to the most typical questions along with insights from real organizations about what's worked, what hasn't, and why.You'll learn: Learn how to build a Medallion architecture with Azure Databricks and Microsoft FabricGain insights from three real case studies that illustrate practical field experience and lessons learnedExplore scaling considerations, including governance, security, generative AI, and moreMake informed decisions when designing or implementing new data architecturesGet proven patterns for success that align with broader organizational objectives Read more

Many professionals use statistics and probabilities in their everyday work but struggle to make much sense of what they're doing. Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way gets you understanding the theory behind data analysis without making you slog through a load of dry concepts first - with no programming experience necessary.Fun and unusual examples are used to illustrate otherwise dry statistical concepts. You'll learn about probability with LEGO, statistics through Star Wars, distributions with bomb fuses, estimation through precipitation, and come away with some strong mathematical reasoning skills. You'll start with learning about priors and calculating simple probabilities and move on to measuring spreads and distributions, modelling data, simulating monte carlo scenarios, handling irrational data; you'll even get a crash course in R basics.This is a super approachable book for people who need to do data science and probability work in their lives, but never got a good grip on the underlying theory. Read more

Get started with building your first game on the Roblox platformPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.Key FeaturesBegin coding in Luau: build player avatars, battlefields, game physics, countdown timers and moreLearn tips, tricks, best practices, and advanced Roblox coding techniques to create 3D gamesJoin the book club to discuss queries, provide solutions, and ask Zander for advice on your gamesBook Description“...a must-read, must-practice essential book for anyone getting started with building games on Roblox using Luau programming...”-Frederic Markus, President, Feerik Games (Ex-Ubisoft, Nintendo, Rockstar, Disney, LucasArts, and Epic Games)“..includes everything from Roblox Studio menus, the basics of the Luau scripting language, how to tie in real-world (or any world!) physics into your experience of marketing your game as well as some great ideas for where to go next.”-Jay Sebastian, Computer Scientist and Adjunct Lecturer in AI for Games and Simulation“I read/worked through the book with my kids to build a game together and I highly recommend pre-teens, teens, and tweens to pick this up as their first book to coding games”-James W. Y III, Technology Integration Specialist at Old Bridge Township Public SchoolsRoblox isn't just popular; it's incredibly popular, featuring more than 54 million active players per day. Any experience imaginable can be created on Roblox.Coding Roblox Games Made Easy, 2nd Edition, is the go-to guide for anyone at any age looking to get started with building a game on Roblox using Luau programming. In just over 300 pages, you'll learn the basics of Luau programming, build two end-to-end games, and add customizations before finally publishing and monetizing them.'50 Cool Things to Do in Roblox' is the perfect bonus chapter to end on, with helpful tips and information presented with examples to save your time when coding, animating, building avatars, using Robux and so much more.Join Zander, rockstar Roblox developer and programmer on this game development journey and bring your ideas to life.What you will learnUse Roblox Studio and other free resourcesLearn coding in Luau: basics, game systems, physics manipulation, and moreTest, evaluate, and redesign to create bug-free and engaging gamesUse Roblox programming and rewards to make your first gameMove from lobby to battleground, build avatars, and locate weapons to fightExplore character selection, countdown timers, locate escape items, assign rewardsMaster the 3 Ms: Mechanics, Monetization, Marketing (and Metaverse)Discover 50 cool things to do in RobloxWho this book is forThis book is for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of Luau programming and Roblox Studio and looking for help with building and sharing Roblox games.The book requires no prior knowledge of game development.Table of ContentsIntroducing Roblox DevelopmentKnowing Your Work EnvironmentIntroduction to LuauRoblox Programming ScenariosCreating an ObbyCreating a Battle Royale GameThe Three Ms50 Cool Things to Do in Roblox Read more

The second edition of this best-selling Python book (100,000+ copies sold in print alone) uses Python 3 to teach even the technically uninclined how to write programs that do in minutes what would take hours to do by hand. There is no prior programming experience required and the book is loved by liberal arts majors and geeks alike.If you've ever spent hours renaming files or updating hundreds of spreadsheet cells, you know how tedious tasks like these can be. But what if you could have your computer do them for you? In this fully revised second edition of the best-selling classic Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, you'll learn how to use Python to write programs that do in minutes what would take you hours to do by hand--no prior programming experience required. You'll learn the basics Python and explore Python's rich library of modules for performing specific tasks, like scraping data off websites, reading PDF and Word documents, and automating clicking and typing tasks. The second edition of this international fan favorite includes a brand-new chapter on input validation, as well as tutorials on automating Gmail and Google Sheets, plus tips on automatically updating CSV files. You'll learn how to create programs that effortlessly perform useful feats of automation to: - Search for text in a file or across multiple files - Create, update, move, and rename files and folders - Search the Web and download online content - Update and format data in Excel spreadsheets of any size - Split, merge, watermark, and encrypt PDFs - Send email responses and text notifications - Fill out online forms Step-by-step instructions walk you through each program, and updated practice projects at the end of each chapter challenge you to improve those programs and use your newfound skills to automate similar tasks. Don't spend your time doing work a well-trained monkey could do. Even if you've never written a line of code, you can make your computer do the grunt work. Learn how in Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, 2nd Edition. Read more

The overwhelming majority of a software systemâ s lifespan is spent in use, not in design or implementation. So, why does conventional wisdom insist that software engineers focus primarily on the design and development of large-scale computing systems? In this collection of essays and articles, key members of Googleâ s Site Reliability Team explain how and why their commitment to the entire lifecycle has enabled the company to successfully build, deploy, monitor, and maintain some of the largest software systems in the world. Youâ ll learn the principles and practices that enable Google engineers to make systems more scalable, reliable, and efficientâ lessons directly applicable to your organization. This book is divided into four sections: Introductionâ Learn what site reliability engineering is and why it differs from conventional IT industry practices Principlesâ Examine the patterns, behaviors, and areas of concern that influence the work of a site reliability engineer (SRE) Practicesâ Understand the theory and practice of an SREâ s day-to-day work: building and operating large distributed computing systems Managementâ Explore Google's best practices for training, communication, and meetings that your organization can use Read more