Summary of Python For Data Science - Full Course For Beginners (2025) | 🚀 Zero Prerequisites | Intellipaat
Course Overview and Introduction to Python for Data Science
- Python is the most preferred language for data science due to its simplicity, clean syntax, large community, and powerful libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, etc.).
- The course covers Python fundamentals (variables, data types, loops, conditionals, functions), advanced topics (memory management, file handling, error handling, OOP), and hands-on experience with data science libraries.
- Python is versatile, used in web development, AI, machine learning, automation, and data analysis.
- Learning Python by doing is emphasized, starting with basics and progressing to complex projects.
- Intellipaat offers a comprehensive data science course in collaboration with iHub, IIT Roorkee.
Python Basics and Concepts
Python vs Other Languages
- Python is interpreted (runs line-by-line), making debugging easier.
- Compiler-based languages translate entire source code at once, are faster in computation but less flexible in debugging.
- Python is less memory efficient than compiled languages like C, but offers excellent libraries for data science.
- Python’s libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, Matplotlib) are unmatched in data science compared to C.
- Python has strong community support and continuous updates, making it ideal for AI/ML and LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT).
Variables and Data Types
- Variables are references to objects in memory; objects have unique IDs.
- Python supports multiple data types: numeric (int, float, complex), sequential (list, tuple, dictionary, set), and boolean.
- Variables are case sensitive; naming conventions must be followed (no special characters except underscore, no keywords as variable names).
- Python allows multiple variable assignment in one line.
- Global variables are accessible throughout the program, local variables only within their scope.
Data Types Details
- Numeric: int (unlimited size), float (decimal numbers), complex (numbers with real and imaginary parts).
- Sequential:
- List: ordered, mutable, allows duplicates, heterogeneous data.
- Tuple: ordered, immutable, allows duplicates, heterogeneous.
- Set: unordered, mutable, no duplicates.
- Dictionary: key-value pairs, keys unique and immutable, values mutable.
- Boolean: True/False used in logical operations and control flow.
Lists and Their Operations
- Lists are fundamental data structures, declared with square brackets.
- Indexing starts at 0; negative indexing accesses from the end (-1 last element).
- Slicing syntax:
list[start:stop:step]
(start included, stop excluded, step default 1). - Lists are mutable: elements can be added, updated, or removed.
- Key list methods:
append()
: adds a single element at the end.extend()
: adds elements from another iterable.insert(index, value)
: inserts element at a specific position.remove(value)
: removes first occurrence of value.pop(index)
: removes and returns element at index (default last).clear()
: empties the list.sort()
: sorts the list in place.reverse()
: reverses the list in place.count(value)
: counts occurrences of value.
- Copying lists: assignment copies reference;
copy()
creates shallow copy;deepcopy()
creates independent copy. - Identity and equality: two lists with same content are equal but have different IDs; small integers are interned (same ID).
Strings
- Strings are immutable sequences of characters, declared with single, double, or triple quotes.
- Escape characters (e.g.,
\n
for newline,\\
for backslash) are used to handle special characters. - String methods:
upper()
,lower()
,title()
,split()
,strip()
,join()
,find()
,replace()
. - Strings support concatenation and repetition using
+
and*
.
Python Programming Constructs
Flow Control
- Conditional statements:
if
,if-else
,if-elif-else
for decision making. - Loops:
for
loop: definite iteration over sequences.while
loop: indefinite iteration until condition is false.
- Loop control statements:
break
: exits the loop immediately.continue
: skips current iteration and continues with next.pass
: placeholder, does nothing but avoids syntax errors.
- Nested conditionals and loops are supported.
- Membership operators:
in
andnot in
check presence in sequences. - Logical operators:
and
,or
,not
for combining conditions. - Comparison operators:
Category
Educational