book

AI-Assisted Python for Nonprogrammers

Name: AI-Assisted Python for Nonprogrammers
Author: Reuven M. Lerner
ISBN: 9798341661639

by Reuven M. Lerner

September 2026

Beginner to intermediate

400 pages

9h 52m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Preface
Conventions Used in This BookUsing Code ExamplesO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
1. First Steps with Python
What Is a Computer?What Is a Programming Language?What Is Python?The Python CommunityJupyterLiteInstalling PythonIDEsArtificial IntelligenceSummary
2. Values and Variables
Displaying Values with printOperations and TextNumbers Versus DigitsMixing Different Kinds of ValuesVariables and the Assignment Operator, =Naming VariablesPython Variables Are DifferentExercise: Greeting / StrategyExercise: GreetingAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and SolutionExercise: Calculator / InterviewSpecificationsAI Challenge: InterviewSolutionSummary
3. Taking Input and Making Decisions
input() FunctionType Conversion Issuesf-stringsComparison OperatorsIntro to Conditionals: if and elseBlocks and IndentationExercise: Which Word Comes First?SpecificationsAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and SolutionAdditional Conditions with elifExercise: Guess My AgeSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Find the BugCombining Conditions with and, or, and notExercise: Name and CompanySpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: ExplanationSummary
4. Working with Numbers and Strings
Types of NumbersWhy Two Numeric Types?Numeric OperationsExercise: Guessing GameSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Add a BugStringsIndexesSlicesLooking in a StringSpecial CharactersSpecial QuotesStrings Are ImmutableString Methodsstr.stripCase-Related MethodsNumber-Testing MethodsExercise: Display a CharacterSpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: Reverse Socratic MethodSummary and Conclusion
5. Repeating with Loops
DRY: Don’t Repeat Yourselffor LoopsExercise: Vowels, Digits, and OthersSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Add a BugMultiple IterationsWhat About the Index?Exercise: Expand NumbersSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Plant a BugControlling Our LoopExercise: Sum DigitsSpecificationsAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and Solutionwhile LoopsExercise: Sum to 100SpecificationsSolutionAI ChallengeSummary
6. Lists and Tuples
ListsDefining a ListLists Are SequencesExercise: Odds and EvensSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: InterviewLists Are MutableThree Ways to MutateExercise: Vowels, Digits, and Others (List Edition)SpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Rubber-Duck ProgrammingTurning Strings into ListsExercise: Counting Capitalized WordsSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Strategy SessionTurning Lists Back into StringsExercise: Capitalized Words (Part 2)SpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: Find the BugTuplesTuple BasicsTuple UnpackingSummary
7. Dictionaries
Intro to DictsDefining a DictExercise: Pizza ToppingsSpecificationsAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and SolutionDicts Are MutableExercise: Vowels, Digits, and Others (Dict Edition)SpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: InterviewIterating Over DictsOpen-Ended CountingExercise: Counting WordsSpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: Add a BugHow Do Dicts Work?Summary
8. Files
Reading from a FileOpening a FileSpecifying FilenamesThe read Method (and Why It’s Usually a Bad Idea)Exercise: File SizeSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: InterviewTurning Text into DataExercise: File AnalysisSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Add a BugWriting to FilesFlushing and ClosingReading and WritingExercise: Dict to Config FileSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Specify and CompareSummary
9. Functions
Writing a FunctionExercise: CalculatorSpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: Find the BugArguments and ParametersDynamic Typing and ParametersExercise: Calculator with ArgumentsSpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: Add a BugReturn ValuesWhat If a Function Doesn’t Return Anything?Exercise: Calculator with Return ValuesSpecificationsSolutionGenAI Task: InterviewSummary

10. More Functions
Function DocumentationHow Are docstrings Different from Comments?Exercise: Document the Calculator FunctionSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Specify and CompareDefault Argument ValuesExercise: Counting CharactersSpecificationsAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and SolutionWarning: Don’t Use Mutable Defaults!*argsExercise: Counting Characters (Multiple Files)SpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Reverse Socratic MethodWarning: Defaults and *argsKeyword ArgumentsPassing Keyword ArgumentsKeyword Argument GotchasExercise: Fancy CalculatorSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Find the BugLocal Versus Global VariablesSummary
11. Modules and Namespaces
Using a ModuleWhat’s in a Module?Exercise: Guess the NameSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Add a BugAlternative Forms of ImportAliasing When ImportingHow Not to ImportExercise: Password GeneratorSpecificationsAI Challenge: Strategy SessionAI Challenge: Prompt and SolutionSummary
12. Python’s Standard Library
The Standard LibraryWhere Does import Look for Modules?What’s in a Module?Exercise: Exploring a ModuleSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: InterviewExamples from the Standard Librarycollections.CounterPathlibExercise: Using the Standard LibrarySpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Specify and CompareSummary
13. PyPI
Intro to PyPIUsing PyPIDownloadable FilesExercise: Installing a PackageSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Find the BugFinding a PackageEvaluating a PackageQuality and SafetyLicensingUsing uvInstallation and Basic Usepyproject.tomlManaging PackagesUsing uv and IDEsExercise: Using richSpecificationsSolutionAI Challenge: Specify and CompareSummary
14. AI-Assisted Coding
A Brief History of AIAI and CodingPair Programming with ChatbotsIDEs and AIGitHub CopilotCopilot and PyCharmCopilot and VS CodeAutocomplete with CopilotChatting with CopilotExercise: PalindromesSpecificationsSolutionSummary
15. Agentic Coding
The History of Agentic CodingThings Have ChangedObjections to Agentic CodingCode QualityMaintenanceAm I Obsolete?AI Companies Are ProblematicPeople Won’t LearnGetting StartedInstalling and Using Claude CodeInstalling and Using OpenCodeExercise: Address BookSpecificationsSolutionSummary
16. What’s Next?
What to LearnSolidify Your Basic SkillsObject-Oriented ProgrammingData AnalysisAutomated TestingVersion Control with GitHow to LearnProjectsReverse Socratic MethodConferences and MeetupsTraditional SourcesFrustrationSummary
Index
About the Author

Content preview from AI-Assisted Python for Nonprogrammers

About the Author

Reuven M. Lerner is a full-time Python trainer, in business since 1995. He offers courses, exercises, and mentoring via LernerPython.com and teaches for companies such as Apple, Cisco, Intel, and Sandisk. He’s also a frequent instructor on the O’Reilly platform, teaching classes such as “Python First Steps” and “Object-Oriented Python Bootcamp.”

Reuven is a frequent conference speaker, having presented at PyCon US, EuroPython, PyCon Taiwan, PyCon India, PyCon Israel, and PyData Tel Aviv numerous times. His previous books, Python Workout and Pandas Workout, were both published by Manning.

Reuven publishes both “Better Developers,” a newsletter exploring the Python language, and “Bamboo Weekly,” a newsletter with pandas challenges based on current events and real-world data sets.

Reuven has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from MIT and a PhD in learning sciences from Northwestern University. He lives in Modi’in, Israel, with his wife and three children.

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AI-Assisted Python for Nonprogrammers

by Reuven M. Lerner

About the Author

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
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