Key Points

• Learn Python fundamentals by building a unit converter web application.
• Python is an easy-to-learn, versatile programming language ideal for rapid development.
• The series will cover practical coding examples, starting from zero knowledge.

Introduction

Welcome to Baseline Pi! In this series, we will embark on a journey from zero to becoming proficient Python developers, focusing on building a unit converter web application together. Join us on this journey.

What is Python?

Python is a general-purpose programming language that allows you to create various applications, from web apps to data analysis systems. It is an interpreted language, which means it is slightly slower than compiled languages like C, but it offers rapid development capabilities. Learn more about Python.

Getting Started with Python

To start coding in Python, download the latest version from python.org. You can use IDLE, Notepad++, or Visual Studio Code as your code editor. Explore your options.

First Coding Example

Let's print our first conversion from kilometers to miles. The conversion factor is 0.621371. Here's how you can do it:

# km = 15
# conversion = 0.621371
print(15 * 0.621371)

This will output the distance in miles. See the first example.

Version 1 of the Unit Converter

In the first version of our unit converter, we will expand our code to convert kilometers to multiple units:

# km = 15
# conversion to miles = 0.621371
# conversion to yards = 1093.61
# conversion to feet = 3280.84
# conversion to nautical miles = 0.539957

print(15 * 0.621371)      # km to miles conversion
print(15 * 1093.61)      # km to yards conversion
print(15 * 3280.84)      # km to feet conversion
print(15 * 0.539957)      # km to nautical miles conversion

This will allow us to see various conversions at once. Check out the code.

Conclusion

As we progress, we will refine our application and learn more about Python programming. Stay tuned for the next video where we will simplify our code further! Don't miss it.