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Introduction to Python

Beginner 4 hours English Course Certificate
SkillsPythonData typesListsFunctionsNumPyProgramming basics

Is this course right for you?

Our take
The entry point to DataCamp's data-science track, and a well-established first Python course for people aiming at data work rather than software engineering.

Good for: A hands-on first Python course with a data-science focus.

Skip if: You want general software development or a deep, comprehensive course.

Across four hands-on chapters you write real code in the browser — data types, lists, functions, packages and the basics of NumPy — with a clear data-science slant, so it's genuinely beginner-friendly but not a comprehensive general-programming course. DataCamp's subscription runs about $14/month on the annual plan, the first chapter free to sample and a completion certificate on finishing. Python fundamentals like these don't change (as of 2026).

Comparison · LBS

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Prices & availability can change — confirm on the provider's site. We're not affiliated with any single provider.

About this course

Introduction to Python is the entry point to DataCamp's data-science track and an exceptionally popular beginner Python course. Across four hands-on chapters you write real code in the browser — covering data types, lists, functions and packages, and a first look at NumPy for numerical work — with instant feedback on every exercise.

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Instructor

HB
Hugo Bowne-Anderson
DataCamp instructor

Taught by Hugo Bowne-Anderson, a data scientist and well-known data-science educator, with a beginner-friendly, learn-by-doing style.

Frequently asked questions

Yes — freeCodeCamp, CS50's Python, and Michigan's "Python for Everybody" are all free and well regarded. DataCamp's trade-off is its in-browser, do-as-you-go format with instant feedback, which helps beginners keep momentum. If you're self-directed the free routes are enough; if you stall without structure, the paid format can be worth paying for.

This is the fair, common criticism: the exercises scaffold heavily — you fill in blanks rather than write from scratch — so it's easy to "finish" a course and still get stuck when you face a blank file. It's good for syntax and exposure; pair it with your own unscaffolded projects so the skill sticks.

Only the first chapter of each course is free; the rest needs a subscription. There's no lasting free tier — the free chapter is really a trial, sometimes widened during DataCamp's promotions.

No single beginner course is. It gets you writing basic Python for data quickly, but employers look for projects and applied problem-solving. Use it as a starting point, then build things and continue into pandas, SQL and statistics.

None. It starts from variables and lists and assumes no experience; comfort with basic arithmetic is plenty. The data-science leaning comes later, not on day one.
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