# Learning Python

Python is an interpreted high-level programming language for general-purpose programming. First released in 1991, Python has a design philosophy that emphasises code readability, notably using significant whitespace.

There are many resources online for learning Python, here are a few good ones that we would recommend:

• Student Robotics' tutorial has a tutorial called Python: a whirlwind tour. This was written for Student Robotics competitors (a similar competition to the one you are taking part in), and explains the basics while trying not to overwhelm you.
• CSNewbs has a very comprehensive tutorial, that takes you through from the basics to the slightly more advanced. The later chapters cover things like File Handling and UIs - you shouldn't be using these on your brains, but go wild on your own devices!
• The Official Python Tutorial can be pretty handy - the good stuff starts at chapter 3, but you should at least skim the stuff before it; there is a lot there and it may be a little overwhelming.
• A number of tutorials for beginners are linked to from here.
• Learn X in Y minutes is quite nice if you've programmed before in another language and just want to learn the syntax. (Tip: If you're trying to complete the challenges, here's where we say you can learn Python in "Y" minutes)
• The Official Docs can be handy, but a little dense! Give them a shot, but don't worry if you can't find what you are looking for.