Python is the new hot cake in town. Its popularity is so high that even kids have begun to learn Python at school. But are you one of those people who’ve just understood its potential and have started the baby steps of Python learning? Then you’re at the right place! In this article, you will know what are beginner projects in python as well as basic guidance for implementation.
Python has endless uses, from automating monotonous work at home to analysing data at the CERN facility. It can help you with consumer trends at your little store while helping the big techs with analysing customer preferences, data mining etc. But don’t be overwhelmed yet. Python is an art that can be mastered with practice.
Why do beginner-level projects?
If you’re a beginner, it’s vital to practice while you learn. They enhance endurance, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. When you practice, you can improve your confidence and spot the places where you are clueless. This is also the perfect place to experiment. Also, when you finish your program, you can very well add it to your resume!
How to begin?
When resources are abundant, it’s easy to get lost. Hence, choosing the right programme, to begin with, is important. When harder programmes look more challenging, it may demotivate a beginner. Also, when you choose a field that you find as interesting, it will slightly lessen the pressure of work. You will be determined to think better and hence figure things out better. But if you feel like you’re getting lost at any point, you can always get help from online courses, videos or even simple browsing.
A few beginner-level Python projects
Are you still nostalgic about the games you played as a child? The ones you played at the backbenches or during breaks? Well, you can use Python to recreate them in your way. They require beginner-level Python skills and are greatly engaging! Shall we play?
1. Hangman
Remember the stick man you tried to save on numerous occasions? This Python game would require creating a word and letting the user guess letters. You know the rules, build the stick man for every wrong guess. Hence the programme should keep track of the number of guesses and save the stick man from being hanged.
What are you brushing up on here? Random library, boolean, input/output, char, string, and length.
2. Roll the Dice
Ever tried to find the dice you once put in a safe place? Python comes to your rescue. It’s a simple dice-rolling programme that requires the output to generate random numbers from 1 to 6. It must be able to do it as long as the user wants it to, and hence, don’t forget to add a “Do you want to roll again?” at the end of each roll.
What are you practising here? Random library, print, while loops.
3. Rock Paper Scissors
It’s the evergreen game. You learn while you play and nobody gets bored. The programme should be able to randomly generate one of the three outputs against the player, and preferably keep track of points.
Skills: while loops, if statements
4. Mad libs Generator
This is such a crazy game, right? This is one game where a ROLF is guaranteed at the end. The programme should require the user to input words and the programme must string them together into a story that makes no sense. It’s sure entertaining!
Here you will be using your strings, variables, concatenation, and print skills.
5. Guessing the Number
This is a cool game/programme for a Python beginner. The programme should require the computer to “think” of a number within any particular range. The user will then have to guess the number using the clues given by the computer. The clues can be mathematical operations, multiples, factors, greater than or less than. Make sure you deduct points for every wrong guess and the additional clue given. The programme should be able to link the user’s guess to the original number and find similarities or dissimilarities.
Here you will get familiar with the random function, variables, integers, print, if/else, and while loops.
6. Text-based Adventure Game
This project is a text-based quest game. The users should be able to move around different rooms in a setting. According to the input given by the user, the programme should provide descriptions for each room. Movement direction is the key here. You must be sure to create walls and allow movement or restrict it. A movement tracker can also be added to notify the user of how far he/she has walked.
Make use of the variables, strings, input/output, if/else, print, list, etc. here.
Other such games you can try building using Python include Spin a Yarn, What’s the word? building programmes to find out if a particular year is a leap year or not, and finding if a number is in a Fibonacci sequence or not, etc.
If you’re not a great fan of fun games and want to build something meaningful while learning, you can build one of these beginner projects in python.
1. Phone Book
This is a great project for beginners. This would require allowing the users to add a contact name, phone number, e-mail address, address, etc. It is important to allow the user to edit, update, or delete a contact. It would require you to connect the app to an SQL database.
You’ll practise creating, building, and laying out GUI apps with Python and PyQT, managing SQL databases, and working with SQLite databases.
2. Twitter Bot
This programme should allow the user to engage their followers even when they’re offline. They are reported to have the ability to increase followers. The creator must primarily sign in as a Twitter developer, to use its API, to begin with.
3. Desktop Notification App
This project will help you create notifications at certain intervals of time. The programme will run in the background and notify the user of the pre-set information. The two important commands needed are requests and plyer.
4.YouTube Video Downloader
Watching YouTube videos has become an indispensable part of our lives. But YouTube doesn’t provide an option to download our favourite videos. A simple python programme can come in handy here. The app you build should have a simple UI and must have the option to download the videos from the preferred URL in various formats (mp4, mp3, etc.) of different video qualities. Make use of the python libraries before starting this.
5. Website blocker
It’s not uncommon to find unwanted websites showing up alongside when you start browsing. It also includes social media notifications that pop up at the worst time, especially when you sit down to study or work on project deadlines. This project will help block such unwanted websites from opening. You’ll need python file handling manipulation skills and an understanding of the working of a host file in the OS.
6. Password generator
This app helps create passwords for your family and friends and keeps their accounts safe. The skills you need here are random library and sequencing.
How to prep?
It is important to select the best platform for your Python projects. It must be on a platform where others, especially commoners, can use and benefit from your project. The three important platforms widely preferred are the Web, Desktop GUI, and Command-Line.
- Web applications run on the web and can be used by anyone who can access the internet. It’s the best platform if you want your product for public use.
- Desktop GUIs help create desktop applications that can be used by people across the globe. You can choose the OS you wish to run it on.
- A command-line application is one that functions in a console window. It requires the user to enter specific commands. Hence, it requires technical know-how and is not for the general public. But they are very popular.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick the right project for you and start your Python project now! Create and repeat! Once you are comfortable with building such basic programmes, push yourself harder and step up to advanced projects. Because programming is bliss!
