🎯 Goal

Become confident writing real Python programs and a small data project in 8 weeks.

🧠 Skill Breakdown

• Python syntax & data types
• Control flow & functions
• Files & APIs
• Data with pandas
• Practical project building

📅 Curriculum Plan

Week 1: Setup & Syntax

• Objective: Install Python, run your first scripts.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Install Python + VS Code
  • Write 5 micro-scripts
  • Solve 10 easy exercises
• Expected Outcome: Comfortable with print, variables, basic types.

Week 2: Control flow

• Objective: if/else, loops, list comprehensions.
• Practical Tasks:
  • FizzBuzz
  • Number guessing game
  • Word counter
• Expected Outcome: Can solve small logic problems.

Week 3: Functions & modules

• Objective: Reusable code blocks.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Refactor week 2 code
  • Write a calculator module
  • Unit-test 3 functions
• Expected Outcome: Comfortable composing functions.

Week 4: Files & errors

• Objective: Read/write files, handle exceptions.
• Practical Tasks:
  • CSV reader
  • Log parser
  • Try/except patterns
• Expected Outcome: Robust I/O handling.

Week 5: APIs & JSON

• Objective: Talk to the web with requests.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Hit a public API
  • Save responses to disk
  • Build a tiny weather CLI
• Expected Outcome: Comfortable with HTTP + JSON.

Week 6: Data with pandas

• Objective: Load, clean, summarize tabular data.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Load a public CSV
  • Group/aggregate
  • Plot 2 charts
• Expected Outcome: Basic data analysis.

Week 7: Mini-project sprint

• Objective: Pick a real problem.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Define scope
  • Build core feature
  • Polish + README
• Expected Outcome: Working portfolio-ready script.

Week 8: Polish & next steps

• Objective: Document, share, plan what's next.
• Practical Tasks:
  • Push to GitHub
  • Write a short post
  • Plan next 8 weeks
• Expected Outcome: Public proof of skill.

🚀 Final Project

Build a small data tool: scrape or fetch a dataset, clean it with pandas, and produce a chart + 1-page insights write-up. Publish on GitHub with a clear README.

📚 Books & Long-Form Reading

• A canonical book or course in this field

👥 Communities to Join

• Active subreddit, Discord or forum for this topic

🔁 Progress Tracking

• Weekly self-check questions and a clear "ready to move on" criterion