Python Developer Curriculum Recommendations
Introduction
This document outlines recommended learning paths for aspiring Python developers
seeking to prepare for careers in python/software development at data science
focussed organizations. These recommendations are designed to help academic
institutions align their curriculum with the practical skills and knowledge required in
today's professional software development environment.
Core Technical Skills
1. Python Programming Fundamentals
Key Topics:
● Python syntax and semantics
● Data types and structures (lists, dictionaries, sets, tuples)
● Control flow (conditionals, loops)
● Functions and modules
● Object-oriented programming concepts
● Exception handling
Recommended Free Resources:
● Corey Schafer's Python Fundamentals Series
● Programming with Mosh’s Python 2 Hour Crash Course
● CS Dojo's Python Basics
2. Advanced Python Concepts
Key Topics:
● Decorators and generators
● Context managers
● Metaclasses
● Concurrency (threading, multiprocessing)
● Async programming
● Performance optimization
● Python's internals
Recommended Free Resources:
● Tech With Tim's Advanced Python Tutorials
3. Data Structures and Algorithms
Key Topics:
● Algorithm complexity (Big O notation)
● Searching and sorting
● Dynamic programming
● Trees and graphs
● Hash tables
● Problem-solving strategies
● Common algorithmic patterns
Recommended Free Resources:
● Codebasic’s Data Structures and Algorithms in Python
● FreeCodeCamp's Data Structures and Algorithms
4. Database Systems
Key Topics:
● Relational database concepts
● SQL fundamentals (SELECT, JOIN, GROUP BY, etc.)
● Database design and normalization
● ORM frameworks (SQLAlchemy)
● NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Redis)
● Data modeling
● Query optimization
Recommended Free Resources:
● FreeCodeCamp's SQL Course
● NeuralNine’s SQLAlchemy Introduction
5. Web Development Frameworks
Key Topics:
● Flask framework
● Django framework
● API design and development
● Authentication and authorization
● HTTP protocol and REST principles
● Web security fundamentals
Recommended Free Resources:
● FreeCodeCamp's Flask Tutorial
● Programming With Mosh’s Django Introduction for Powerful Backend Dev
6. API Development and Consumption
Key Topics:
● RESTful API design principles
● FastAPI framework
● API documentation (OpenAPI/Swagger)
● Third-party API integration
● Testing API endpoints
Recommended Free Resources:
● API Basics
● What is REST API?
● Consuming APIs with Python Requests
● CodeBasic’s FastAPI Tutorial
Software Engineering Practices
7. Software Testing
Key Topics:
● Test-driven development
● Unit testing with pytest
● Integration testing
● Mock objects and test doubles
● Test coverage
● Automated testing
● Testing best practices
Recommended Free Resources:
● Manual Vs Automation Testing
● Software Testing Pyramid
● Unit Testing Introduction
● API Integration Testing
● Pytest Introduction
8. Version Control and Collaboration (Very Important)
Key Topics:
● Git fundamentals
● Branching strategies
● Pull requests and code reviews
● GitHub/GitLab workflow
● Collaboration best practices
● Conflict resolution
● Open source contribution
Recommended Free Resources:
● Codebasic’s Git Tutorial
● Telusko’s Git for beginners
8. DevOps and Deployment (Optional)
Key Topics:
● Containerization with Docker
● CI/CD pipelines
● Cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)
● Infrastructure as code
● Monitoring and logging
● Application deployment
● Microservices architecture
Data Science and Analytics
9. Data Analysis and Visualization
Key Topics:
● NumPy and pandas for data manipulation
● Data cleaning and preprocessing
● Exploratory data analysis
● Data visualization with Matplotlib, Seaborn
● Statistical analysis
● Reporting and dashboards
Recommended Free Resources:
● https://archive.nptel.ac.in/courses/106/106/106106139/
● https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTsu3dft3CWg69zbIVUQtFS
Rx_UV80OOg
10. Machine Learning Fundamentals
Key Topics:
● Supervised and unsupervised learning
● Model evaluation and validation
● Feature engineering
● Common algorithms (regression, classification, clustering)
● scikit-learn library
● Introduction to deep learning
● Model deployment
Recommended Free Resources:
● https://www.kaggle.com/learn/data-visualization
● https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python-plotly-tutorial/
Professional Skills
11. Technical Communication
Key Topics:
● Documentation writing
● API documentation
● Code commenting best practices
● Technical presentations
● Knowledge sharing
● Collaborative problem-solving
● Explaining complex concepts
