Welcome to Intro to Computer Science! | Intro to CS - Python | Khan Academy
Welcome to KH Academy's intro to computer science course in Python! Let's learn more about what this course has to offer.
In this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of programming, from variables to conditionals, loops, functions, and data structures. We'll introduce the concepts in the Python programming language, but these Concepts will be applicable to any other programming language you might use in the future. You'll learn how to break down a problem, from user requirements to a working prototype, and how to read, extend, and modify an existing piece of code.
Throughout the course, we'll explore different applications of programming so you can see the diverse range of problems that programming can be used to solve and find a motivation that you personally connect with. You'll template a web page, design a recommendation engine, simulate natural selection, build a game, analyze data, and much more as you build a portfolio of projects that showcase your work.
Programming is endlessly applicable to other disciplines. It can help you solve problems, answer questions, or automate tasks that might otherwise take days to calculate manually. Plus, in the modern workforce, an increasing number of jobs require or at least benefit from programming backgrounds. From marketing to public health to UX design, understanding how programs work can help you navigate the technology you use every day. You'll start to develop an intuition for how apps you use might be built and better recognize their limitations and biases, so you can become a more responsible, critical, and effective user of technology.
The problem-solving skills you learn here can also help you excel in other subjects. Plus, programming is just cool! As a programmer, you get to apply your creativity every day to build new and exciting things. This course assumes zero prior programming experience, so if you think you know nothing about computers, then this course is built for you. And if you do have some prior programming experience, this course is built for you too.
We targeted a high school level when we built this course, but it's also suitable for motivated middle school learners, and it's a great option for adult learners looking to up their skills. This course comes with a built-in web-based development environment, so you can get coding from minute one. Each new concept starts with a code reading exercise where you learn to trace program execution. Then, you can apply that concept in a scaffolded, step-by-step programming challenge where you extend an existing program to solve a problem.
Our platform gives instant feedback and hints along the way, so you can always make sure you're making forward progress. Every unit ends with an open-ended project, so you can apply your creativity and see where it takes you. We include video lectures, program design worked examples, and tons of interactive example programs you can run, modify, and experiment with in line. Plus, you have access to our amazing community of learners who can answer questions and offer inspiration. So check out some of the amazing projects other learners have built in our program gallery or showcase one of your own.
I started out working as a software engineer on products like Google Maps, Xbox, and even the Khan Academy site you might be using right now. But I've also spent a lot of time in computer science classrooms, and through those experiences, I've learned that, one, there's a disconnect between a lot of CS curricula and the practical skills that students will need outside of the classroom, and two, there are a lot of misconceptions that discourage people from pursuing CS.
I wanted to make this course centered in relevant, real-world problems, so we can see the why of each concept in context. I wanted to illustrate the many different ways to use programming, so we can reach a diverse set of learners, no matter who you are or what you want to create. And I wanted to represent that programmers build things for humans and with humans, so we can see that computer science is an inherently human-centered and collaborative discipline.
But no need to listen to me; when you can explore our intro to computer science Python course for yourself. So if you're ready, let's dive in!