Python Projects for Beginners

1. Math Exercises

Math exercises are a good place to get comfortable with Python’s syntax and style. Write some code to conduct simple math calculations (addition, subtraction, etc.) but with caveats.

For instance, write a short program that asks the computer to request and add two variable inputs. Then, adjust the program to perform a specific task based on the result. For example, print a specific statement if the sum is between 10 and 20, above 100, or print “no negative numbers” if a subtraction problem delivers a corresponding result. You can gradually expand the program to make it more elaborate and the tasks more complex.

Skills Tested

These exercises offer a good introduction to using Python’s math conditions. For example, “a != b” means “a does not equal b.” You also will have the chance to learn about defining functions and commands such as “if” and “else,” and you’ll likely come away with a better understanding of the importance of indenting certain lines of code to avoid error messages.

2. Mad Libs Generator

Many of us have played Mad Libs with friends, where you asked for a variety of nouns, verbs, or adjectives to complete in a prewritten story. While Mad Libs are entertaining on paper, they are also a great way to practice your Python coding skills. 

This is a popular programming exercise for newcomers — one that Python sites pitch as a great project for kids. The concept is quite simple: write the text of your story, leaving openings for the specific inputs (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives) for which you will ask. Once the user adds those inputs, your Python code will complete the story. The story can be as long and as creative as you like.

Skills Tested

Writing a Mad Libs program makes you more comfortable working with strings and variables. A key element of Python, this is a method of storing sequences of data — usually numbers, symbols, or words. This project also teaches the various ways to perform string concatenation, which is the process of combining strings.

3. Number-Guessing Game

This game often serves as the first project for many coders. The program generates a random number, the user makes a guess as to what the number is, and the program responds with clues (e.g., “too high”, “too low”) until the user guesses correctly. The program also counts the number of attempts required to guess the number.

This project introduces coders to Python modules, which you can import from an existing library. Many modules are available, including those that generate random numbers. To write the program, users first will import a random-number module into their code. Modules such as this help simplify the coding process.

Skills Tested

In addition to learning about modules, programmers will have the chance to hone their skills with inputs, variables, statements such as “if” and “else,” and while loops. Broadly, these factors can aid a coder’s general understanding of text-based commands; specifically as they pertain to numeric algorithms and mathematical accuracy. 

4. Password Generator

Password generators are easy to find, but why not design your own with a few lines of code? Creating a password generator isn’t difficult, though you can alter the parameters to give your password (and your code) more variety. How would you mix upper- and lower-case letters? Do you want to add numbers or other keyboard characters? How many of each character should be included? You can set all of these conditions in your code to create stronger passwords.

Skills Tested

You’ll work with the Random library (a built-in module used to generate random numbers) and strengthen your algorithm-development muscles. Depending on the complexity of the password string you create, the code can range from simple to complex. Start with an eight-character password, then keep going.

5. Rock, Paper, Scissors

Familiar games offer great ways to learn Python, since we understand how they are played and can translate their strategies into code. Since just about everyone knows how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, this beloved game can also act as a simple Python project to test your skills. Your Python code will simply make the computer your opponent.

This game, like the number guessing game, also begins by importing a function from the Python random module. 

Skills Tested

Coders again can firm up their understanding of while loops and “if,” “else,” and “elif” statements. A few extra steps will be required because of the number of game combinations involved. 

6. Hangman

Ready for another game involving random strings, variables, and loops? Hangman is a great option.

Hangman is a guessing game involving letters and words rather than numbers. The computer chooses a random word from a list, and the user guesses letters until they figure out the hidden word. The game itself is simple, but the code tends to be a bit more involved. It requires step-by-step instructions that the computer needs to recognize letters guessed, both correctly and incorrectly, and the number of guesses needed to determine the word. Writing this type of program helps beginners learn how to debug code as well.

Skills Tested

Strings get more complicated in Hangman since you want to display the letters the player has guessed. While loops and “elif” statements also play a big role, as does the variable establishing how many guesses are allowed before “Hangman” is achieved and the player loses. Further, a large word list resource from which the computer will randomly choose each game’s word is also required.

7. Contacts List

Ready to tackle a functioning app instead of a game? Why not try building a contacts list, similar to the one available on your phone?

This project represents a new challenge since you’ll be asking for a variety of string inputs and then allowing the user to interact with them (update, search, delete, etc.). First, you’ll create the parameters for a contacts list, and then you’ll provide the ability to manipulate them. That’s where this project grows more ambitious.

Skills Tested

You’ll work to become comfortable with classes, lists, strings, and functions in Python to create a contacts list. The code will contain plenty of “if” and “else” statements, which can get tricky to track but are well worth the effort.

8. Tic-Tac-Toe

While Tic-Tac-Toe might be an easy game to play, it’s another step up in the coding degrees of difficulty. You can program the game for player vs. player or player vs. computer and design a game board as elaborate as you like. With more experience, you might consider using a Python library (such as Pygame) to create a user interface with images and sound effects. Eventually, you can create an AI algorithm through which the computer learns how to win at Tic-Tac-Toe.

Skills Tested

You’ll work with classes to create game players, functions to play the game, and loops and conditional statements to teach the computer the rules of Tic-Tac-Toe. The code will also include “try” commands (i.e., commands designed to test pieces of code for errors and general functionality) to test for valid moves in the game.

9. Web Scraper

Data analysts employ Python for a variety of projects since it’s an easy language to use for web scraping. Web scraping is the process of finding data from the internet, choosing specific data from the set, and using that data for a specific purpose (e.g., analysis, storytelling).

Google offers several interesting projects on its Python developers page, including ideas like a web scraper using a database of U.S. baby names. Upon extracting the data, you can use Python to organize the names by year, search for the most popular names, or extract all the instances of a particular name.

Skills Tested

You may work with a variety of libraries and packages, including one called Beautiful Soup that is used for web scraping. This skill is important in conducting data analytics and fintech projects. This exercise will hone your ability to navigate both HTML and XML files as you seek different types of information. 

10. Alarm Clock

Like the Mad Libs generator, an alarm clock project is generally tailored to Python newcomers thanks to its relative simplicity. Many different tutorials offer ways to approach this project, depending on how involved you want the GUI (graphical user interface) to be and what effects and options you would like to include.

This alarm clock tutorial offers an inside look at the process of learning by doing. 

Skills Tested

You’ll work with a variety of variables, including how to define a.m. and p.m. in your code. You’ll also work to create while loops to operate the alarm properly, and you can get more advanced by incorporating music or video files as the alarm is activated through the code.

11. Currency Converter

Due to its popularity, Python is equipped with libraries for almost any function, and that includes a currency library that catalogs worldwide currency values, conversion rates, and even the fluctuating values of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

You can use the currency library to display currency values and, better yet, convert them: U.S. Dollar to Euro, Canadian dollar to Chinese Yuan, U.S. Dollar to Bitcoin, and many more. Since the library includes historical values, you can perform conversions in the currency values of past years as well.

Skills Tested

You can become more comfortable importing libraries and using Python to download and work with data. In addition, to create a graphical user interface (GUI), you can familiarize yourself with interfaces such as Tkinter, which this currency converter tutorial explores.

12. Automate Social Media Messages

Python is instrumental in helping people automate repetitive tasks, and many professionals beyond coders can benefit from this skill. For instance, businesses with a consistent social media presence may opt to automate daily posts; saving time and effort otherwise spent on a potentially mundane task. 

This project has a fun side as well: it’s possible to write programs that generate automated messages on social media, allowing people to post regularly on an account while learning Python. Who knew wishing friends and family “Happy Birthday” on Facebook could be so educational? The applications of this code are endless — have fun with it and simplify your social media activities for life!

Skills Tested

This is an opportunity to learn more about the tools and APIs available to Python. Among them is the Social Post tool from Ayrshare, which can be imported and used to set up the automating process. From there, you’ll write code in Python to create posts on different platforms, upload media, and even retrieve analytics.