Python Starter Kit & Foundations

Hello Python

Learning Outcome

Set up Python environment and run their first basic program

Recognize real-world applications of Python and companies that use it

Differentiate between high-level, medium-level, and low-level programming languages

Identify key features of Python and why it is widely preferred by developers

Explain what a Dockerfile is

Understand what a programming language is and why it is used in real-world problem solving

Write and execute a simple “Hello World” program confidently

Analogy

Imagine you want to order food in a foreign country

If you speak your native language the waiter won’t understand

If you speak their language communication becomes smooth

Similarly:

Humans speak natural languages

Computers understand only machine language (0s and 1s)

Programming languages act as a translator between humans and computers

Just like learning a common language helps you communicate globally,

learning a programming language helps you communicate with computers effectively

Among all programming languages, Python stands out because:

It is simple to learn
It feels close to human language
It is widely used across industries

Let’s understand what programming languages are and where Python fits in

What is a Programming Language?

A programming language is a set of instructions used to communicate with a computer

Example:

print("Hello")

This tells the computer: display Hello on the screen

Types of Programming Languages

Low-Level Language

Close to machine (binary)

Very fast but hard to understand

Example: Machine Code

Medium-Level Language

Balance between hardware and human understanding

Example: C

Types of Programming Languages

High-Level Language

Easy to read and write

Examples: Python, Java

Each level serves a different purpose—from performance optimization to ease of development and productivity

Features of Python

Simple and readable syntax (almost like English)

Interpreted language (no need for compilation)

Cross-platform (runs on Windows, Mac, Linux)

Huge library support (for AI, data, web, etc.)

Beginner-friendly yet powerful

print("Welcome to Python")

Applications of Python

Where Python is used:

Web Development (Django, Flask)

Data Science & AI

Automation & Scripting

Game Development

Companies using Python:

Google

Netflix

Instagram

Who uses Python:

Developers

Data Analysts

Machine Learning Engineers

History & Evolution of Python

Created by Guido van Rossum (1991)

Designed for simplicity and readability

Evolved with versions: Python 2 → Python 3

Now one of the most popular languages globally

Python Community (2022)

Python has millions of developers worldwide (~8–10 million)

One of the fastest-growing programming communities

Strong support through forums, tutorials, and open-source projects

Insight:

A large community = better support + more opportunities

How to Interact with Python

You can run Python in different ways:

Command Line (Terminal)

IDLE (default Python editor)

Notebooks (interactive coding)

buildspec.yml File

What is buildspec.yml

buildspec.yml is a configuration file used by AWS CodeBuild

It defines the commands and steps required to build the application

Example structure:

version: 0.2

phases:
 install:
   commands:
     - echo Installing dependencies
 build:
   commands:
     - echo Building application

artifacts:
 files:
   - '**/*'

The file tells CodeBuild:

What commands to run

How to build the application

Which artifacts to generate

AWS CodeDeploy

What is CodeDeploy

AWS CodeDeploy automatically deploys applications to computing services

Supported platforms:

Amazon EC2 instances

On-premises servers

AWS Lambda

Amazon ECS containers

How CodeDeploy Works

Basic deployment process:

Application files stored in S3 or GitHub

CodeDeploy receives deployment request

CodeDeploy installs the application on target servers

Application updates with minimal downtime

appspec.yml File

What is appspec.yml

appspec.yml is a configuration file used by AWS CodeDeploy

It defines how the application should be deployed on the server

Example structure:

version: 0.0
os: linux

files:
 - source: /
   destination: /var/www/html

hooks:
 ApplicationStart:
   - location: scripts/start_server.sh

The file specifies

Where application files should be copied

What scripts should run during deployment

Deployment lifecycle events

Types of Deployment

In-Place Deployment

Application updated on the same server

Old version replaced with new version

Blue/Green Deployment

New environment created for new version

Traffic switches from old environment to new environment

This reduces downtime and deployment risk

AWS CodePipeline

What is CodePipeline

AWS CodePipeline automates the entire CI/CD workflow

Pipeline stages include

Source

Build

Test

Deploy

How CodePipeline Works

Pipeline workflow:

Source Stage

Code pulled from GitHub or CodeCommit

Build Stage

CodeBuild compiles and tests the code

Deploy Stage

CodeDeploy deploys the application

Each stage runs automatically when code changes occur

Benefits of CodePipeline

Benefits include:

Automated deployment workflow

Faster software delivery

Easy integration with AWS services

Reduced manual errors

Introduction to GitHub

What is GitHub

GitHub is a cloud-based platform for storing and managing source code

It uses the Git version control system to track changes

Why GitHub is Used

GitHub helps developers:

Store source code online

Track code changes

Collaborate with team members

Manage different versions of applications

Key Concepts in GitHub

Important concepts:

Repository (Repo)

Project folder containing source code

Commit

Saving changes in the repository

Branch

Separate version of code for development

Pull Request

Request to merge changes into the main code

Common Git Commands

Clone repository

git clone repository-url

Check repository status

git status

Commit changes

git commit -m "message"

Push code to repository

git push

Summary

GitHub helps store and manage source code

buildspec.yml is required in CodeBuild ,appspec.yml is required in CodeDeploy

AWS services like CodeCommit, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, and CodePipeline create an automated pipeline

CI/CD automates building, testing, and deploying applications

Quiz

Which AWS service is used to build and test application code?

A. AWS CodePipeline

B. AWS CodeDeploy

C. AWS CodeBuild

D. AWS CloudWatch

Quiz-Answer