Is DataCamp Good for Learning Python?


If you’re looking to learn Python, you’ve probably come across DataCamp. It’s been providing online data science courses for some years now. However, is DataCamp good for learning Python?

DataCamp is good for learning Python if you want an interactive learning environment. You’ll get hands-on coding experience from the outset, with instant feedback, so you can check your progress and learn from your mistakes. You can learn Python on DataCamp even without prior coding experience.

While that may have whetted your appetite for learning Python on DataCamp, you probably want more detail. The good news is, that’s what you’ll find below. 

That being said, to give you a quick summary: DataCamp in an incredible platform for learning Python and most other data science skills. It’s a learning platform fully packed with value and you just can’t go wrong with it.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

Important Sidenote: We interviewed numerous data science professionals (data scientists, hiring managers, recruiters – you name it) and identified 6 proven steps to follow for becoming a data scientist. Read my article: ‘6 Proven Steps To Becoming a Data Scientist [Complete Guide] for in-depth findings and recommendations! – This is perhaps the most comprehensive article on the subject you will find on the internet!

What Is DataCamp?

DataCamp is an online educational platform focused on teaching data science skills. One of the skills it teaches is the programming language, Python.

DataCamp provides an accessible way for people from all backgrounds to learn from expert instructors.

On DataCamp, you’ll find hundreds of courses covering various data-related skills. All the courses are hands-on, so you learn by practicing.

Once you’ve completed a course successfully, you can download a certificate to confirm your achievement.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

What Makes DataCamp Good for Learning Python?

Let’s kick off with a rundown of why DataCamp is good for learning Python. We’ll also highlight some bad points.

Overall, there are so many advantages for learning Python on DataCamp, that the cons mentioned below don’t seem to matter.

As you’ll see below, DataCamp can provide you with the education and skills you’re after, even if you have no coding experience.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

Pros of Learning Python from DataCamp

Listed below are the most impressive pros of learning Python from DataCamp –

  • Interactivity. This is at the heart of learning on DataCamp, and what makes it so good for learning Python. After all, there’s no better way to learn than by doing.
  • Code within your browser. No downloads are needed to do the coding exercises. 
  • Learn at your own pace. More convenient than attending a live class.
  • Lessons are bite-sized. It makes it easy to digest what you’ve learned. Also, it’s great for fitting your learning around your day job.
  • Instant feedback. See how you’ve done as soon as you complete the practical exercises. You also get helpful hints on where you’ve gone wrong, helping to build your understanding.
  • Learn on the go. Sign up for the Standard Plan, and you’ll get mobile access as well as access through your desktop browser. So, you can maximize your learning time.
  • Skills and Career Tracks provide targeted learning. Ready-made course packages focus on your chosen skill or career. You spend less time searching for the right course and more time learning.
  • Real-world projects provide more extensive practical experience. Now, you’ll need a Premium Plan subscription to access DataCamp’s projects. However, they’re a great way to put into practice what you’ve learned.
  • Simple pricing structure. Pricing is transparent and easy to understand.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

Cons of Learning Python from DataCamp

Listed below are the only cons of learning Python from DataCamp that I could find –

  • The free subscription is limited. You’ll get a flavor for learning Python on DataCamp, but there isn’t enough free content to achieve much more.
  • DataCamp Certificates aren’t accredited. Still, some prospective employers may value them as evidence of your willingness to invest your time and money in developing your skills.
  • Courses focus on practical coding with not much theory. The emphasis on coding without much of the theoretical background might sometimes feel like learning in a vacuum. 

That all being said: DataCamp is still one of the best platforms for learning anything data science related that I came across in my research, and that I have extensively used personally in recent past.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

Can Beginners Learn Python on DataCamp?

In short, yes. DataCamp is ideal for the complete coding novice. DataCamp’s Python courses logically build your knowledge to quickly get you up and running learning Python. 

As mentioned above, with DataCamp’s Skills and Career Tracks, you won’t need to get bogged down in choosing individual courses. DataCamp’s Tracks provide ready-made course packages. They consist of a series of selected courses focusing on the skills or career you want to develop.

DataCamp Python Skills Track

Choose a Skills Track if you want a course package that focuses on developing your skills in a particular area.

An ideal place to start as a Python beginner is DataCamp’s fifteen-hour, four-course Python Fundamentals Skills Track

This course package will take you from the beginner through intermediate stages and beyond. So, you’ll start with Introduction to Python followed by Intermediate Python. The latter is a natural progression from the former.

You can check out the first chapter of each course with no subscription, though you’ll need to create a free account.

The following video is just a snippet from the first chapter of the introductory course but gives you a taster of what you can expect:

Even this introductory course is very much hands-on, so you’ll get practical coding exercises pretty much from the outset. That’s a big plus, as it means you start to get comfortable writing code early on in your learning on DataCamp.

The intermediate course rounds up with a case study. This valuable exercise is where you get to put your new-found skills into practice. Dealing with real-world problems will help solidify your knowledge.

The case study exercise exemplifies DataCamp’s assess-learn-practice-apply principle. 

The additional courses in the Python Fundamentals package move you seamlessly beyond the intermediate stage. In no time, they’ll get you writing your own Python functions and error-checking them.

Each chapter builds on what you’re taught in the previous one. So, you develop your knowledge incrementally as you progress through the course.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Now!

DataCamp Python Career Track

If you know the data-related career you want to pursue, DataCamp makes it easy to learn Python for it. Its Career Tracks are course packages that DataCamp has compiled, focusing on developing the skills you need for your new career.

If you want to be a Python data scientist, data analyst, or Python programmer, DataCamp provides a Career Track for each. What’s good is that they’re all geared to beginners who have no coding experience.

These Career Tracks provide in-depth Python training for your chosen field. The Data Analyst and Python Programmer tracks are sixty-two hours long and contain sixteen courses. The Data Scientist track is eighty-eight hours long with twenty-nine courses.

Not surprisingly, you’ll get a thorough grounding in the Python you need for your career from these Career Tracks. They’re an excellent way to get targeted learning and fast track your career ambitions.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Today!

Can Someone With Coding Skills Learn Python on DataCamp?

Absolutely! DataCamp caters to all skill levels. You may already know some Python or another coding language. 

Either way, you could start with the Introduction to Python course, but you might have to put up with running through some basic concepts that you may already know.

You could also jump straight to the intermediate course. However, doing so risks you missing out on some of the crucial foundation stones.

A better option is to take the guesswork out of where to start. You can do this using DataCamp’s handy skills assessment tool, Signal.

Using the Signal tool, you’ll perform some coding tasks. DataCamp’s Signal tool assesses your performance and tells you your skill level. It also identifies what Python skill gaps you should focus on. 

The tool uses adaptive technologies, so it adjusts the difficulty of each question based on how you perform. That means the assessment should be reasonably accurate.

You’ll also receive a personalized learning plan. This will give you course recommendations based on the identified skills gaps.

Using the tool will save you a good deal of time searching for the right starting point for learning Python. It should also ensure you don’t start at a too basic level, with the risk of becoming bored and unmotivated.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Today!

Conclusion

DataCamp is good for learning Python. It doesn’t matter if you’re a coding novice or already have some experience. DataCamp’s interactive course format makes learning Python on DataCamp an engaging experience.

Even with no coding knowledge, you won’t feel overwhelmed. Instead, you’ll be rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty with practical exercises from the outset. DataCamp builds your knowledge gradually and logically, and that’s what makes it good for learning Python. 

So, far from overwhelming you, DataCamp makes you realize that Python is one snake you don’t need to fear.

Click Here To Sign Up For DataCamp Today!

BEFORE YOU GO: Don’t forget to check out my latest article – 6 Proven Steps To Becoming a Data Scientist [Complete Guide]. We interviewed numerous data science professionals (data scientists, hiring managers, recruiters – you name it) and created this comprehensive guide to help you land that perfect data science job.

  1. Data analytics vs. data science: A breakdown. (2020, August 19). Northeastern University Graduate Programs. https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/data-analytics-vs-data-science/
  2. DataCamp. (n.d.). DataCamp. https://www.datacamp.com/
  3. Kin, W. (2017, May 9). My journey to data science (For beginners with zero-coding experience). Medium. https://towardsdatascience.com/my-journey-to-data-science-for-beginner-with-zero-coding-experience-1e7896b564d3
  4. What does a data analyst do | How to become a data analyst | SNHU. (2020, February 24). Southern New Hampshire University – On-Campus & Online Degrees | SNHU. https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2018/10/what-does-a-data-analyst-do
  5. What is Python? Executive summary. (n.d.). Python.org. https://www.python.org/doc/essays/blurb/

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Daisy

Daisy is the founder of DataScienceNerd.com. Passionate for the field of Data Science, she shares her learnings and experiences in this domain, with the hope to help other Data Science enthusiasts in their path down this incredible discipline.

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