Forem: Tina Popli

Python for Beginners - Part 1

Tina Popli — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 11:38:25 +0000

Link for Introduction: https://dev.to/tina_popli/python-for-beginners-introduction-1pa2

In the earlier section, we touched upon the fundamentals of Python, exploring why it is regarded as a beginner-friendly language and how it makes an easy entry into programming.

Once you look into a python code, the immediate understanding is often the exact logic the developer has put into it. This simplicity contributes to a clear understanding of the language and its syntax, making it accessible for beginners and those new to programming.

INSTALLATION STEPS

1) To download/install Python, click on this link-https://www.python.org/downloads/ and choose the latest/desired version.

2) Once installed, install the IDE, You can use any ide, the below example shows PyCharm. https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/?section=windows

IDE is an integrated development environment (IDE).
It is a software that combines all the developer tools into a single graphical user interface (GUI).

Basic Syntax of Python

1. #Program to display "Hello, World"
2.print("Hello, World")

# in python means the corresponding line is a comment.
A comment in a programming language means that it is not a part of the execution. It is used for you or someone else to understand what the code/logic means.
print is a keyword in python which refers to display.
The string inside the bracket/parenthesis: Hello,World will be printed. Basically, anything we input inside the parenthesis after print, will be displayed. As this is inside " " it will by default take the whole string and display the content inside "". Note that it doesn't include " " while displaying.

What if we want to take input from the User?

We use another built-in keyword : input
Let's see how!

1.#Program that takes input from the User
2.fav_lang= input("What is your favourite language?")
3.print(fav_lang)

Let's break it down step by step and understand what this mean!

As mentioned earlier, this is a comment, so it does not execute.
fav_lang is nothing but a variable which basically stores the value which the user inputs. When we use input("What is your favourite language?" we are basically printing What is your favourite language? while waiting for the user to input their value respectively. 3.Let's output the value stored in fav_lang.

Note: If you are copying this snippet, please omit the line numbers, as they are provided for your reference. After providing your input, press enter when prompted.

What happens when we run the above code?
Code this in your desired IDE (Python must be installed in your system) and comment the output you get! :)
You can also use the command prompt and type, python and start typing your code.

Python for Beginners - Introduction

Tina Popli — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 07:11:18 +0000

Have you come across programming languages? Have you also come across people telling python is one of the easiest language to start with? Let’s go through!

Who invented Python?

Python was designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991.

Why is it so popular and a easy language to learn?

Python provides a considerate amount of built-in libraries to ease out on tasks. Its simplicity is also one of the top reasons why it’s considered good for beginners.
Its libraries and frameworks are majorly used in machine learning projects and tasks which also is a growing field right now.

What if I am from a non technical background, can I still manage to learn?

Absolutely yes! As I mentioned, Python has its own simplicity and nature to write the code with. Its simple and readable syntax makes it easy for everyone to code and ease their tasks.

What are some of the applications built using Python?

Some of the popular and trending applications which are built using python are:

Netflix
Uber
Spotify
Instacart
Instagram
Pinterest and many more!

Interesting right?

Let’s now deep dive into what we’ll be covering in this series. I’ll also be posting exercises at the end of each part for you to practice.

Part 1:

Introduction to Basic concepts of Python, setting up the python environment and basic python syntax.

Part 2:

Looping statements and control statements

Part 3:

Python lists and Arrays

Part 4:

Methods/Functions

Part 5:

OOPS Concept

Part 6:

File Handling

Part 7:

Python Modules

Theoretical exercise for today’s part is:

Find out why Python is called as Python and answer in the comments below ☺️

Link for Part 1: https://dev.to/tina_popli/python-for-beginners-part-1-984

UNIX - DIRECTORIES (PART 2)

Tina Popli — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:06:06 +0000

Let us now see how to create new directories.
if we have many files all together, it is always preferable to organize them based on their similarities into same directory.

3) MKDIR

SYNTAX:

mkdir (pathname)

pathname is the path of the directory to be created.

Example : To create a new directory under the HOME Directory.

$ mkdir employees

$ cd employees (from home directory change to employees)
$ pwd (verifying it's path)
/home/employees

When we create a new directory, the system builds a new inode (information node ) for the directory.

4) LS

This command can be used to display the names of files and directories.

$ pwd
/home/employees

$ls
employee1 employee2

SYNTAX:

ls [options]

where options can be

i) ls -m Lists directory contents separated by a comma.
ii) ls -Q Displays directory contents enclosed by quotation marks.
iii) ls -l Displays files in a long-list format.
iv) ls -lh Display file size in a human-readable format.
v) ls -g Omits group ownership column.
vi) ls -F Adds a forward slash to directories.
vii) ls -i Display inode number of files and directories.
viii) ls -a Display all files including hidden files.
ix) ls *. Filters files according to the file extension.
x) ls -la Displays all files and directories in long list format.
xi) ls -R Display files and directories recursively.
xii) ls -r Sort Files in reverse.
xiii) ls -X Sort files alphabetically by file extension.
xiv) ls -tl Display files according to file creation date and time.
xv) ls -n List UIDs and GIDs.

UNIX - DIRECTORIES

Tina Popli — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:19:11 +0000

Directories provide a better way of organizing files within the system. As we have file system in UNIX System, the directories can further contain sub directories too!

When we log in to the system, we are located into a particular directory that is our HOME Directory.

We can freely navigate in between different directories but the directory we are positioned at a particular point of time, that is referred to as CURRENT WORKING DIRECTORY.

SOME OF THE COMMANDS!

1) PWD
Pwd command displays the full path of your present/current working directory.

SYNTAX:
$ pwd

Sample Output:
/home/tina

ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE PATHNAME

There are two ways a file can be accessed:
1) ABSOLUTE PATH NAME
2) RELATIVE PATH NAME

1) ABSOLUTE PATH NAME
It is the complete path name right from the root that UNIX follows to reach a particular file.
It starts with a slash ("/").

For example: to access a file named "newfile" which resides under sub directory "files", which is in the home directory, the absolute path will be : /home/files/newfile

2) RELATIVE PATH NAME
A Path name which is shortened and related to your current working directory. Relative path name is represented by a dot (.)
So to access a particular file, we will start from our present directory. Giving a relative reference starting from the current
directory rather than searching from a root.

SAMPLE: ./files/newfile

If similarly we want to specify the parent directory of the current directory, we can use double dots ("..")

../../files/newfile

Now that we know where we are currently using pwd, let us see how we can change to a new directory from our present working directory.

2) CD

SYNTAX:

cd [directory]

where directory is the name of the directory that we want to change to.

Let us assume the present directory is /user/tina

Example:
_$ pwd_
/user/tina

To move to the root directory

$ cd /
where the slash denotes the root directory as already discussed.

To move to another directory we will use the path name such as:

$ cd /user/stud

To move to the home directory:

$cd

We can use either absolute or relative pathnames to change directory.

NOTE:
1) cd ../ will take you to the parent directory.
2) cd ../../ takes you to the parent's parent directory

...To be continued! :)

Cracking the Code: Decoding the 'Hello World' Program in C++"

Tina Popli — Tue, 30 May 2023 17:46:27 +0000

The C++ Programming language was developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the early 1980s. The name C++ was coined by Rick Mascitti where "++" stands for the C increment operator.

A FIRST LOOK AT C++ PROGRAMMING

Let us start with a basic, common and a popular example of a C++ Program that prints a string on the screen.

//My First C++ Program
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::cout << "Hello World";
    return 0;
}

Let us have a look at all these elements one-by-one:

(i) //My first C++ Program
A Comment in C++ starts from "//". Compiler does not execute or compile these statements. These are generally included for the programmers to explain the logic or give a short explanation.

(ii) #include < iostream >
The line #include is like a special instruction in C++. It tells the compiler to include a bunch of useful tools for input and output operations from a file called . This file is part of the C++ Standard Library, which is like a collection of pre-made code that we can use in our programs. Inside , there are things like std::cin for getting input from the user, and std::cout for displaying output on the screen. If we don't include , the compiler won't know about std::cout and will give us an error if we try to use it. So it's important to include to make sure we can use std::cout and other useful features for input and output.

(iii) int main()
This is used as the entry point of any program. The content of main() function is where the execution begins from. It is essential for a C++ Program to have a main() function.

(iv) cout<<"Hello World";
This is the most important element of the program in order to print the string on the screen. It is like a command in C++ that tells the computer to display the message "Hello World" on the screen. In this line, std::cout is a special object that represents the standard output stream, which is basically a way to send information to the console. It's like a communication channel between our program and the screen.

The << operator is used to send the message "Hello World" to std::cout. It's like putting the message into the communication channel.

So, when the program executes this line, it takes the message "Hello World" and sends it to std::cout. Then, std::cout displays the message on the screen for us to see.

This way, we can use std::cout and the << operator to print out any messages or information we want to show to the user while our program is running.

(v) return 0
The return statement instructs the main() function to stop and return a value. Here, it is returning 0(zero) which means the program has terminated normally without any errors during the execution.

Some NOTES to keep in mind:

(a) Every executable statement in C++ ends with a semicolon ";".
(b) Every C++ program must have a main() function, without a main() function, the program would not have a designated starting point, and the compiler would not know where to begin the execution. Therefore, having a main() function is a fundamental requirement for a valid C++ program.
(c) Comments can be made using "/..../" as well, this type of syntax is usually used at the time of multiline or block comments. For single line comments, we usually use "//.."
(d) A Program in C++ usually includes a header file "iostream.h" for standard stream input/output facilities.

TIME FOR SOME EXERCISE, ARE YOU READY?

#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    int num1, num2;
    std::cout << "Enter 2 numbers: ";
    std::cin >> num1 >> num2;

    // Sum of 2 numbers
    int sum = num1 + num2;
    std::cout << "Sum = " << sum << std::endl;

    // Continue for Product of 2 numbers

    // Continue for Subtraction of 2 numbers

    // Continue for Division of 2 numbers

    return 0;
}

Drop your snippets in the comments section below, looking forward!! :)
Any questions? Drop them in the comments section below, Let's discuss! :)

Introduction to Web Development

Tina Popli — Thu, 25 May 2023 08:22:21 +0000

Web Development

Have you ever wondered how are the beautiful websites you see in the internet, created? What's the behind the scene work done, how's it maintained?
In our modern era, the internet has seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. We depend on websites to fulfill various needs, be it finding information, socializing, or engaging in online shopping. However, behind the captivating user interfaces lies a sophisticated process called web development.
The term Web Development is basically made using two words:

Web- Websites, using the internet

Development- Behind the scene work done to create a website, i.e Building these websites from the scratch!
Isn't it amazing?
Let's head over to how's it done now!

Different Categories in Web Development
Web development is broadly divided into 2 Categories, they are:

1) Front End Web Development
2) Back End Web Development

FRONT END WEB DEVELOPMENT
This involves building, developing and maintaining the user interface of the website so that the website visitors can easily interact with the page. It basically focuses on the Client side of web development

This is done by using 3 main languages which are:

1) HTML
2) CSS and
3) JAVASCRIPT

HTML
HTML stands for Hyper Text Mark-up Language.
It uses Mark-up to describe the structure of the Web Pages. It is a language which is used to create the structure of the websites. For example, a website may include content like words, paragraphs, images, tables etc. and this content is structured using HTML.

Here is a basic example of how HTML Syntax looks like!

CSS
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used to style the content of the page. It describes how the content written by html should be displayed. For example, it can be used to control the Formatting styles, colors, background images, borders etc.

Here is how we could style the above basic html page using CSS-

JAVASCRIPT
JavaScript involves controlling and manipulating data. It is a dynamic programming language that supports Math calculations, allows us to manipulate HTML and CSS characteristics.

Here's a basic example as to how we can trigger the changeText() function in JavaScript.

BACKEND WEB DEVELOPMENT

Backend Development is also known as server-side development. It encompasses the creation of websites by managing the behind the scene functions, Backend developers use languages such as Python,php,Ruby along with frameworks like Django or Ruby on Rails, to handle data storage, server-side logic, and API (Application Programming Interface) integration.

FULL STACK DEVELOPMENT

This involves both frontend and backend development skills, hence allows the developers to handle all aspects of web development.

Full-stack developers play a crucial role in the end-to-end development of web applications, encompassing a broad range of responsibilities and requiring a comprehensive understanding of various technologies and tools. Collaboration is a key aspect of their work, as they often collaborate with team members throughout the development process.

All About Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA)

Tina Popli — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 19:12:17 +0000

What is Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program ?

Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program is a program to bring together all the students from all over the world who have the passion for Technology, have the desire and craze to learn more about technology and help the community.
The Ambassadors get an opportunity to interact with their peers, mentors, Professionals, learn various Microsoft technologies, and implement it in real world.
Eligibility Criteria:
To apply for the program:

i) You must be at least 16 years old, have valid identification and be actively enrolled in an accredited, higher education academic institution.

ii) Some experience in coding or technology will definitely be helpful, but do not worry if you don't have much of technical background. Students of all academic backgrounds who are interested in growing their career and tech skills, are encouraged to apply for this program, as all the tools and resources are provided to help you learn more and engage in the program.

What are the benefits of being a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador?

. Access to Microsoft 365, plus TechSmith Snagit and Camtasia
screen capture and recording software
. Visual Studio Enterprise subscription and $150 monthly Azure
credits
. Exam certification vouchers
. LinkedIn Learning
. Free Name.com domain name
. Event support
. Engagement with Cloud Advocates and Microsoft MVPs
. Student Ambassador Milestone badges to highlight program accomplishments on your LinkedIn profile

New Student Ambassadors receive access to the Amazing Community on Microsoft Teams and get opportunity to connect with Professionals/Mentors etc. in this community, Access to Microsoft 365, access to Techsmith Snagit and Camtasia screen capture and recording software and many more benefits.

. Apart from this, There are 3 milestones you can achieve to avail the benefits-
i) Alpha - Complete a Microsoft Learn path and Azure credits will be unlocked (Azure credits of 150$ per month) with your Visual Studio Enterprise subscription benefit. LinkedIn Learning subscription. You’ll also receive a certification voucher, and a free domain name and many more.

ii) Beta - You have to host an event in your community to unlock event support and resource benefits. Once you reach Beta, You could also get an invitation to join the annual Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Summit, You will be receiving Swags and amazing accessories from Microsoft as well.
(This includes the benefits of Alpha as well)
My Beta MLSA Swag Kit :)

iii) Gold - Once you’ve gone above and beyond in earning your badges and serving your local community, and have been an active participant in the program, you will be invited to the Gold milestone! You'll also be able to gain access to special events, and may also be invited to become a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), also Gold MLSA Swag Kit with super amazing goodies! (Including the benefits of Alpha and beta)

More details in the below picture!

This program sponsors all the undergraduate and postgraduate students in terms of technology and all the events they do in this community. Once you are an ambassador, you are introduced to the amazing community and you can start hosting events!

One of the most special thing I love about this program is, we get to learn so much, grow our career and technical skills, and whatever we learn, we share it among our peers by hosting events.

Isn't it amazing? So, what are you waiting for? Apply now!:)

The Application form is open throughout the year, The selections are done on a quarterly basis. The latest selections were in July(2023), so the next cohort is expected to be announced in around October 2023 for which the last date to apply was 31st august 2023, applications sent after that will be considered for January 2024 cohort.

You can apply for this program through this link:
https://studentambassadors.microsoft.com/en-US/

The main steps to follow while applying for this program are as follows:

STEP 1: Go to https://studentambassadors.microsoft.com/en-US/
Click on "Apply now" and Login with any of the mentioned options available.

STEP 2: Once you are logged in, read all the privacy and terms, and confirm your eligibility.
Once you confirm, you will be introduced to a Personal Info section, fill all the details carefully.

STEP 3: Once you have filled the personal information, you will be introduced to the academic information section, once you fill that, the most important part of this application comes: Written Sample.

Step 4: The Written Sample is the most important part of this application, where you have to answer the given questions.
This section is divided into three parts, as shown in the picture.
. INSPIRE
. TEACH
. PROMOTE

Each field has to be answered with either a video or a written sample. Please note: It is necessary to answer at least one question in the form of a video.

Tips to answer these questions:
1) Make sure your answers are honest and genuine, try to explain why you are passionate about technology, and what made you inspire in your best way, that is very important!
2) Mention all your achievements including the projects you are working on/completed, what are the programming languages you've learnt, competitions/Workshops you have organized/participated/won.
3) Take an example and explain how you would teach that topic to your peers.
4)If you are hosting an event, explain how would you plan on organizing it from the start, how would you promote it to gather as many students possible to attend the event.

These are some of the main points you can keep in your mind while answering the questions, accordingly.

STEP 5: Then comes the social media section, where you can include the links of all the social media platforms you use, as mentioned in the fields.

Also do not hesitate to share the links of any of your blogs/YouTube videos etc. thinking there is nothing much in it or there is less content, nothing is less when you try to share your knowledge or ideas, what you share and how you share it, is important! :)
This is also where they will get to know more about you! :)

STEP 6: Once you have completed filling the social media section, mention all the technologies you are interested in!
And if you think there is some additional information you want to add, you can add it in the next field asked in Additional Information section, after the technologies list!
For example, I am also passionate about the game of Chess, so I mentioned some of my achievements of Chess in this field.
Similarly, you can add in anything you want to share, here.

And this completes the Application form!

Hope you were able to fill it properly, if you have any doubts/questions, do put it in the comments below, I will answer them, Or you can contact me through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-popli-025a891b4/ or Twitter: https://twitter.com/tina_popli

I discovered about this Program by one of my seniors and through social media, and from then I was super excited to fill this form and apply for this amazing program. Once I filled, I was super happy to be one of those ambassadors who were selected, in January 2021. It was one of the most amazing days. Since then I am enjoying being in such a program and community.
I always tell everyone, that this is a family where we learn and grow together! I Hope you're all even more inspired to apply for this super amazing program, and are as excited as I was, to apply for this program! :)

No matter what the result will be, give your best, and work hard!!

Note: If an application is rejected, Applicant can reapply for the program.

Also, if you are thinking that can Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors apply for Imagine Cup? YES! If you have a unique technology solution that you’d like to enter for the Imagine Cup , all Microsoft Student Ambassadors are welcome to register for it, if you would like to know more about Imagine Cup, you can check here, https://imaginecup.microsoft.com/en-us/Events

Best Wishes! :)