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Intro to Programming

Name: Intro to Programming
Rating: 4.6 (8500 reviews)

by Alexis Cook · Kaggle

4.6

(8,500 reviews)

500K+ enrolled5 hoursUpdated 2024-03

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Our Verdict

Worth it — with caveats

Kaggle's Intro to Programming is the best free, zero-setup way for a true beginner to find out in an afternoon whether they like coding, but it is a first taste of Python rather than a real course. Built by Alexis Cook (head of Kaggle Learn), it walks absolute beginners through the core building blocks of Python across five short lessons, with no prior coding experience required. It is unusual for an intro course in that it has no video lectures at all: every lesson is a short readable tutorial followed by a hands-on, auto-graded exercise in a Jupyter notebook that runs entirely in the browser. Independent reviewers consistently praise the practical, exercise-first format and the gentle ramp, and Kaggle awards a free shareable certificate on completion. The main caveat is scope: it stops at lists and conditionals and deliberately does not cover loops, dictionaries, strings in depth, or real projects, so it is a genuine first step rather than a complete Python course. Kaggle lists it at roughly five hours, but several reviewers report finishing in one to two hours, so the real time depends heavily on your starting point.

It is an excellent, no-cost, zero-setup first taste of Python for true beginners, but it is intentionally narrow (five lessons ending at lists/conditions) and text-plus-notebook only, so it works best as a launchpad into a fuller course rather than as a standalone path to job-ready Python.

Best for: Complete beginners who have never written code and want a free, no-installation way to confirm they enjoy programming before committing to a longer course; learners who prefer doing exercises over watching video lectures; and anyone who wants a quick, low-stakes on-ramp to Kaggle's data-science learning track.

Skip if: People who already know basic Python (it will be a refresher at best), learners who specifically want video instruction or live support, and anyone expecting a comprehensive Python course; it omits loops, dictionaries, file I/O, OOP, and substantial projects, so it will not by itself make you job-ready or fully fluent.

About This Course

Start coding in Python from zero covering variables, data types, conditions, and functions with hands-on exercises.

What You'll Learn

Write and run Python in a browser-based notebook and use it for arithmetic and basic calculations

Create and use variables, and assign values to them

Call built-in functions and define your own functions with arguments and return values

Recognize core Python data types (such as integers, floats, booleans, and strings) and convert between them

Use conditions and conditional (if / elif / else) statements to control program flow

Create and work with lists as an introduction to storing collections of data

Apply these basics to a small real-world style problem (e.g., automating a cost/data calculation)

Curriculum

Arithmetic and Variables

Make calculations in Python and store the results in variables.

Functions

Call built-in functions and learn to organize code by defining your own functions.

Data Types

Explore core Python data types (integers, floats, booleans, strings) and how to work with and convert them.

Conditions and Conditional Statements

Modify how code runs based on conditions using if / elif / else logic.

Intro to Lists

Organize multiple values together by creating and manipulating Python lists.

Prerequisites

No programming experience required
A free Kaggle account
A web browser (all code runs in-browser via Kaggle Notebooks; no local Python install needed)
Basic comfort with arithmetic

Instructor

Alexis Cook

Instructor · Kaggle

Pros & Cons

Pros

Completely free with no setup: lessons and auto-graded exercises run entirely in the browser via Kaggle Notebooks, removing the usual install/environment friction for beginners
Exercise-first, hands-on format: instead of passive video, each short lesson is paired with a coding exercise, and reviewers note the exercises build on each other and connect to a real-world style problem
Genuinely beginner-friendly pacing; independent reviewers describe it as easy to follow and reassuring for people intimidated by programming
Awards a free, shareable completion certificate and feeds naturally into Kaggle's broader data-science track (Python, Intro to Machine Learning)
Written by Alexis Cook, who as head of Kaggle Learn also authored Kaggle's widely used Python and Intro to Machine Learning courses, so the explanations and exercise design are consistent with the rest of that respected track

Cons

Very narrow scope: only five lessons ending at lists and conditionals; it omits loops, dictionaries, in-depth strings, file handling, and OOP, so it is a starter, not a complete Python course
No video lectures or live instruction, which will not suit learners who prefer guided video or want to ask questions of a teacher
Listed duration (~5 hours) is inconsistent with real experience; several reviewers finish in 1-2 hours, so the estimate can mislead
Minimal depth on theory and problem-solving practice; learners may need to consult outside resources or graduate quickly to a fuller course to retain and apply the skills

Alternatives To Consider

Intro to Machine Learning

Kaggle

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Machine Learning Crash Course

Google

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CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

Harvard / edX

View course

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Intro to Programming free?

Yes — Intro to Programming is free to access. Free. All lessons, exercises, and the completion certificate are free, consistent with everything on Kaggle Learn. No paid tier or upsell for this course.

Who is Intro to Programming for?

Complete beginners who have never written code and want a free, no-installation way to confirm they enjoy programming before committing to a longer course; learners who prefer doing exercises over watching video lectures; and anyone who wants a quick, low-stakes on-ramp to Kaggle's data-science learning track.

What will you learn in Intro to Programming?

Write and run Python in a browser-based notebook and use it for arithmetic and basic calculations; Create and use variables, and assign values to them; Call built-in functions and define your own functions with arguments and return values; Recognize core Python data types (such as integers, floats, booleans, and strings) and convert between them.

What are the prerequisites for Intro to Programming?

No programming experience required; A free Kaggle account; A web browser (all code runs in-browser via Kaggle Notebooks; no local Python install needed); Basic comfort with arithmetic.

Is Intro to Programming worth it?

How we reviewed this course

This is an independent editorial assessment by Cursarium, based on Kaggle's published course materials and aggregated public learner feedback (last reviewed 2026-06). We have not independently completed the course. Links to providers are standard references, not paid placements.

Sources

Free

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