Kiru Lab / Foundations: Python as an Instrument
Python From First Principles
Names, objects, types, decisions, repetition, and functions — the pieces every program in this curriculum is assembled from. Work through these in order and type every example.
In this module you will
- Describe assignment as binding a name to an object
- Use numbers, text, and booleans without type confusion
- Trace a branch and a loop through a short program by hand
- Write functions with clear inputs, outputs, and no hidden state
- Read a file and handle the ways that can fail
Values, Names, and Objects
Assignment does not copy. Understanding that one fact prevents a whole class of bugs later.
Concept · 25m
Numbers, Text, and Truth
The four basic types, how to convert between them, and the floating-point fact that will bite you in every later track.
Concept · 30m
Making Decisions
if, elif, else — how a program takes one path rather than another, and the indentation rule that enforces it.
Code Walkthrough · 30m
Repeating Work
Loops — the construct that turns a small amount of arithmetic into a trained model.
Code Walkthrough · 35m
Functions: Naming a Piece of Behavior
The discipline of writing a function that does exactly one thing — and the training loop that results.
Code Walkthrough · 35m
The Four Data Structures That Matter
Lists, dicts, sets, and tuples — chosen by access pattern, not by habit.
Concept · 25m
Files, and Handling Failure
Reading data off disk, and deciding on purpose what your program does when something goes wrong.
Code Walkthrough · 35m