My SO is interested in learning Python because she hopes it becomes useful in her work. She works with ArcGIS and/or QGIS and apparently it supports Python scripting so she’s thinking about giving it a go.
She has no programming background so I was hoping you friends could suggest something for absolute beginners that would teach her both the Python and programming basics. It doesn’t have to be very comprehensive, just something to get her started.
She has managed to get some scripts working through copy/pasting and minor adjustments but she lacks the foundations to really build a script of her own.
Thanks a lot!!
Get the basics locked.in before dipping into GIS.
Edit, because someone misunderstood me… You’ll have an easier time extending your existing GIS work by getting a nice foundation of non GIS python skills.
There’s a lot of odd patterns and domain specific requirements in the spatial data world, not even mentioning the nasty beast that esri is.
Provided you listen to my above advice, here are some other keywords that will help excite the home-gis dev: geopandas, (pandas), geojson, geopackage, QGIS, leaflet (not python but easy to connect a leaflet frontend with a python backend), openstreermaps, map box, earthexplorer (USGS free aerial imagery of lots of imagery types)
If it must be esri based, arcpy is a popular library.
She already works in GIS and is looking to supplement that work with python. Python is used for more than geojson and web development in ArcGIS Pro. I’ve use it for constructing labels, simple field calculations, symbology, data processing etc. and in general ESRI makes it pretty simple to implement compared to the other terms you’ve listed. All she really needs to get started using Python with ESRI products is an simple python course and googling for some ArcGIS examples, which are pretty abundant. I remember taking one ages ago that ran the code in the browser, but I can’t remember it now.
Agree, I don’t think I went against that. I certainly didn’t say it’s JUST geojson and web map. That was just a list of keywords. I opened by saying these are more things to get excited about.
If it’s just esri (they said q too), but if it’s just esri, automate the boring stuff + arcpy and you’ll be a happy camper.
Cartographic stuff is super simple in any framework. Data processing and network topology are great things to study that aren’t web map. Remote sensing is the coolest shit and you can literally get free imagery and use free tools to make surface analysis and identification…not as a super raw beginner, but not long after.
Learning about the common open source file formats, storage strategies, and processing libraries is attainable (and desirable) by a beginner who has automate the boring stuff under their belt
Jumping straight into esri and staying there, without getting some general education, is a good way to end up not knowing much about python, and generally developing weaker workflows.and automations, in my professional experience.
Like I said, learn some python basics and good habits, then consider gis.
You totally missed the part where OP said she was looking into Python because she ALREADY WORKS IN GIS.
Did not, I’m describing things you can do with gis across the spectrum, ESRI or not, preferably once you have a decent python foundation. Edit I and others are saying “do some non GIS projects in python FIRST, then explore these GIS related things.” Because jumping to scripting in arc pro alone isn’t advised.
Why are you being combative? I’m not hating on them at all. I literally just rattled off common file formats, libraries, and projects to consider. The original comment says they scraped a few things together from tutorials, and I and other comments are discussing how to build a strong foundation, then extend it.
I’ve got no ill will for OP.
Knowing how to script a bit in arc pro does not really mean you know anything about python, or programming for GIS at even a basic professional level. That’s ok, no hate, everyone starts out. Checking out various software, formats and libraries, in addition to getting the python basics down will open a huge world of projects and even work opportunities
I’m not the one being combative here. You’re attitude is pretty condescending and alienating. Are you okay?
Absolutely not. I’m in line with others.
I suggested a basic python book, then listed topics to get into next. They didn’t discount they already work in gis, it acknowledges they said they want to learn how to code and apply it to GIS.
The short term goal is only to learn the absolute basics of programming. I only mentioned GIS to give some context on why I was narrowing down the language to python.
She’s familiar with all the keywords you mentioned as she already works in GIS, just not as a developer.
Sweet I’d say automate the boring stuff is excellent.
My meaning was python plus those things is an awesome world of hobby and professional development, that’s all. Lots of great projects can be even greater with python