4 Reading Python code: Part 1

This chapter covers

Why knowing how to read code is important
How to ask Copilot to explain code
Using functions to break a problem into smaller subproblems
Using variables to hang on to values
Using if-statements to make decisions
Using strings to store and manipulate text
Using lists to collect and manipulate many values

In chapter 3, we used Copilot to write several functions for us. What are they good for? Maybe our money_made function could be part of a stock trading system. Maybe our is_strong_password function could be used as part of a social network website. Maybe our best_word function could be used as part of some Scrabble AI. Overall, we’ve written some useful functions that could be part of larger programs. And we did this without writing much code ourselves or, indeed, understanding what the code even does.

4.1 Why we need to read code

4.2 Asking Copilot to explain code

4.3 Top 10 programming features you need to know: Part 1

4.3.1 #1. Functions

4.3.2 #2. Variables

4.3.3 #3. Conditionals

4.3.4 #4. Strings

4.3.5 #5. Lists

4.3.6 Conclusion

Summary