Ahmad Aburizaiza

The course begins with one of the best introductions to python programming that I have seen. It is especially targeted to help ArcGIS users with little previous experience in Python. The lessons on arcpy at the end of the course include explanations, examples, and tours of the documentation that make it easy to extend your knowledge to the needs of your own programming. The instructor frequently uses presentation slides, but he rarely reads directly from the slides as other instructors do, and instead he often provides useful information in addition to what is written. The videos include animations and effects to highlight key information. There are also video segments where the instructor tests out actual Python code, explaining what is going on along the way. After every lesson there is a quiz. The questions test your understanding of practical concepts that you need to know in order to use Python and arcpy correctly. Some other reviews complain that the quizzes don't include actual coding exercises, but this exceeds my expectations given the limitation to the multiple choice format provided. The Q&A section has a wealth of additional knowledge. The instructor addresses every question posted, often providing links to additional resources. Even if you don't have any questions yourself, it is definitely worth reading the other questions and learning from the responses. As a note to future students, the instruction focuses on Python 2.X syntax, which is used by ArcGIS Desktop, and is therefore the correct choice for this course. The newer ArcGIS Pro and other applications tend to use Python 3.X, which will have some syntax changes. I am looking forward to the advanced course on arcpy.
- Review by Leland Hepworth on Basics of Python & arcpy , the Python library of ESRI ArcGIS