Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/python-network-data
### Review and Recommendation: Using Python to Access Web Data on Coursera In today's data-driven world, the ability to harness information from the web has become an invaluable skill. If you're eager to dive into the vast ocean of online data, **Coursera's course "Using Python to Access Web Data"** is a compelling opportunity that provides readers with the tools they need to navigate and extract valuable information from the internet. #### Course Overview This course is designed to transform the way you view the Internet—not just as a medium of information, but as a rich source of data. Throughout the course, you'll learn techniques for scraping, parsing, and reading web data, as well as accessing it through web APIs. By working with commonly used formats such as HTML, XML, and JSON, you'll gain hands-on experience with real-world applications of Python. It's advisable to have prior knowledge of Chapters 1-10 from the textbook "Python for Everybody," along with experience from the initial courses of this specialization. This foundation ensures that you are well-prepared to tackle the complexities of web data access. #### Syllabus Breakdown The course is structured into several comprehensive sections, each focusing on critical concepts essential for web data manipulation: 1. **Getting Started**: The first section emphasizes setting up your environment—installing Python and a text editor. It's crucial to note that this course will mark a shift away from browser-based environments, aiming to equip you for more complex programming tasks. 2. **Regular Expressions (Chapter 11)**: This segment dives into regular expressions, giving you the ability to succinctly search strings and extract data. While not mandatory to master, the power of regular expressions cannot be overstated; they enhance your ability to manipulate text efficiently. 3. **Networks and Sockets (Chapter 12)**: Here, you'll explore the protocols that underpin web browsers and applications. Understanding how these protocols work is foundational for retrieving documents and interfacing with APIs. 4. **Programs that Surf the Web (Chapter 12)**: This practical section lets you utilize Python to programmatically retrieve data from websites and APIs. You'll develop skills that can be applied to various projects, from simple scraping tasks to more complex interactions with web services. 5. **Web Services and XML (Chapter 13)**: Understanding how to parse XML data is essential in many data-related applications. This module will teach you the necessary techniques to retrieve and effectively manipulate XML data. 6. **JSON and the REST Architecture (Chapter 13)**: Finally, the course culminates with a focus on the JSON data format and working with RESTful APIs. You'll learn how to interact with web services that use this increasingly popular data interchange format, which is a must-have skill in modern web development. #### Final Thoughts In summary, "Using Python to Access Web Data" is an exceptionally well-structured course that is suitable for anyone looking to enhance their programming skills in Python while also tapping into online data resources. The practical approach of the curriculum allows students to not only grasp theoretical concepts but also apply what they learn in real-world scenarios. Whether you are a student, a professional looking to pivot towards data analysis, or a hobbyist keen on web development, this course promises to equip you with necessary skills that are in high demand across various industries. I highly recommend enrolling in this course if you're ready to take the next step in your programming journey; you will emerge with a stronger foundation and confidence to tackle various web data-related projects. Don't miss out on the chance to transform your understanding of the Internet into a powerful asset!
Getting Started
In this section you will install Python and a text editor. In previous classes in the specialization this was an optional assignment, but in this class it is the first requirement to get started. From this point forward we will stop using the browser-based Python grading environment because the browser-based Python environment (Skulpt) is not capable of running the more complex programs we will be developing in this class.
Regular Expressions (Chapter 11)Regular expressions are a very specialized language that allow us to succinctly search strings and extract data from strings. Regular expressions are a language unto themselves. It is not essential to know how to use regular expressions, but they can be quite useful and powerful.
Networks and Sockets (Chapter 12)In this section we learn about the protocols that web browsers use to retrieve documents and web applications use to interact with Application Program Interfaces (APIs).
Programs that Surf the Web (Chapter 12)In this section we learn to use Python to retrieve data from web sites and APIs over the Internet.
Web Services and XML (Chapter 13)In this section, we learn how to retrieve and parse XML (eXtensible Markup Language) data.
JSON and the REST Architecture (Chapter 13)In this module, we work with Application Program Interfaces / Web Services using the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data format.
This course will show how one can treat the Internet as a source of data. We will scrape, parse, and read web data as well as access data using web APIs. We will work with HTML, XML, and JSON data formats in Python. This course will cover Chapters 11-13 of the textbook “Python for Everybody”. To succeed in this course, you should be familiar with the material covered in Chapters 1-10 of the textbook and the first two courses in this specialization. These topics include variables and expressi
interesting course. well structured and paced with practical real-life examples and clear study materials. i strongly recommend this course for anyone considering learning python. Thank you Dr. Chuck!
Excellent course with in depth explanations. It is well structured. It learn to access Web Data from very basics to optimum level. It help me to understand details of using Python to Access Web Data.
This course is really very useful.The effort given by Dr.Chuck is very appriciateable and this course is very interesting as well because many great programmer told their history of discovered thing.
Very interesting course. Helped me solidify my understanding of SOA and APIs. I impressed my colleagues at an IT company for my understanding of these concepts. As an HR professional, this is gold.
Great course. The lectures are clear and thorough. The assignments are challenging yet doable. The only thing I would like is to see more assignments to get more practice with the techniques learned.