All Sides of Programming

What’s cool about Python?

There’s a lot to love about this uncluttered language. Here we share our top picks on what makes Python really cool:

Easy to learn

Because there’s no crazy syntax and structure like other languages.

Look how readable it is:

Notice the indented portion that begins on the next line after the colon. Python expects this indented portion to contain all the code that makes up the function.

Object-oriented
programming (OOP)

As you can imagine, a big file with thousands of lines of code would be difficult to work with.

Enter OOP (Object-Oriented Programming):

Infrastructure as code

Offers the representation of infrastructure through machine-readable files that can be reproduced over and over. This means that any organization’s infrastructure can be treated like source code, spinning up new infrastructure whenever needed.

Amazing, isn’t it? How it came to be:

Start learning

With a solid knowledge of Python, you can go places and watch doors open at every turn. Start learning today by taking Networking Academy’s self-paced course:

It’s for those who have no prior experience. And best of all, it provides the perfect programming environment right from your browser.

What’s DevOps?

Developers and operations teams have different expectations:

Today, these two areas must work together for the greater good of the business. DevOps was created in the spirit of new collaboration—and to quicken time-to-market for new services.

Types of jobs

Good jobs are waiting for you if you pursue this field and achieve your Cisco DevNet Associate certification.

All these positions lead to good salaries too!

Associate to
professional certifications

With DevOps being such an important role in the new, more agile IT department, those with a certification almost have a “golden ticket” to greater success:

Soundbites

If you want to pursue the exciting world of DevOps, studying for your Cisco Certified DevNet Associate Certification will be key.

What better way to introduce you to some of the guide’s topics than give you a listen to what we liked best!

Take course

Learn modern development and engineering skills right here, right now.

Through Networking Academy’s DevNet Associate course, you’ll be able to:

Why software development skills are important?

Thanks to the cloud offering accessible infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and automation tools that can programmatically manage servers, network devices and services safely, IT departments are in much better hands.

It’s these hands—the hands of professional programmers and developers—who make this integration happen and make IT a revenue-generator.

The Agile Manifesto

Tired of inflexibility, Agile pioneers created the Manifesto for Agile software development, which certifies the guiding principle for Agile development.

This became a lightning rod to enable faster, more efficient and agile processes.

40% finished product brings
100% finished code

Developing software in Agile results in a different output than the slow, serial manner used in Waterfall:

The Secret of APIs

For communicating with and configuring networks, software developers use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). APIs are mechanisms to communicate with apps and other software.

They’re also used to communicate with various components of a network through software.

While some call them “secrets,”
we call them brilliant!

Job Outlook

By 2023, number of Python developers will reach 27.7M¹

Python developers are now among the highest-paid programmers in the tech industry (at any one time, there are upwards of 100,000 unfulfilled Python developer jobs around the world)²

Cisco’s Networking Academy Talent Bridge Matching Engine has over 650 employers from around the world ready to match your skills with their jobs (another reason to begin your journey)

Jobs where Python is essential

More to know

Everything you learn can help develop you into the professional you imagine for yourself.

So, get started—and get excited by browsing these additional resources.

Start practicing

• Networking Academy’s beginner Python course (where you can learn the basics)

• Cisco DevNet learning labs (where you can perform coding tasks with Python scripts)

• GitHub (where you can access millions of sample Python scripts provided FREE from users and engineers at Cisco)

• Linux courses (where you can quickly gain experience using open-source software)

Linux BASH commands & tips

Linux has taken over the development world. Born Again Shell (BASH) is a shell for command processing. The beauty of BASH is that you, as a programmer, can use it to input commands that the OS will interpret and perform.
Here are the commands you will use most often:

Programming Punch-Out:
Python vs. C++

Which language is best? Watch for yourself as they both take to the boxing ring.

Test your vocabulary

There are so many abbreviations for protocols, interfaces and apps in the infrastructure automation space. Here we share a few so that you can show your intelligence: