Cracking Codes with Python: An Introduction to Building and Breaking Ciphers by Al Sweigart

“Cracking Codes with Python” is a fun way of leanring Python. The book starts out with no Python at all. Instead it covers the basics of encoding/decoding. Starting with chapter 2, Python is used. The book introduces new concepts at a manageable pace as you need them to follow the examples. It also introducs various cipher techniques.

By chapter 3, readers learn how to save and run programs. I like that the book covers good programming practices and not just the basics.  While I know Python, the book was a good review. I had forgotten a few things like __name__ from disuse.  I like that the book included performance testing and complexity of algorithms.

Towards the end of the book, the code examples are quite long. Normally, I don't like this in a book, but there were great comments.

In conclusion, I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn Python/programming and is interested in security or puzzles.

I give this book 9 out of 10 horseshoes.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing this review on behalf of CodeRanch.