Variables & input
Store values, read answers and turn them into useful messages and calculations.
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Python Foundations · The Ember Trail
A little Python.
A brighter valley.
Help Rowan and Pip restore a valley waiting for its light. Watch a lesson, write your own Python and see your code change the world around you.
Play in your browser on a desktop or laptop. Sign in to save your code and progress.
Inside the adventure1:06
- Beginner
- 11 parts
- 46 story tasks
The book for this course
Your first Python adventure, on the page too.
Python Foundation is the first book in our series and the companion to this course. Build confidence with values, input, decisions, loops, lists and functions through clear explanations, practical projects and explained answers.
Book 0111 chapters · 2026
Python Foundation
A complete first course in Python 3
Coming soon Python A level book
Print visualisation · Python Foundation
Published by Code&AI Limited under its AlgoPath Coding Academy imprint. Books and online course access are separate.
A strong core · Room to explore
Skills for this adventure. And the next.
New to coding? Start here. Build confidence one small program at a time, with no previous Python experience needed.
Core skills
Decisions & loops
Choose what happens next, repeat useful steps and give every loop a stopping rule.
Functions
Give a task a name, pass in values and return results you can use again.
Explore further
More topics you’ll meet along the way.
- Data types
- Lists & totals
- Random numbers
- Program planning
- Debugging
Eleven places · One adventure
Learn a little. Make something happen.
Each stop has a clear task, a teaching video and Python practice. Complete the task to bring its scene to life and continue your journey.
- Part 015 stops
Willow Clearing
Values, names and messages
See what you’ll learn
- Rowan · Printing
- Pip · Data types
- Whisper stone · Variables
- Crystal splitter · Calculations
- Moon gate seal · Booleans
- Part 025 stops
The River Crossing
Read answers and make choices
See what you’ll learn
- Rowan’s welcome book · Reading input
- Rope workshop · Number conversion
- River gauge · Choosing a branch
- Pip’s signal lantern · Cleaning input
- Ferry controls · Valid variable names
- Part 034 stops
Lantern Orchard
Repeat steps and work with lists
See what you’ll learn
- Lantern arch · For loops
- Harvest sorter · Range start and step
- Pip’s harvest list · List positions and len()
- Harvest bell · Values and matching positions
- Part 044 stops
The Wayfarer’s Crossroads
Plan a program before coding
See what you’ll learn
- Survey table · Input, rule and output
- Crossroads gong · Most specific case first
- Trail signpost · Boundary checks
- Messenger lantern · Exact printed output
- Part 055 stops
Mushroom Market
Lists, totals and random numbers
See what you’ll learn
- Seed stall · Changing lists
- Supply scales · Totals and counters
- Market bunting · Repeating text
- Seed wheel · Controlled random checks
- Delivery round · Choosing a loop
- Part 064 stops
Mistwater Marsh
Keep going with while
See what you’ll learn
- Pump wheel · The while cycle
- Fuel hopper · A sentinel to stop
- Sluice controls · Skip or leave
- Signal repair · Repairing endless loops
- Part 073 stops
The Resonant Cavern
Solve an exact-output challenge
See what you’ll learn
- Crystal basin · Read the contract
- Echo gauge · Target and overflow
- Resonance lock · Pass, continue and break
- Part 083 stops
Frostpine Outpost
Put your skills together
See what you’ll learn
- Signal rack · Plan from the requirement
- Ranger stores · Filter before adding
- Summit analyser · Both boundaries
- Part 094 stops
Stargazer Observatory
Build a number guessing game
See what you’ll learn
- Chart desk · Choose paired settings
- Guess counter · Count accepted attempts
- Star memory · Remembering a win
- Great telescope · Test a random game
- Part 104 stops
The Windmill Workshop
Functions that give something back
See what you’ll learn
- Coil bench · Define and call
- Coil order · Parameters and arguments
- Workshop gate · Return and print
- Windmill drive · Local values and separate jobs
- Part 115 stops
The Lantern Festival
Combine functions in your festival kitchen
See what you’ll learn
- Festival counter · Returning two values
- Bread orders · One job per function
- Souvenir stall · A separate discount rule
- Weather lantern · An inclusive weather band
- Festival kitchen · Plan an independent program
Keep learning at your pace
Help when you need it
Replay a lesson, compare your output and ask the tutor for help with your code. Work through each stop at your own pace, then bring your skills together in the festival kitchen.
Your virtual tutor’s voice and personal guidance are computer-generated.