Python for Data Analysis

4.25/5 · 2K+ ratings

Python for Data Analysis is concerned with the nuts and bolts of manipulating, processing, cleaning, and crunching data in Python. It is also a practical, modern introduction to scientific computing in Python, tailored for data-intensive applications. This is a book about the parts of the Python language and libraries you’ll need to effectively solve a broad set of data analysis problems. This bo…

Reviews

Dimitri

★ 2/5
While the book offers solid coverage and engaging examples, the lack of technical precision is incredibly frustrating. It's a textbook, yet the author relies on vague terminology and loose concepts just because they're teaching Python. You'll definitely want to track down the latest edition if you decide to pick it up.

Mateo

★ 4/5
This is a solid resource, but you have to keep in mind that this specific field evolves at a breakneck pace. It's definitely worth the read for the foundational knowledge even if some details might feel dated soon.

Priya

★ 4/5
While this O'Reilly guide serves as a definitive deep dive into the pandas and numpy ecosystems, it isn't exactly a page-turner for beginners. You'll find everything you need regarding APIs and Jupyter integration, but the dense writing style makes it feel more like a manual than a teaching tool. It's probably easier to just search for specific syntax online or take an interactive course if you're just starting out. That said, it remains a solid, comprehensive resource for intermediate users who want a physical reference on their desk.

Priya

★ 5/5
This guide served as an ideal starting point for my specific focus on analyzing economic and financial datasets. By the time I hit the fourth chapter, I'd already mastered sampling random stocks and calculating correlations between various commodities. It'd probably be more efficient to tackle the TimeSeries section immediately after chapter four to save yourself some confusion with that specific data type. You'll also find chapter eleven's deep dive into financial data munging incredibly practical for real-world applications.

Anastasia

★ 2/5
This guide functions more as a manual for the Pandas library than a true deep dive into the principles of data analysis. While it touches on tools like IPython and NumPy, the coverage feels shallow and the content is noticeably dated. You're better off skipping this and heading straight to the official documentation's tutorials if you want practical, up-to-date knowledge.

Julian

★ 2/5
This guide feels more like an extended manual than a deep dive into data science principles. It's clear the author approaches the subject from a software engineering perspective, focusing heavily on implementation details while skipping over the underlying theory. If you're looking for the 'how' without needing the 'why,' this might work for you.

Anya

★ 4/5
This guide is a fantastic resource for R users looking to bridge the gap into Python, especially since it's written by the creator of the Pandas framework. McKinney's writing is exceptionally clear, making it easy to follow along in your own console while mastering data munging and cleaning techniques. While the heavy reliance on synthetic, randomly generated data can feel a bit abstract compared to real-world datasets, the overall quality of the instruction is top-notch. It's a comprehensive manual that covers every essential aspect of the data science workflow for anyone already familiar with the field's core methods.

Liam

★ 5/5
Wes McKinney's guide is an essential resource for anyone navigating the worlds of data science or engineering. It dives deep into the feature engineering tasks that consume most of a professional's day, providing clear explanations and practical Jupyter Notebooks. You'll find it's a fantastic reference to keep on your desk for whenever you need to look up a specific technique.

Anya

★ 3/5
Since this guide focuses heavily on pandas and NumPy, it's a perfect fit for anyone who has already committed to using Python for their data workflows. The author dives deep into data munging and optimization techniques, even covering low-level details to help you squeeze out every bit of performance. Don't expect a broad overview of general statistics or a basic Python primer, but it's an essential resource for mastering specific analytical operations.

Anya

This guide serves as a solid reference for Pandas documentation, though the learning curve feels unnecessarily steep for true beginners. It jumps from basic concepts into complex examples far too quickly, which made it difficult to grasp the underlying data structures without looking at outside tutorials first. Once I gained some intuition from other sources, the author's framework started making more sense.

Elena

★ 4/5
This guide is a solid resource for junior developers looking to broaden their understanding of Python's role in handling massive datasets. It works best as a sidekick to a structured course, especially since the material mirrors what you'll find in programs like Dataquest. While the author breaks down Pandas and NumPy effectively, you can't just read the text and expect to be job-ready without getting your hands dirty with actual code. It's a great reference, but the real learning happens when you apply these concepts to live projects.

Mateo

★ 2/5
This book served as a solid reference while I was navigating my data wrangling coursework, though I didn't end up finishing the whole thing. It's definitely helpful for anyone trying to get a handle on Python and pandas, even if I only used it sporadically to get through my assignments.

Anya

★ 2/5
This guide is decent enough, but it fails to offer any real depth beyond what's already available in the official documentation. Since it's the only book dedicated to pandas, you're stuck without alternatives for comparison, though I certainly anticipated a more comprehensive resource. Ultimately, you'll learn much more by just diving into ipython and scouring StackOverflow to build your own library of code snippets.

Liam

★ 4/5
This was a solid read that I'd definitely recommend to others. It's a high-quality book that delivers exactly what it promises.

Mateo

★ 5/5
This book was incredibly practical and kept me engaged throughout the entire process. Although it took me a while to get through all the material, the depth of information made the time investment completely worthwhile.

Siddharth

This guide offers a solid foundation for anyone looking to master Python's data analysis tools like numpy and pandas. While the dense combination of code snippets and explanations can get a bit overwhelming during long reading sessions, it's clearly designed as a hands-on manual rather than a casual read. It's a practical resource that serves its purpose well if you're following along at your computer.

Anya

★ 4/5
I already knew Pandas was a massive statistical powerhouse, but this book showed me that I hadn't even scratched the surface of its true scale. The sheer depth of its capabilities is far beyond what I originally imagined.

Priya

★ 2/5
This guide provides a solid overview of implementing linear algebra within Python environments. It's most effective for those who already possess a strong conceptual grasp of the underlying mathematics, as the focus remains heavily on the technical execution rather than teaching the theory from scratch.

Siddharth

★ 2/5
This book feels like a collection of official documentation merged together, and I couldn't find much value here beyond maybe the twelfth chapter. It's a shame because including a few interesting real-world applications would've made the whole thing much more engaging.

Priya

★ 5/5
This guide is a fantastic resource that finally brings together all those scattered coding techniques I've been piecing together from the web. Having everything laid out in such a logical and structured format makes the learning process much smoother than digging through old forum threads.

Anya

★ 5/5
Even as someone who's used the Python scientific stack for years, this book completely overhauled my workflow and made me realize how much I was actually missing. It bridges the gap between individual libraries like NumPy and Matplotlib by treating them as a unified system, which is something you just can't find in standard online documentation. I've switched to using the shell for development because of the techniques I learned here, and the deep dive into pandas goes way beyond simple R-style data frames. It's an essential guide for anyone doing serious quantitative work because it teaches a professional mindset rather than just syntax. You'll find yourself much more productive once you see how these tools are meant to be integrated.

Priya

★ 4/5
Wes McKinney provides a thorough deep dive into Pandas that serves as a solid peer to VanderPlas's handbook, though it's definitely the wordier option of the two. While the coverage of library functionality is extensive, the reliance on synthetic data makes the reading experience feel a bit dry compared to books that use real-world datasets to drive the narrative. You'll get a great handle on data manipulation, but you should probably look elsewhere for visualization since the matplotlib section covers a tool that's too low-level for modern workflows. It's a reliable reference for the fundamentals even if it isn't the most gripping read.

Priya

★ 3/5
This guide serves as a solid foundation for anyone needing to learn the basics of the pandas library. However, it leans too heavily on synthetic examples rather than deep-diving into complex, real-world datasets. I'd have preferred a more case-study-driven approach to see how these tools actually solve practical data problems.

Elena

★ 5/5
This was the foundation of my data science career because the concepts are presented in such an accessible, practical way. You'll get the most out of it if you already have a basic grasp of Python, as the content focuses heavily on the core daily tasks of a data analyst. Since the chapters primarily deep-dive into Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib, it's a perfect starter guide, though experienced users might find it redundant.

Mateo

★ 5/5
It's pretty wild that I actually picked up a physical copy of a programming book and read every single page. I enjoyed the content enough to give it a full five stars, which feels like a total anomaly for my usual reading habits. This year is definitely full of surprises.

Priya

This serves as a solid introduction to the pandas library, which makes sense given it's written by Wes McKinney himself. The book also dives into essential tools like IPython and NumPy through a variety of practical examples. While I skipped the final chapters on time series and financial data, the availability of the IPython notebooks online is a huge plus for hands-on learning.

Priya

★ 5/5
This is an incredibly practical guide that demands you keep a keyboard nearby to actually test the endless stream of examples provided. It skips the high-level theoretical fluff of AI and instead focuses on the essential, everyday tasks like cleaning, filtering, and pivoting data. You'll walk away with a mastery of NumPy and pandas, essentially gaining a more powerful version of SQL within the Python ecosystem. If your goal is to handle data manipulation efficiently, this is the definitive resource.

Priya

★ 2/5
While McKinney's expertise as the creator of pandas shines through his technical explanations of the library and NumPy, the book's title is somewhat misleading since it ignores broader data analysis techniques. It eventually devolves into a repetitive list of features illustrated by abstract, randomized datasets rather than practical applications. You'll find this incredibly useful as a technical manual for these specific tools, but don't expect a comprehensive guide on real-world data science workflows.

Elena

★ 3/5
This guide starts strong with practical examples, but it quickly devolves into a wordy version of the standard documentation for NumPy and Matplotlib. You'll find that a lot of the code is actually outdated now, so it's better to skim the chapters for a broad overview rather than trying to follow every example.

Javier

★ 5/5
This guide is absolutely top-tier for anyone wanting to master data wrangling. The author breaks down complex Python concepts with such intuition that the step-by-step code instructions never feel overwhelming. You'll find the provided datasets perfect for practicing the techniques as you go.
Shelves
Coding Computers Wes McKinney Programming Nonfiction book Textbooks Computer Science Technology Technical Reference Science

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