Python logic and structure: keywords, instructions, indentation, and comments

literals: Boolean, integer, floating-point numbers, scientific notation, and strings

numeral systems: binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal

variables and naming conventions

Basic PEP 8 recommendations

numeric operators: **, *, /, %, //, +, -

string operators: * and +

assignment and shortcut operators

unary and binary operators

operator priorities and binding

bitwise operators: ~, &, ^, |, <<, >>

Boolean operators: not, and, or

Boolean expressions

relational operators: ==, !=, >, >=, <, <=

floating-point accuracy

type casting

basic input and output using print(), input(), int(), and float()

formatting print() output with sep= and end=

multiple conditional statements

nested conditional statements

the pass instruction

building loops using while, for, range(), and in

iterating through sequences

while-else and for-else

nested loops and nested conditions

controlling loop execution using break and continue

list methods: append(), insert(), index(), and related methods

list functions such as len() and sorted()

the del instruction

iterating through lists using for loops

the in and not in operators

list comprehensions

copying and cloning lists

lists inside lists: matrices and cubes

tuples: indexing, slicing, building, and immutability

tuples vs. lists: similarities and differences

lists inside tuples and tuples inside lists

dictionaries: building, indexing, adding and removing keys

iterating through dictionaries, keys, and values

checking whether a key exists

dictionary methods: keys(), items(), and values()

strings: constructing, indexing, slicing, and immutability

escaping characters using \

quotes and apostrophes inside strings

multi-line strings

basic string functions and methods

the return keyword and returning results

the None keyword

recursion

parameters vs. arguments

positional, keyword, and mixed argument passing

default parameter values

name scopes, name hiding/shadowing, and the global keyword

Python built-in exception hierarchy:

BaseException

Exception

SystemExit

KeyboardInterrupt

abstract exceptions

ArithmeticError

LookupError

IndexError

KeyError

TypeError

ValueError

basics of Python exception handling:

try-except

ordering except branches

propagating exceptions through function boundaries

delegating responsibility for handling exceptions

Exam Name: PCEP™ - Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer

Current Exam Code: PCEP-30-02

Status: Active, scheduled for retirement on August 31, 2026

Next Version: PCEP-30-03 is currently in development

Exam Level: Entry

Prerequisites: None

Duration: 40 minutes exam + approximately 5 minutes for NDA/tutorial

Number of Questions: 30

Format: Single-select and multiple-select questions, drag & drop, gap fill, sort, code fill, code insertion, interactive and scenario-based items

Passing Score: 70%

Exam Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and Japanese

Course Language: English

Exam Price: From USD 69, based on the current Python Institute/OpenEDG listing

Delivery Channel: OpenEDG Testing Service – TestNow™

Testing Policies: Available on the official Python Institute/OpenEDG website

Exam Syllabus: Available on the official Python Institute PCEP syllabus page

Basic knowledge of operators - unary, binary, bitwise, boolean, relational operators, simple strings, data type, evaluation, I-O, etc.

Control Flow - Loops, If, While, for, break, continue, pass

Basic data collections - Lists, tuples, dictionaries, strings

Functions and Exceptions – arguments, parameters, recursion, scope, global keyword, positional and keyword arguments, None, return, yield, default parameters, exception hierarchy, and basic try-except handling.

This course can also help you check whether you are ready to move toward PCAP-level Python preparation.