📚 Introduction: From Scripts to Systems
After working with calculators, sorters, and conditional logic, the next natural step is building something that resembles a real application.
This notebook introduces a Library Management System — a simple but meaningful mini project that ties together multiple programming concepts into one cohesive flow.
It’s no longer just about running code — it’s about managing state.
🎯 Purpose: Thinking in Systems
The purpose of this notebook is to help beginners understand how:
- Multiple pieces of data relate to each other
- A program can keep track of available vs borrowed items
- User actions change system state over time
- Small programs can simulate real-world workflows
This mirrors the foundations of backend systems and business logic.
🧠 How It Works: The Overall Flow
At a high level, the system follows this loop:
- Store a collection of books
- Display available options to the user
- Allow borrowing or returning of books
- Update the system state accordingly
Each action affects what the user can do next — just like in real software.
🧩 The Technical Part: Managing Data and Actions
A simplified version of the core logic looks like this:
books = ["1984", "The Hobbit", "Pride and Prejudice"]
def display_books():
for book in books:
print(book)
def borrow_book(book_name):
if book_name in books:
books.remove(book_name)
print("Book borrowed")
else:
print("Book not available")
🔍 What’s Happening Here?
- 📦 A list represents the library’s inventory
- 🔄 Functions encapsulate actions (display, borrow)
- 🧠 The system checks state before acting
- 🗂 Data changes persist during program execution
This is an introduction to CRUD-style logic (Create, Read, Update, Delete).
💡 Key Takeaways: Building Realistic Logic
This notebook reinforces several important concepts:
- 🧱 Data structures represent real-world entities
- 🔁 Programs can model workflows
- 🛠 Functions help organise system behaviour
- 🧠 State management is a core programming skill
These ideas scale directly into web apps, APIs, and databases.
🏁 Conclusion: Your First Mini System
The Library Management System marks an important milestone:
You’re no longer writing isolated code snippets — you’re building a system with rules and behaviour.
With this foundation, you’re ready to explore:
- Dictionaries for richer data
- Loops for menus
- Persistent storage
- Object-oriented design
Every full application starts as a simple system like this.
🔗 Link to Notebook
Notebook link: Coming Soon