How to use ds-cheatsheets: find and open data science reference sheets

What ds-cheatsheets is and what it is not

ds-cheatsheets is a curated list rather than a piece of software. Each entry links to a PDF hosted in the repository or in linked RStudio and Business Science cheatsheet collections. The sheets are meant to be printed or kept open as a quick reference.

The list is not a course. The sheets are short reference material, so they do not walk you through a topic step by step. The repository's last push was 2024-07-18, and some sheets may be dated, so check any library-specific syntax against current official documentation.

Open a cheatsheet directly from the list

The simplest way to use ds-cheatsheets is to open the README on GitHub, use the table of contents to jump to a topic, and click the link to the PDF. No installation is needed, and the project lists no prerequisites.

• Python: Python Basics, Pandas Basics, Pandas, Importing Data, Jupyter, Numpy Basics, Intermediate Python, Python REGEX and Python 3 Memento.
• R: Tidiverse, data.table, Base R, Data Import with readr, Data Transformation with Dplyr, Regular Expressions, Work with Strings with stringr and R Markdown.
• SQL: two SQL cheatsheets, one from sqltutorial and one from Rebel Labs.
• Math and Calculus, Big Data, Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Data Visualization each have their own section.

Clone the repository for a local copy of the PDFs

If you want the PDFs on your own machine, for example to print them or keep them available offline, the README gives one install command. It downloads a local copy of the repository, including its PDFs.

• Make sure git is installed on your computer.
• Run the command in a terminal in the folder where you want the copy.
• Open the PDFs from the cloned folder, using the paths shown in the README table of contents.

Pick the right sheet for your goal

Beginners learning Python or R will find basics sheets such as Python Basics, Beginners Python Cheat Sheet and Tidiverse. Analysts looking up syntax will find pandas, dplyr, data.table and SQL sheets. Students reviewing math or statistics can use the Refresher Algebra and Calculus and Refresher Probabilities and Statistics sheets, and the Fundamentals of Probabilities sheet.

For machine learning, the list includes supervised and unsupervised learning sheets, a tips and tricks sheet and a model-choice image. For deep learning it includes neural network, convolutional and recurrent network sheets.

Check whether a sheet is still current

Because the list is a set of links to third-party and community sheets, the age of each sheet varies. Before relying on a function name or argument, compare it with the official documentation for the library you are using. Treat the sheet as a memory aid and the official docs as the source of truth.

• Look for a library name in the sheet title and check its current documentation.
• Use the sheets for orientation, then confirm exact function names and arguments.
• If a sheet links to a source outside the repository, the linked collection may be maintained separately.