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Introduction to Python
Python is a high-level combination of interpreted, compiled, interactive, and object-oriented scripting language.
Python is designed to be very readable, and has a more distinctive syntactic structure than other languages, which often use English keywords and some punctuation in other languages.
Python is an interpreted language: this means that there is no compilation involved in the development process. It is similar to PHP and Perl.
Python is an interactive language: this means that you can write your program at a Python prompt, with direct interactive execution.
Python is an object-oriented language: This means that Python supports object-oriented style or programming techniques where code is encapsulated in objects.
Python is the language for beginners: Python is a great language for beginning programmers, supporting the development of a wide range of applications, from simple word processing to WWW browsers to games.
Python History
Python was devised by Guido van Rossum at the National Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Python itself has evolved from a number of other languages, including ABC, Modula-3, C, C++, Algol-68, SmallTalk, the Unix shell, and other scripting languages.
Like Perl, Python source code is also under the GPL (GNU General Public License).
Python is now maintained by a core development team, with Guido van Rossum still playing a vital role in guiding its progress.
Python Features
1. Easy to learn: Python has relatively few keywords, a simple structure, and a well-defined syntax that makes it easier to learn.
2. Easy to read: Python code is more clearly defined.
3. Easy to maintain: Python's success lies in the fact that its source code is quite easy to maintain.
4. A wide range of standard libraries: One of Python's greatest strengths is the richness of its libraries, cross-platform, and compatibility across UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh.
5. Interactive Mode: Interactive mode support, you can enter from the terminal to execute the code and get the results of the language, interactive testing and debugging code snippets.
6. Portability: Based on its open source nature, Python has been ported (that is, made to work) to many platforms.
7. Extensible: If you need a piece of critical code that runs very fast, or if you want to write algorithms that you don't want to open up, you can do that part of the program in C or C++ and then call it from your Python program.
8. Databases: Python provides interfaces to all major commercial databases.
Programming: Python supports GUIs that can be created and ported to many system calls.
10. Embeddable: You can embed Python into C/C++ programs, giving users of your program the ability to "script" it.
Python Environment Setup
Python is available for multiple platforms including Linux and Mac OS X.
You can see if Python is installed locally and what version of Python is installed by typing the command "python" in a terminal window.
- Unix (Solaris, Linux, FreeBSD, AIX, HP/UX, SunOS, IRIX, etc.).
- Win 9x/NT/2000
- Macintosh (Intel, PPC, 68K)
- OS/2
- DOS (multiple DOS versions)
- PalmOS
- Nokia Mobile Phones
- Windows CE
- Acorn/RISC OS
- BeOS
- Amiga
- VMS/OpenVMS
- QNX
- VxWorks
- Psion
- Python is also portable to Java and .NET virtual machines.
Python Download
Python's latest source code, binary documentation, news and information can be found on Python's official website:/
You can download the Python documentation at the following links, and you can download the documentation in HTML, PDF, and PostScript formats.
Python documentation download address:/doc/
Python Installation
Python has been ported to many platforms (with modifications to make it work on different platforms).
You will need to download the binary code for the platform you are using and then install Python.
If the binary code for your platform is not available, you need to compile the source code manually using a C compiler.
The compiled source code, which is more selective in its functionality, provides more flexibility for python installations.
Below are the methods for installing Python on different platforms:
Installing Python on Linux platforms
The following are simple steps for installing Python on Unix & Linux platforms:
- Open WEB browser to access/download/
- Select the source zip for Unix/Linux.
- Download and unzip the zip package.
- If you need to customize some options modify Modules/Setup
- Execute . /configure script
- make
- make install
After performing the above, Python will be installed in the /usr/local/bin directory, and the Python libraries will be installed in /usr/local/lib/pythonXX, with XX being the version number of the Python you are using.
Platform Installation Python
The following are simple steps for installing Python on the Window platform:
- Open WEB browser to access/download/
- In the download list, select the Window platform installation package, the package format is: file , XYZ is the version number you want to install.
- To use the installer , the Windows system must support Microsoft Installer 2.0 with it. Just save the installer file to your local computer and run it to see if your machine supports MSI.Windows XP and later versions already have MSI, and many older machines can have MSI installed.
- After downloading, double-click the package to enter the Python installation wizard, the installation is very simple, you just need to use the default settings and keep clicking "Next" until the installation is complete.
Platform Installation Python
Recent Macs come with a Python environment, which you can also find at the link/download/ Download the latest version and install it on.
For more articles on python installation tutorials seeTutorial on installing python versions.
For more great book lists, clickEssential python programming book list
Get the dry goods:Video tutorials for learning python with zero beginner's knowledge
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