python_overview

1.

Python
A high-level, general-purpose programming language.
[python_logo.png]

2.

What is Python?
Python is an interpreted, high-level and general-purpose programming language.
Python's design philosophy emphasizes code readability with its notable use of
significant whitespace. Its language constructs and object-oriented approach aim
to help programmers write clear, logical code for small and large-scale projects.

3.

History
Python was created in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum at Centrum
Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in the Netherlands. It was conceived as
a successor to the ABC language, capable of exception handling and
interfacing with the Amoeba operating system. Van Rossum is Python's
principal author, and his continuing central role in deciding its direction
is reflected in the title given to him by the Python community,
"Benevolent Dictator For Life" (BDFL).
[Image: Guido van Rossum]

4.

Design Philosophy and Features
Emphasizes code readability
"Batteries included" - large standard library
Dynamically-typed and garbage-collected
Supports multiple programming paradigms (structured, object-oriented, and
functional programming)

5.

Syntax and Semantics
Python is meant to be an easily readable language. Its formatting is uncluttered
and visually simple, and it often uses English keywords where other languages
use punctuation. Unlike many other languages, it does not use curly brackets to
delimit blocks, and semicolons after statements are optional. It has fewer
syntactic exceptions and special cases than C or Pascal.

6.

Standard Library
Python's large standard library, commonly cited as one of its greatest strengths, provides tools
suited to many tasks. For Internet-facing applications, many standard formats and protocols
such as MIME and HTTP are supported. It includes modules for creating graphical user
interfaces, connecting to relational databases, generating pseudorandom numbers, arithmetic
with arbitrary-precision decimals, manipulating regular expressions, and unit testing.

7.

Popularity
Python has consistently been ranked as one of the most popular programming
languages. Its popularity is driven by its use in rapidly growing fields such as data
science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
[Image: Python Popularity Chart]

8.

Use Cases
Web development (server-side)
Software development
Mathematics and data science
System scripting
Artificial intelligence and machine learning

9.

Conclusion
Python's versatility, readability, and extensive libraries make it a
popular choice for a wide range of applications and one of the most
popular programming languages in the world.