What is Python?

Python is a popular programming language. It was created in 1991 by "Guido van Rossum".

It is used for:

1. web development (server-side),

2. software development,

3. mathematics purpose,

4. system scripting.

What can Python do?

1. Can be used alongside software to create workflows.

2. Can be used on a server to create web applications.

3. can connect to database systems. It can also read and modify files.

4. Can be used to handle big data and perform complex mathematics.

5. Can be used for rapid prototyping, or for production-ready software development.

Why Python?

1. it works on different platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc).

2. Has a simple syntax similar to the English language.

3. Has syntax that allows developers to write programs with fewer lines than some other programming languages.

4. Runs on an interpreter system, meaning that code can be executed as soon as it is written. This means that prototyping can be very quick.

5. Can be treated in a procedural way, an object-orientated way or a functional way.

Good to know

• The most recent major version of Python is Python 3, which we shall be using in this tutorial.

• In this tutorial Python will be written in a text editor. It is possible to write Python in an Integrated Development Environment, such as Thonny, Pycharm, Netbeans or Eclipse which are particularly useful when managing larger collections of Python files.

Python Syntax compared to other programming languages

• Designed to for readability, and has some similarities to the English language with influence from mathematics.

• Uses new lines to complete a command, as opposed to other programming languages which often use semicolons or parentheses.

• Relies on indentation, using whitespace, to define scope; such as the scope of loops, functions and classes. Other programming languages often use curly-brackets for this purpose.

Thanks,

Arun Ammasai