Introduction to Python

I’m firm believer of basics, so before we deep dive into the coding aspects of Python.  I feel it mandate to make you unravel with the basics of this beautiful Programming Language.

Prerequisite: The prerequisite of this programming language is no prerequisite. ie Anyone of Any age group can learn this programming language. Exposure to any programming language will be an added advantage. But in this series I will make sure to cover from the very basics so that followers of all age group can adapt it easily.

With every tutorial I’ll be sharing one tricky information or you can consider it notes, I’ll be posting that information at the last of each blog.                                                                                                                    

Before diving deep into this lets break this introduction in Four parts :

1. What is Python?
2. Features of Python
3. Application or Uses of Python
4. Flavours of Python

What is Python ?

Python is General Purpose High Level Programming Language. General Purpose means it can be used for multiple application such as Data Science, Machine Learning, Desktop Application, Web Application, Scripts etc. High Level Programming Language means human understandable language i.e. Human readable.

Guido Van Rossam is known as the Father of Python. This language was release in 1989 but became official in 1991.

Python Version: 

Python 1.0 (1994 Jan)

Python 2.0 (2000 Oct)

Python 3.0 (2000 Dec)

Python 3.6.3 (2016)

Python does not support backward compatibility as feature in 3.0 were not available in Python 2.0

Features of Python

1. Python is simple and easy to learn.
2. Python require less coding, hence less development time.
3. Python is Freeware and Open Source. Freeware means its free no licensing is required and Open Source means you can see the code it is available at user level.
4. Python is High Level Programming language where code is human readable.
5. Python is Platform Independent Language, i.e. Write once and run anywhere.
6. Python is Portable i.e. can be moved from one machine to another machine.
7. Python is Dynamically typed Programming Language. i.e. we do not need to specify the type of the variable while declaration. It will implicitly decide what type of values is this and thus will assign the type at the run time.
8. Python is Functional, Object Oriented, Scripting, Modular Programming Language.
9. Python is interpreted Programming Language. i.e. It has internal compiler. First interpreter will interpret the code if error any will notify if not it will execute.
10. Python is extensible Programming Language ie. Other Language Program can be used in Python i.e. Java/C/C++ etc can be written with Python code.
11. Python has extended support library for Embedded Application.

Uses of Python

1. Desktop Application/ Standalone Application.
2. Web Application – with the help of Django Framework (will have a separate tutorial in future for it).
3. Database Application.
4. Networking Application.
5. Gaming Application.
6. Data Science.
7. Machine Learning.
8. Augmented Reality
9. Artificial Intelligence
10. Internet Of Things

Flavours of Python

Flavours of Python means Python has different framework or Flavours that are meant to be used with specific technology or language.

1. Jython or JPython ( Used for Java Python)
2. IronPython (Used of C#, .Net Platform)
3. Cython (Used for C platform)
4. PyPy (Alternate implementation of Python runs faster than regular python due to presence of JIT (Just in time) compiler)
5. RubyPython (Can be used with Ruby based Application)
6. AnacondaPython (Big data application)
7. Stackless (Used for concurrency/Multithreading )
8. DJango/Flask (Framework for developing web based application).

Python do have some flaws and they are …

1. Performance of Python is less due to its interpreted nature.
2. Immature for Mobile Application.

Notes: Python Borrowed Functional Programming from C, OOP from JAVA no… JAVA came in 1995, Python since it’s existence or creation was in self OOP Language, Python borrowed Scripting Language from PERL and SHELL and Modular Programming Language from MODULA -3.

SO this was all about the Introduction of Python in the next tutorial we will start with Identifiers, reserved words and on…