Table of contents

Introduction to Python

  • Python is a simple and powerful programming language with efficient high-level data structures and effective object-oriented programming.
  • It features dynamic typing and an elegant syntax, making it ideal for scripting and rapid application development.
  • The foundation for Python was laid in 1980, development started in 1989, and its first official release was in February 1991.
  • Python was created by Guido Van Rossum at CWI in the Netherlands.
  • It is maintained by the Python Software Foundation (PSF), a non-commercial organization.
  • Python has three major versions: Python 1.x, Python 2.x (with versions 0–7), and Python 3.x (with versions 0–13 and beyond).
  • Python 3.x does not maintain backward compatibility with Python 2.x.
  • Its interpreted nature and cross-platform support make it suitable for a wide range of programming tasks.
  • Python is widely used for scripting, rapid application development, and various domains in technology.
  • The official Python software can be downloaded from www.python.org.
  • The C programming language inspires Python's functional programming features.
  • Python adopts object-oriented programming concepts from C++.
  • Python's modular programming approach is influenced by Modulo3, while its scripting capabilities draw inspiration from PERL