Python in easy steps, 2nd Edition

Covers Python 3.7

Mike McGrath

• Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781840788129
• eBook ISBN: 9781840788365
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Programming in Python
• Index: Computer Science

Python in easy steps, 2nd edition instructs you how to program in the powerful Python language, giving complete examples that illustrate each aspect with colorized source code.

Python in easy steps, 2nd edition begins by explaining how to install the free Python interpreter so you can quickly begin to create your own executable programs by copying the book's examples. It demonstrates all the Python language basics before moving on to provide examples of Object Oriented Programming (OOP) and CGI scripting to handle web form data. The book concludes by demonstrating how you can use your acquired knowledge to create and deploy graphical windowed applications.

Python in easy steps, 2nd edition makes no assumption you have previous knowledge of any programming language so it's ideal for the newcomer to computer programming. It has an easy-to-follow style that will appeal to programmers moving from another programming language, and to the student who is studying Python programming at school or college, and to those seeking a career in computing who need a fundamental understanding of computer programming.

The Python 3.x language is under active development so frequent new releases are made available as small improvements are added to the language and Python in easy steps, 2nd edition features the very latest versions of Python at the time of publication. Python development is one of evolution, rather than revolution, so the examples provided in the book can be used in subsequent releases – simply download the latest version of Python then follow the easy steps.

Python is the language used to program the Raspberry Pi - covered by Raspberry Pi in easy steps and Raspberry Pi 3 in easy steps.

This second edition is updated to cover Python 3.10.

1

Getting started

Welcome to the exciting world of the Python programming language. This chapter demonstrates how to install Python and create your first program.

Introducing Python

Installing Python on Windows

Installing Python on Linux

Meeting the interpreter

Writing your first program

Employing variables

Obtaining user input

Correcting errors

Summary

Introducing Python

Python is a high-level (human-readable) programming language that is processed by the Python “interpreter” to produce results. Python includes a comprehensive standard library of tested code modules that can be easily incorporated into your own programs.

The Python language was developed by Guido van Rossum in the late eighties and early nineties at the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands. Python is derived from many other languages, including C, C++, the Unix shell and other programming languages. Today, Python is maintained by a core development team at the Institute, although Guido van Rossum still holds a vital role in directing its progress.

Discover all the latest Python news online at www.python.org

The basic philosophy of the Python language is readability, which makes it particularly well-suited for beginners in computer programming, and it can be summarized by these principles:

•Beautiful is better than ugly.

•Explicit is better than implicit.

•Simple is better than complex.

•Complex is better than complicated.

•Readability counts.

As Python is intended to be highly readable, it uses English keywords frequently where other languages may use punctuation. Most significantly, it uses indentation to group together statements into code “blocks”, whereas other languages may use keywords or punctuation for this purpose. For example, in the Pascal programming language, blocks start with the keyword begin and end with the keyword end, and in the C programming language, blocks are enclosed within curly brackets ({ } braces). Grouping blocks of statements by indentation is sometimes criticized by programmers familiar with languages that group by punctuation, but the use of indentation in Python certainly produces code that has an uncluttered visual layout.

Programming languages that group blocks by indentation are said to adhere to the “offside rule” – a pun on the offside rule in soccer.

Some of Python’s key distinguishing features that make it an attractive choice of language for the beginner include:

•Python is free – is open source distributable software.

•Python is easy to learn – has a simple language syntax.

•Python is easy to read – is uncluttered by punctuation.

•Python is easy to maintain...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• 1 Getting started
• 2 Performing operations
• 3 Making statements
• 4 Defining functions
• 5 Importing modules
• 6 Managing strings
• 7 Programming objects
• 8 Processing requests
• 9 Building interfaces
• 10 Developing applications
• Backcover