| Python runs on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, and has been ported to the Java and .NET virtual machines. |
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| Python is free to use, even for commercial products, because of its OSI-approved open source license |
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Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to object-oriented programming. Python’s elegant syntax and dynamic typing, together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms. |
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| History of Python: |
Python 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. |
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Python is derived from many other languages, including ABC, Modula-3, C, C++, Algol-68, SmallTalk, and Unix shell and other scripting languages. |
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| Python is copyrighted, Like Perl, Python source code is now available under the GNU General Public License (GPL). |
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| Python is now maintained by a core development team at the institute, although Rossum still holds a vital role in directing it's progress. |
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Python is a remarkably powerful dynamic programming language that is used in a wide variety of application domains. Python is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Ruby, Scheme or Java. Some of its key distinguishing features include: |
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| Python Features: |
| Python's feature highlights include: |
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Easy-to-learn: Python has relatively few keywords, simple structure, and a clearly defined syntax. This allows the student to pick up the language in a relatively short period of time. |
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Easy-to-read: Python code is much more clearly defined and visible to the eyes. very clear, readable syntax. embeddable within applications as a scripting interface |
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Easy-to-maintain: Python's success is that its source code is fairly easy-to-maintain. natural expression of procedural code. extensions and modules easily written in C, C++ (or Java for Jython, or .NET languages for IronPython) |
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A broad standard library: One of Python's greatest strengths is the bulk of the library is very portable and cross-platform compatible on UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh. it has rich-libraries and add-on packages which are useful in specific tasks. extensive standard libraries and third party modules for virtually every task. |
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Interactive Mode: Support for an interactive mode in which you can enter results from a terminal right to the language, allowing interactive testing and debugging of snippets of code. |
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Portable: Python can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms and has the same interface on all platforms. Portability is another advantage which allows us the same application run across various platforms. |
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Extendable: You can add low-level modules to the Python interpreter. These modules enable programmers to add to or customize their tools to be more efficient. |
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Databases: Python provides interfaces to all major commercial databases. |
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GUI Programming: Python supports GUI applications that can be created and ported to many system calls, libraries, and windows systems, such as Windows MFC, Macintosh, and the X Window system of Unix. |
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Scalable: Python provides a better structure and support for large programs than shell scripting. |
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Fast Development: a high-level language which supports scripting also, means faster development |
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Free: as it’s free, it’s reduces your operating cost. |
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Introspection capabilities: very strong introspection capabilities |
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Orientation: intuitive object orientation |
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Modularity: full modularity, supporting hierarchical packages |
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Error handling: exception-based error handling and very high level dynamic data types |
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Apart from the above mentioned features, Python has a big list of good features, few are listed below: |
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Support for functional and structured programming methods as well as OOP. |
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It can be used as a scripting language or can be compiled to byte-code for building large applications. |
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Very high-level dynamic data types and supports dynamic type checking. |
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Supports automatic garbage collection. |
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It can be easily integrated with C, C++, COM, ActiveX, CORBA, and Java. |
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The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely available in source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python Web site, http://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site also contains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules, programs and tools, and additional documentation. |
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The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also suitable as an extension language for customizable applications. |
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| Benefits of using Python: |
Fans of Python use the phrase "batteries included" to describe the standard library, which covers everything from asynchronous processing to zip files. The language itself is a flexible powerhouse that can handle practically any problem domain. Build your own web server in three lines of code. Build flexible data-driven code using Python's powerful and dynamic introspection capabilities and advanced language features such as meta-classes, duck typing and decorators. |
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Python lets you write the code you need, quickly. And, thanks to a highly optimized byte compiler and support libraries, Python code runs more than fast enough for most applications. |
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