6/30/2016

Introduction

(/users/ct20151442159/notifications)

(http://www.tcs.com)

(/search)

(/messages)

Chapter1:Introduction

PythonAllChapters(/communities/aspire2016/course/python0)
Home (/communities/aspire2016) SeeLeaderboard (/communities/aspire
2016/aspire_dashboard)
Index
1.1.Introduction(/communities/aspire2016/content/introduction45)
GotoDoubts

1.1.Introduction
HistoryofPython
PythonwasdevelopedbyGuidovanRossuminthelateeightiesandearlyninetiesattheNational
ResearchInstituteforMathematicsandComputerScienceintheNetherlands.
Pythonisderivedfrommanyotherlanguages,includingABC,Modula3,C,C++,ALGOL68,
SmallTalk,andUnixshellandotherscriptinglanguages.
Pythonisnowmaintainedbyacoredevelopmentteamattheinstitute,althoughGuidovanRossum
stillholdsavitalroleindirectingitsprogress.
Pythonfeatures
Python'sfeaturehighlightsinclude:
Easytolearn:Pythonhasrelativelyfewkeywords,simplestructureandaclearlydefined
syntax.Thisallowsthestudenttopickupthelanguageinarelativelyshortperiodoftime.
Easytomaintain:Python'ssuccessisthatitssourcecodeisfairlyeasytomaintain.
Abroadstandardlibrary:OneofPython'sgreateststrengthsisthebulkofthelibraryisvery
portableandcrossplatformcompatibleonUNIX,WindowsandMacintosh.
InteractiveMode:Supportforaninteractivemodeinwhichyoucanenterresultsfroma
terminalrighttothelanguage,allowinginteractivetestinganddebuggingofsnippetsofcode.
Portable:Pythoncanrunonawidevarietyofhardwareplatformsandhasthesameinterface
onallplatforms.
Expandable:YoucanaddlowlevelmodulestothePythoninterpreter.Thesemodulesenable
programmerstoaddtoorcustomizetheirtoolstobemoreefficient.
Databases:Pythonprovidesinterfacestoallmajorcommercialdatabases.
GUIProgramming:PythonsupportsGUIapplicationsthatcanbecreatedandportedtomany
systemcalls,librariesandwindowssystems,suchasWindowsMFC,MacintoshandtheX
WindowsystemofUnix.
Scalable:
Pythonprovidesabetterstructureandsupportforlargeprogramsthanshellscripting.
Apartfromtheabovementionedfeatures,Pythonhasabiglistofgoodfeatures,feware
listedbelow:
SupportforfunctionalandstructuredprogrammingmethodsaswellasOOP.
Itcanbeusedasascriptinglanguageorcanbecompiledtobytecodeforbuildinglarge
https://campuscommune.tcs.com/communities/aspire2016/content/introduction45

1/2

6/30/2016

Introduction

applications.
Veryhighleveldynamicdatatypesandsupportsdynamictypechecking.
Supportsautomaticgarbagecollection.
ItcanbeeasilyintegratedwithC,C++,ActiveX,CORBAandJava.
Availableonlineinterpreters
Refertheselinksforonlineinterpreterstoexecutepythoncode,
Link1:http://codepad.org/(http://codepad.org/)
Link2:http://www.pythontutor.com/visualize.html#mode=edit
(http://www.pythontutor.com/visualize.html#mode=edit)
Link3:http://www.codeskulptor.org/(http://www.codeskulptor.org/)
Asamplescreenshotfrompythontutor.comexplainingexecutionoftheprogram.
CommandlineInterpreter
Pythonhascommandlineinterpreterthathelpsinexecutingpythoncommandsbydirectlyentering
intopythonwithoutwritingascript.
Example:
Ifwetype1+2theoutputwouldbe3.
Thecommandlinestartswith>>>symbolasshowninexamples,
>>>2+2
4
>>>505*6
20
>>>(505*6)/4.0
5.0
>>>8/5#divisionalwaysreturnsafloatingpointnumber
1.6
>>>width=20
>>>height=5*9
>>>width*height
900
Pythonondesktop
RefertothislinkfordownloadingPythoninterpreteronyourdesktop.
https://store.enthought.com/downloads/(https://store.enthought.com/downloads/)
OpenDoubts

ClosedDoubts

MyDoubts

Therearenodoubtsyet

https://campuscommune.tcs.com/communities/aspire2016/content/introduction45

2/2