Want to enter the world of programming and quickly write some of your first programs? Or do you dream of learning new languages, but don’t know where to start? Pay attention to Python programming basics. Next, you will learn more about why this particular language is recommended for beginners and what programs you can create on it.
Python Basics for Beginner Programmers
Python is a powerful, high-level, object-oriented programming language created by Guido van Rossum. It has easy-to-use syntax, making it the perfect language for anyone trying to learn programming for the first time. To continue exploring the language, you can read Dmitry Zlatopolsky’s book “Python - the basics of programming.” But we will start with the very basics. There are quite a lot of literature in this area. Another option is Harry Percival’s book “Python. Development based on testing.” about language from a practical point of view.
Putting the language into practice
So, what do they write in Python or “Python”, as it is also called among programmers, and why teach it? Python is a general-purpose language. Web applications are written on it using various frameworks, system utilities and applications for automating various actions. Courses on the basics of programming in Python are now enough to try to learn the language yourself.
This could be the foundation of a new profession, as it has a wide range of applications from web development, scientific and mathematical computing to desktop graphical user interfaces. It is also well suited for prototyping. That is, first a prototype is created in Python, then the concept can be transferred to faster and more compiled programming languages. Using this language, you can create desktop applications with a graphical interface and write games, for which there is a special library. The basics of algorithmization and programming in Python are suitable for creating applications for mobile devices.
Why learn Python
Python also uses very simple and concise syntax and dynamic typing. Knowledge of the basics of algorithmization and programming in Python allows you to quickly create a program and run it. If you need a language to quickly create applications and scripts in several areas, it will be difficult for you to find a better alternative than Python. It has a number of obvious advantages over other programming languages:
- universal use - in this language you can write different types of applications, therefore, along with its development, there are great opportunities for using this language;
- simplicity - initially the language was developed to simplify the work of a person with it;
- popularity among programmers and demand on the labor market - Python is widely used in various projects;
- A large number of available libraries expand the capabilities of the language and make it even more universal;
- cross-platform - once written, the program will work on any platform where there is a language interpreter;
- One of the important advantages of the language is its quality documentation.
Python is also one of the oldest web development languages created by Guido van Rossum at the National Research Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands in the early 90s. The language is heavily borrowed from C ++, C, and other scripting languages. It uses English keywords that make up most of Python programming. If you master them, then you can assume that for the most part they have already mastered the language. It will take some time and you will need to understand the basic concepts before you begin. So let's start by getting to know them.
Python benefits
One of the key benefits of Python programming is its interpretive nature. This means that the program code is not compiled into an executable file, but is executed by the interpreter every time again when the user starts it. Therefore, to run the program, you must have it on the computer where you will create the program. The interpreter and standard library are available in binary or source form from the Python website and can work seamlessly on all major operating systems.
So, the main advantages of Python include:
- Interpretative: the language is processed by the interpreter at runtime, such as PHP or PERL, so you do not need to compile the program before execution.
- Interactivity: you can interact directly with the interpreter when writing your program.
- Ideal for beginners: for beginners .
Python is a great choice as it supports application development, from games to browsers to word processing.
How to install and run the interpreter
In order to start writing in Python, you need to download and install its interpreter on the official website of the language, choosing the version for your operating system. It is worth noting that there are two branches of the language - the second and third. It’s better to start learning the basics of Python 3 if you haven’t installed another version yet. When installing on Windows, be sure to pay attention to whether the Add Python to Path option and the Pip utility are enabled. After installation, it can be started. To do this, at the command prompt, type: “python” and it will start. Three angle brackets appear in the window, indicating that you are in the interpreter. This programming language is also freely distributed, and you can find tips, third-party tools, programs, modules and additional documentation on it.
Keywords in Python
In the interpreter, you can perform actions in the language interactively. Each action is performed immediately after pressing Enter. You can use it as an advanced calculator. But writing a large program in the interpreter is too time consuming. Therefore, it makes sense to use text editors. The finished text file can then be executed by the interpreter. One of the basics of Python is that any blocks in it are set using indentation, so you must indent to run the block and delete it. The interpreter can be easily extended with new data types or functions in C ++ or C. The Python programming language works as an extension for custom applications. What makes this language so easy to learn is the fact that it uses English keywords rather than punctuation marks and has fewer syntactic constructs than other programming languages.
Getting started with Python
Before starting work outside the interpreter, in order to create a program, you need to open a text editor and create an empty utf-8 encoded file and set the extension “py”. It is best to use special code editors for programmers for this purpose. The first line must indicate the encoding. Lines beginning with a # sign are considered comments and are not executed. Python is implicitly and dynamically typed, so you don't need to declare variables. Types are enforced, and variables are also case sensitive, so var and VAR are treated as two separate variables. If you want to know how an object works, you just need to enter the following: “help (object)”. You can also use the “dir (object)” command to find out all the methods of a particular option, and you can use the “__ doc__” object to find out its document string.
How to run a written program
You must also run the written program on the command line. To do this, write the name of the interpreter and, with a space, the name of the file with the program written. When starting the program, you must specify the full path to the file. This is not always easy, since the path can be very long, so it is sometimes easier to change the current directory on the command line and run the interpreter there. To do this, go up to the desired directory, hold down the shift key, right-click on the directory and select the option “open command window” in the menu that opens. Then the command line will be launched in this directory. Next, in the console window, you need to enter the name of the interpreter and, after a space, the name of the file that is in it.
Language syntax
The basics of programming with the Python language as an example are not too different from other languages, but variables carry a slightly different meaning. Python has no required characters to complete statements. Any blocks are indented, so you must indent to start the block and delete it. For multiline comments, you must use multiline strings. Values are assigned using the “=” sign, and equality testing is performed with two of them “==”. You can decrease or increase values using the operators = or - = with the sum on the right side. This can work with strings and other data types. You can also use several variables on one line.
Python data types
Now consider the data types. Python is based on data structures — dictionaries, tuples, and lists. Sets can be found in the set library, which is available in all versions of Python. Lists are similar to one-dimensional arrays, although you can also have lists of other lists. Dictionaries are essentially associative arrays or hash tables. Tuples are one-dimensional arrays. Now Python-based arrays can be of any type, and ypes is always zero. Negative numbers start from end to start, and -1 is the last element. Variables can also indicate functions.
Python strings
Python strings can use single or double quotes, and you can use quotes of one kind in a string using a different kind. Multiline strings are enclosed in single or triple double quotes. To populate strings with values, you can use the modulo operator (%) and then a tuple. Each% is replaced by a tuple element from left to right, and you can also use dictionary substitutions. Python flow control statements: while, for and if. For branching you need to use “if”. To list through a list, use “for”. Use a range to get a list of numbers.
Python functions
The keyword “def” is used to declare functions. Binding another object to a variable removes the old one and replaces immutable types. Optional arguments can be specified in the function declaration after the required arguments, giving them default values. For named arguments, the argument name is assigned a value. Functions can return a tuple, and you can efficiently return multiple values using tuple unpacking. Parameters are passed through the link, but tuples, ints, strings, and other immutable types are immutable, because only the memory location of the element is passed.
You have just begun your acquaintance with the language, so do not be afraid of mistakes and refer to the available resources to continue learning this interesting and useful programming language.