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29 lines
1.6 KiB
Text
29 lines
1.6 KiB
Text
What is Python? Executive Summary
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Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming
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language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data
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structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it
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very attractive for rapid application development, as well as for use
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as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components
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together. Python's simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes
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readability and therefore reduces the cost of program maintenance.
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Python supports modules and packages, which encourages program
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modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the extensive
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standard library are available in source or binary form without charge
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for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed.
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Often, programmers fall in love with Python because of the increased
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productivity it provides. Since there is no compilation step, the
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edit-test-debug cycle is incredibly fast. Debugging Python programs is
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easy: a bug or bad input will never cause a segmentation fault.
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Instead, when the interpreter discovers an error, it raises an
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exception. When the program doesn't catch the exception, the
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interpreter prints a stack trace. A source level debugger allows
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inspection of local and global variables, evaluation of arbitrary
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expressions, setting breakpoints, stepping through the code a line at
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a time, and so on. The debugger is written in Python itself,
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testifying to Python's introspective power. On the other hand, often
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the quickest way to debug a program is to add a few print statements
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to the source: the fast edit-test-debug cycle makes this simple
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approach very effective.
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