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Python Programming Tutorial | Learn Python

Welcome to the Python programming world. Python will be taught to you not only theoretically but also practically. That is, whenever practical programs are required for the topic, I have included them along with their outputs.

Please keep in mind that all of the Python code presented here has been thoroughly tested using PyCharm, one of the most popular Python IDEs.

Before starting the tutorial on Python programming, let's first read all the things provided here very carefully to understand all about Python programming, along with some interesting questions related to Python. I know it will take some of your valuable time, but trust me, you're on the right track.

So before starting the series of Python programming tutorials, let's see some world-class applications written in Python or some big multi-national companies (MNCs) that use Python programming.

Applications Written in or Using Python

In the IT sector, one of the top companies, Google, uses Python for its system administration and system building purposes. There are an extensive number of applications written in or using the Python programming language. These are some of the most well-known applications in the world:

Even NASA and SpaceX use the Python programming language for many purposes, like testing, automation, etc.

If these multinational corporations use Python, there must be a good reason for it. These major reasons are discussed in the What is Python used for? section. Python is frequently used by businesses due to its versatility and dexterity.

What is Python ?

Python is:

programming language. Before going into the brief history of the Python language, that is, who, where, and when the language was developed, let's talk about some questions asked by many beginners before they start learning Python.

I've answered all those questions related to Python programming, which provides a clear-cut understanding of the language and why and for what the language is used.

That is, if you are learning Python or want to learn Python, you must understand the question: is it worthwhile to invest time in learning Python programming? Let us investigate.

Why learn Python programming?

Although there are numerous reasons to learn Python programming or become interested in it, the following are the most important:

Note: Python is one of the most in-demand languages all over the world.

What is Python used for?

Python can be used for a variety of purposes, including the following:

That is, the main use of Python programming is to develop applications for:

Is Python easy to learn?

It depends on your skills. This means that if you've got a basic understanding of any programming language such as C, C++, Java, etc., then learning Python becomes an easy task for you. That is, it becomes very easy to understand the code written in Python.

The only difference is understanding its syntax, like the for loop used in Python, which is very different from these languages. The conditional statements are also different. And it should be, because it is a different language. But the main work or task of all the things like loops or statements or any other things like functions, classes, etc., is the same.

Therefore, if you have a basic command of any programming language, then learning Python is like learning HTML. But sometimes you'll have some difficulty understanding the code. But don't worry; I've written an explanation of each and every code given here.

And if you've never learned any language before, you need not worry. Because Python is so simple, even printing "Hello World" in Python can be done using a single statement, as shown below, unlike most of the other languages that require multiple lines of code, even for printing your first name:

print("Hello World")

That's it; this prints the string "Hello World" on the screen. Now you're getting the idea of the language's simplicity. Therefore, just start the series without any hesitation, whoever you are. That is, all programs written in Python here are easily understandable by beginners too, as I've explained each and every code along with its output. And trust me, most of the time, you'll understand the code without reading the explanation of the code.

It sometimes feels like I'm reading a book while I'm reading Python code. Trust me, you'll understand why I'm saying this after a while.

How Much Time Does It Take to Learn Python?

It all depends on you and how far you want to go in Python. However, depending on your skill level, the basic version of Python can be learned in a week, a month, or two. If you're a programmer, the basics of Python can be learned in less than two months.

However, if you wish to become a professional or an expert Python programmer, you will need to invest time. You should also practice each of the listed codes independently.

Is Python OK for Beginners ?

As a result, because Python programs are less wordy, they are also easier to understand for beginners. After seeing fewer codes to do a program, more confidence automatically builds up in a beginner's mind. Python essentially provides English-like codes, which feels like reading a book at times.For example, the code given below adds two numbers in Python:

a = 10
b = 20
sum = a+b
print(sum)

If you read the code, it is like this; a is equal to 10, b is equal to 20, sum is equal to a+b, and finally, print the sum. That is, a+b becomes 10+20, so 30 is the output produced by the above program using the print() function. That's it. See how easy Python is? The above program can also be written as:

a, b = 10, 20
print(a+b)

Both of the preceding programs generate 30 on the output console. You see how easy Python is? Don't worry about the first statement of the second program or the whole program if you're not getting the idea. Because this is just a demo, you'll get to know each and every aspect of the codes written in Python one by one in upcoming tutorials.

Why is Python so popular?

Because of its flexibility, scalability, rapid development, and excellent performance. Also, the popularity of Python is increasing day by day, as it is an easy-to-learn programming language with its simplified syntax.

The answer to this question is, I think, already covered in the section "What is Python used for?," which makes Python such a popular language.

Can Python be used for hacking?

Yes, Python is a very powerful language to work with when developing code for hacking purposes. And I must tell you that Python is one of the most loved languages used by hackers all around the world. It is an open-source language and has an extensive number of libraries.

As I've answered all the questions that must be asked before starting the series of Python tutorials, now it's time to get the background of Python: who, when, and where the language was developed, and all such details.

Who developed Python?

Python was developed by Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer.

Where was Python developed?

Python was developed at the "Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica" (CWI), a "National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science." This institute is located in Amsterdam Science Park, the Netherlands. This institute is popularly known as the birthplace of the Python programming language.

When was Python created?

Python first appeared on February 20, 1991.

What are the filename extensions for Python source code?

Python allows multiple extensions that can be used to name the file. Here I've provided three filename extensions that can be used to name the source code or program written in Python:

For example, fresherearth.py

What languages was Python influenced by?

Python was influenced by a lot of different programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, Perl, Ada, and Lisp.

Which Languages are Influenced by Python?

Python has had an effect on a lot of other programming languages, such as JavaScript, Ruby, Swift, and Go.

A Brief History of Python

Python made its debut on Wednesday, February 20, 1991. The first version of Python was Python 0.9.0. In this version, Python has functions, classes with inheritance, exception handling, the core types such as list, str, dict, etc., and some other features.

On the launch of Python 1.0 in the first month of 1994, new features came into play: lambda, map, filter, and reduce. Features like this give an immediate boost to the language. Later, some more features were added with the launch of newer versions.

The most recent version at the time of writing was Python 3.10.1, which was released on December 6, 2021.

Python was mainly developed as a successor to the "ABC" language. That is, Guido Van Rossum was inspired by ABC, of course, and thought to develop his own language. Therefore, Python comes into the picture. And there is history in front of the entire world.

However, when writing a book, an author must consider many different topics from various books in order to cover everything adequately. Similarly, when developing a language, the developer or creator must take care of multiple languages in order to implement as many features as the language requires in order to become popular and useful. As a result, here are some of the languages that influenced Python:

In all the above programming languages that helped in the development of a new language named Python, ABC is the language that is said to be the predecessor of Python.

Features of Python

This article is created to cover some of the features that compel the learner to learn Python. Those features are, but are not limited to:

  1. Simplified syntax
  2. Easy to learn
  3. Easy to code
  4. Easy to maintain
  5. Free and open source
  6. Powerful
  7. Cross-platform
  8. Object-Oriented
  9. Portable
  10. Interpreted
  11. Interactive
  12. Beginner's language
  13. Supports GUI Programming
  14. An extensive number of libraries
  15. and many more

What is the design philosophy of Python?

This is the list of core or main aspects that were kept in mind while designing or developing the language "Python." That is, the main design philosophy of Python is:

Some well-known Python IDEs

To program in Python or to develop an application using Python, we need an integrated development environment, or, in short, an IDE. Therefore, I've provided a list of famous IDEs specially used for Python programming. Those lists of IDEs are given below along with their essential details like how much disk space the IDE takes, in which language the IDE is written, etc.

IDE Disk Space (MB) Written in Supported OS
PyCharm 600-800 Python and Java Windows, MacOS, Linux
Eclipse 150-200 Java and C Windows, MacOS, Linux
PyScripter 50-150 Python, Delphi, Object Pascal Windows
Atom 87-180 CoffeeScript, JavaScript, Less Windows, MacOS, Linux
Spyder 50-100 Python, Qt Windows, MacOS, Linux

Some more IDEs for Python are Emacs, PyDev, MS Visual Studio, Thonny, Wing, etc.

Note: PyCharm is the most popular IDE for Python. I've been using this IDE for the last 5-6 years.

Famous Web Frameworks for Python Programming

There are plenty of frameworks available in Python. But first, let's go over some of the most well-known and widely used Python web frameworks.

Python full-stack web framework

The table given below lists only some famous full-stack web frameworks for Python. A full-stack web framework is a framework used for both back-end and front-end development. Let's check it out:

Framework Developer License
Django Django Software Foundation BSD
Web2py Open-source software, Massimo di Pierro GNU LGPLv3
TurboGears Kevin Dangoor, Mark Ramm MIT, LGPL

From what you've read, you can see that Django is the most popular Python web framework for making both small and large web apps.

A Non-Full-Stack Web Framework for Python

This time, the table below lists two well-known non-full-stack web frameworks for Python. Non-full-stack web frameworks are designed to build small-sized applications only.

Framework Developer License
Flask Armin Ronacher BSD
CherryPy Robert Brewer BSD

Note: From the above, Flask is the most popular Python web framework for making small web apps.

You can use either of these two well-known frameworks for graphics: PyGame or Panda3d.

Python Programming Demo Codes

As all the essential details of Python programming have been covered above, let's see some code written in Python. These codes are given to you to show you the Python demo. You'll learn everything in the upcoming chapters.

print("Hey! Are you excited?")

produces exactly the same output as shown in the snapshot given below.

python tutorial

Note: In the following chapter, you will learn how to set up a Python environment that demonstrates how Python code can be written and executed.

Here is another code written in Python:

print("Enter First Name: ")
name = input()
print("\nHey", name, "\nAre you Ready?")

This program produces the following output. This snapshot shows the initial output produced by the above Python code:

learn python

Now enter your first name, say James, and press the ENTER key to see the following output:

python programming

Note: I've written an in-depth tutorial about receiving input from a user in Python separately.

Note: To learn Python without reading theory, that is, by reading the code and its output, start with Python Programming Examples. I've written almost thousands of lines of code in Python. That helps a lot. But I recommend you first read the tutorial. Because the tutorial contains all of the necessary information about the topic, as well as an example code and its output.

Hot Topics in Python Programming

Here is a list of some hot topics in the Python programming language:

Message for the Audience Before Starting the Python Tutorial

This Python programming tutorial is designed for all those who want to learn Python. Therefore, if you too are interested in Python, then follow the tutorial.

This tutorial is designed for all—that is, for beginners, intermediate Python programmers, and those who want to increase their expertise in the field.

Note: I've included as many codes as possible in each and every chapter to provide you with the best experience of learning in both theory and practice. Wherever required, all codes are written along with their respective outputs.

Note: All the code I've written here was written using the PyCharm IDE.

Some prerequisites for learners

Python is good for beginners. Therefore, you can start learning Python here without having any prior knowledge.

The only prior knowledge needed is basic computer skills, which are needed to setup the environment for Python as explained in the next chapter.

But if you've got some basic commands in any programming language, then trust me when I say that the speed with which you learn Python increases with your programming proficiency. So let's begin. Best of luck! 😀

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