Learning Python, 5th Edition

Preface

If you’re standing in a bookstore looking for the short story on this book, try this:

• Python is a powerful multiparadigm computer programming language, optimized for programmer productivity, code readability, and software quality.

• This book provides a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to the Python language itself. Its goal is to help you master Python fundamentals before moving on to apply them in your work. Like all its prior editions, this book is designed to serve as a single, all-inclusive learning resource for all Python newcomers, whether they will be using Python 2.X, Python 3.X, or both.

• This edition has been brought up to date with Python releases 3.3 and 2.7, and has been expanded substantially to reflect current practice in the Python world.

This preface describes this book’s goals, scope, and structure in more detail. It’s optional reading, but is designed to provide some orientation before you get started with the book at large.

This Book’s “Ecosystem”

Python is a popular open source programming language used for both standalone programs and scripting applications in a wide variety of domains. It is free, portable, powerful, and is both relatively easy and remarkably fun to use. Programmers from every corner of the software industry have found Python’s focus on developer productivity and software quality to be a strategic advantage in projects both large and small.

Whether you are new to programming or are a professional developer, this book is ...