Python: Essential Reference, Third Edition

Chapter 1. A Tutorial Introduction

THIS CHAPTER PROVIDES A QUICK INTRODUCTION to Python. The goal is to illustrate Python’s essential features without getting too bogged down in special rules or details. To do this, the chapter briefly covers basic concepts such as variables, expressions, control flow, functions, classes, and input/output. This chapter is not intended to provide comprehensive coverage, nor does it cover all of Python’s more advanced features. However, experienced programmers should be able to extrapolate from the material in this chapter to create more advanced programs. Beginners are encouraged to try a few examples to get a feel for the language.