Python Programming On Win32

Language Features

Here are some of Python’s distinctive features:

Interpreted to bytecodes

Python code lives in text files ending in .py . The program compiles the text files to a machine-independent set of bytecodes in a way similar to Java, which are usually saved in files ending in .pyc; these can then later be imported and run quickly. The source is recompiled only when necessary. Python’s speed is of a similar order of magnitude to Java or Perl.

Very high level

All languages support basic types such as strings, integers, and floating-point numbers. Python has higher-level built-in types such as lists and dictionaries, and high-level operations to work on them. For example, you can load a file into a string with one line and split it into chunks based on a delimiter with another line. This means writing less code. It also means that the speed is better than you might suppose: the built-in functions have been written in C and extensively optimized by a lot of smart people, and are faster than C or C++ code you might write yourself.

Interactive mode

You can use Python interactively, entering expressions one line at a time. This mode allows you to try ideas quickly and cheaply, testing each function or method as you write it. This style of programming encourages experimentation and ideas. As with Smalltalk (with which it has much in common), the interactive mode is perhaps the major reason your productivity will increase with Python.

The interpreter is always available

Every ...