Why do people use Python?
- Software quality (readable, reusable and maintainable)
- Developer productivity (is typically one-third to one-fifth the size of equivalent C++ or Java code)
- Program portability (Most Python programs run unchanged on all major computer platforms)
- Support libraries (Python comes with a large collection of prebuilt and portable functionality)
- Component integration (Python scripts can easily communicate with other parts of an application)
- Enjoyment (Easy to built-in toolset)
Is Python a “Scripting Language”
Python is a general-purspose programming language that is often applied in scripting roles. It is commonly defined as an object-oriented scripting language- a definition that blends support for OOP with and overall orientation toward scripting roles.
What are Python’s technical strengths?
- It’s Object-Oriented and Functional
- It’s free (To use and distribute)
- It’s open source
- It’s portable
- It’s powerful
- It has a large collection of precoded library tools
- It’s mixable (Ex. Python’s C API lets C programs call and be called by Python)
First Script
import sys
print(sys.platform)
print(2 ** 100)
x = 'spam!'
print(8 * x)
In this code we are:
- Loading sys library
- raise 2 to a 100 power
- Uses x to string repetition
To run this script type in your terminal:
python script1.py
Module’s files
To exemplify this create the folloing file: myfile.py and add this line:
title='The Meaning of Life'
Then write a new file called: use_myfile.py and add this line:
import myfile
print('The secret is: ' + myfile.title)
Finally run your use_myfile.py:
python use_myfile.py
When this file is imported, its code is run to generate the module’s attribute. That is, the assignment statement creates a variable and module attribute named title.