Python3 Introduction

Python is a high-level scripting language that combines interpretability, compilation, interactivity, and object-oriented programming.

Python’s design emphasizes strong readability. Compared to other languages that often use English keywords and punctuation marks, Python has a more distinctive syntax structure.

Python is an interpreted language: This means there is no compilation step in the development process, similar to PHP and Perl.
Python is an interactive language: This means you can execute code directly at a Python prompt >>>.
Python is an object-oriented language: This means Python supports object-oriented programming styles or techniques that encapsulate code within objects.
Python is a beginner-friendly language: Python is a great language for novice programmers. It supports a wide range of application development, from simple text processing to web browsers to games.

Python Development History

Python was designed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s and early 1990s at the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands.

Python itself evolved from many other languages, including ABC, Modula-3, C, C++, Algol-68, SmallTalk, Unix shell, and other scripting languages.

Like Perl, Python source code also follows the GPL (GNU General Public License) agreement.

Python is now maintained by a core development team, with Guido van Rossum still playing a crucial role in guiding its progress.

Python 2.0 was released on October 16, 2000, adding full garbage collection and Unicode support.

Python 3.0 was released on December 3, 2008. This version is not fully compatible with previous Python source code. However, many new features were later backported to the older Python 2.6/2.7 versions.

Python 3.0 is often referred to as Python 3000, or simply Py3k. It represents a major upgrade compared to earlier versions of Python.

Python 2.7 was finalized as the last Python 2.x version. In addition to supporting Python 2.x syntax, it also supports some Python 3.1 syntax.

Python Features

1. Easy to learn: Python has relatively few keywords, a simple structure, and a clearly defined syntax, making it easier to learn.
2. Easy to read: Python code is more clearly defined.
3. Easy to maintain: Python’s success lies in its source code being quite easy to maintain.
4. An extensive standard library: One of Python’s greatest strengths is its rich library, which is cross-platform and works well on UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh.
5. Interactive mode: With interactive mode support, you can enter and execute code from the terminal and get results, enabling interactive testing and debugging of code snippets.
6. Portable: Based on its open-source nature, Python has been ported (made to work) to many platforms.
7. Extensible: If you need a critical piece of code that runs very fast, or want to write algorithms you don’t want to open, you can complete that part of the program in C or C++ and then call it from your Python program.
8. Databases: Python provides interfaces to all major commercial databases.
9. GUI Programming: Python supports GUI creation and can be ported to many system calls.
10. Embeddable: You can embed Python into C/C++ programs, giving users of your programs “scripting” capabilities.

Python Applications

Youtube - Video sharing website
Reddit - Social sharing website
Dropbox - File sharing service
Douban - Database website for cultural products such as books, records, and movies
Zhihu - A Q&A website
Guokr - A general science and technology themed website
Bottle - A Python micro web framework
EVE - The online game EVE uses Python extensively for development
Blender - An open-source 3D graphics software that uses Python as a modeling tool and GUI language
Inkscape - An open-source SVG vector graphics editor
…

Python Version Timeline

The following diagram shows the history and future version maintenance and release timing of Python: