Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficienthigh-level data structures and a simple but effective approach toobject-oriented programming. Python’s elegant syntax and dynamic typing,together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scriptingand rapid application development in many areas on most platforms.

The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely availablein source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python web site,https://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site alsocontains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules,programs and tools, and additional documentation.

The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data typesimplemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is alsosuitable as an extension language for customizable applications.

This tutorial introduces the reader informally to the basic concepts andfeatures of the Python language and system. It helps to have a Pythoninterpreter handy for hands-on experience, but all examples are self-contained,so the tutorial can be read off-line as well.

For a description of standard objects and modules, see The Python Standard Library.The Python Language Reference gives a more formal definition of the language. To writeextensions in C or C++, read Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter andPython/C API Reference Manual. There are also several books covering Python in depth.

This tutorial does not attempt to be comprehensive and cover every singlefeature, or even every commonly used feature. Instead, it introduces many ofPython’s most noteworthy features, and will give you a good idea of thelanguage’s flavor and style. After reading it, you will be able to read andwrite Python modules and programs, and you will be ready to learn more about thevarious Python library modules described in The Python Standard Library.

The Glossary is also worth going through.