Python Programming Language

A Python Programming Language is a general-purpose, high-level dynamic programming language managed by the Python Software Foundation.

• Context:
  • It can typically be used to define Python Code (such as Python program or a Python library) with Python statements (for Python variables, Python data structures, and Python conditional statements) that can be interpreted by a Python Interpreter.
  • It can typically implement a Clean Syntax with indentation-based block structure for improved code readability.
  • It can typically support multiple Programming Paradigms including object-oriented programming, functional programming, procedural programming, and imperative programming.
  • It can typically provide Dynamic Typing where variable types are determined at runtime rather than compile time.
  • It can typically include Automatic Memory Management with garbage collection to handle object lifecycle.
  • It can typically implement First-Class Functions that can be assigned to variables, passed as arguments, and returned from functions.
  • ...
  • It can often be an Interpreted Programming Language (unlike, Cython).
  • It can often be used for Rapid Prototyping due to its development speed and concise syntax.
  • It can often leverage Extension Modules written in C language or C++ for performance-critical operations.
  • It can often support Cross-Platform Development with consistent behavior across operating systems.
  • It can often be employed in Data Science for data analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Scripting Language for automation tasks to being an Application Development Language for enterprise applications.
  • It can range from being a Teaching Language in educational settings to being a Production Language in commercial environments.
  • It can range from being a Simple Implementation with basic functionality to being a Complex Implementation with advanced features, depending on its implementation variation.
  • It can range from having Few Third-Party Packages to having Extensive Ecosystems of specialized librarys, depending on its development stage.
  • ...
  • It can typically include Python Standard Libraries.
  • It can be parsed by a Python Parser (e.g. in a Python implementation, such as CPython).
  • It can have a Python Package Index (PyPI) for third-party package distribution.
  • It can have Python Enhancement Proposals (PEPs) that document language design decisions and proposed features.
  • It can have a GIL (Global Interpreter Lock) in its CPython implementation that affects multithreaded performance.
  • It can have a Python Community that contributes to its language development and ecosystem growth.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Python Versions, such as:
    • Python v1, such as:
      • Python v1.0 (~1994-01).
      • ...
    • Python v2, such as:
      • Python v2.0 (~1997-12-31).
      • Python v2.1 (~2000-09-05).
      • Python v2.6 (~2008-10-01).
      • Python v2.7 (~2010-07-03).
      • Python v2.7.14 (~2017-09-16) [1].
      • …
    • Python v3, such as:
      • Python v3.0 (~2008-12-03).
      • Python v3.5 (~2015-09-13).
      • Python v3.6.4 (~2017-12-18) [2].
      • Python v3.8.1 (~2019-12-18) [3]
      • Python v3.11.4 (~2023-06-06) [4]
      • …
  • Python Implementations, such as:
    • CPython, the reference implementation written in C language.
    • PyPy, with just-in-time compilation for improved performance.
    • Jython, running on the Java Virtual Machine.
    • IronPython, integrated with the .NET Framework.
    • MicroPython, for microcontroller and resource-constrained environments.
  • Python Application Domains, such as:
    • Web Development Frameworks, such as Django, Flask, and FastAPI.
    • Data Science Tools, such as NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy.
    • Machine Learning Frameworks, such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and scikit-learn.
    • Game Development Libraries, such as Pygame and Panda3D.
    • System Administration Tools, such as Ansible and Salt.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Statically Typed Languages with explicit type declarations, such as Java Language, C++ Language, and Go Language.
  • Compiled Programming Languages that translate to machine code directly, such as C Language, Rust Language, and Swift Language.
  • Domain-Specific Languages with specialized usage, such as SQL, R Language, and MATLAB.
  • Perl Language, JavaScript, Ruby Language, Julia Language, TypeScript, which are alternative dynamic languages with different design philosophys.
  • Python-Like Languages that borrow syntax but have different semantics, such as Boo Language and Cobra Language.
• See: Python Library, Python Shell, CPython, Type Hinting Library, Python Virtual Environment, Python Decorator, Python Generator, Python Comprehension, Python Interpreter, Python Bytecode.

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References

2018

• (Wikipedia, 2018) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(programming_language) Retrieved:2018-3-18.
  • Python is an interpreted high-level programming language for general-purpose programming. Created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991, Python has a design philosophy that emphasizes code readability, and a syntax that allows programmers to express concepts in fewer lines of code, notably using significant whitespace. It provides constructs that enable clear programming on both small and large scales. Python features a dynamic type system and automatic memory management. It supports multiple programming paradigms, including object-oriented, imperative, functional and procedural, and has a large and comprehensive standard library. Python interpreters are available for many operating systems. CPython, the reference implementation of Python, is open source software and has a community-based development model, as do nearly all of its variant implementations. CPython is managed by the non-profit Python Software Foundation.

2015

• Adarsh Verma. (2015). “The Entire Python Language in a Single Image." September 23, 2015
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2009

• http://www.python.org/
  • Python is a dynamic object-oriented programming language that can be used for many kinds of software development. It offers strong support for integration with other languages and tools, comes with extensive standard libraries, and can be learned in a few days. Many Python programmers report substantial productivity gains and feel the language encourages the development of higher quality, more maintainable code.
  • Python runs on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, OS/2, Amiga, Palm Handhelds, and Nokia mobile phones. Python has also been ported to the Java and .NET virtual machines.
  • Python is distributed under an OSI-approved open source license that makes it free to use, even for commercial products.

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