Python is a scripted programming language which can be used to construct procedural or object-oriented programs.

Python is a scripting language like Perl and Ruby but can also be compiled into byte code like Java. It is a very powerful language that can be used for simple scripting tasks or larger programming projects as complicated as those found in Scientific Computing.

Python was originally designed to be a procedural language but has been extended to include class definitions for object-oriented programs. It includes an interactive mode which provides a shell for executing individual Python instructions. More complex programs are constructed by creating a source text file as you would do with most programming languages. A Python source file, which must have a .py extension, can be created using your favorite text editor or Python IDE.

Introduction

• History of Python
• Program Execution

Language Fundamentals

• The Basics
  • Statements
  • Identifiers
  • Data Types
  • Variables
• User Interaction
• Library Modules
• Defining Functions
• Logic Statements
• Loops and Repetition
• Strings

Object-Oriented Programming

Appendices

• Builtin Functions