What is Python?
Python is a popular programming language. It was created by Guido van Rossum,
and released in 1991.
It is used for:
• web development (server-side),
• software development,
• mathematics,
• system scripting.
What can Python do?
• Python can be used on a server to create web applications.
• Python can be used alongside software to create workflows.
• Python can connect to database systems. It can also read and modify files.
• Python can be used to handle big data and perform complex mathematics.
• Python can be used for rapid prototyping, or for production-ready software
development.
,Why Python?
• Python works on different platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry Pi,
etc).
• Python has a simple syntax similar to the English language.
• Python has syntax that allows developers to write programs with fewer lines
than some other programming languages.
• Python runs on an interpreter system, meaning that code can be executed as
soon as it is written. This means that prototyping can be very quick.
• Python can be treated in a procedural way, an object-oriented way or a
functional way.
Good to know:
• The most recent major version of Python is Python 3, which we shall be using
in this tutorial. However, Python 2, although not being updated with anything
other than security updates, is still quite popular.
• In this tutorial Python will be written in a text editor. It is possible to write
Python in an Integrated Development Environment, such as Thonny,
Pycharm, Netbeans or Eclipse which are particularly useful when managing
larger collections of Python files.
Python Syntax compared to other programming
languages:
• Python was designed for readability, and has some similarities to the English
language with influence from mathematics.
• Python uses new lines to complete a command, as opposed to other
programming languages which often use semicolons or parentheses.
• Python relies on indentation, using whitespace, to define scope; such as the
scope of loops, functions and classes. Other programming languages often
use curly-brackets for this purpose.
Getting User Input and Concatenation:
The input() function
• Used to get user input
• Returns a string value
• Can be concatenated with other strings
Concatenation:
• Joining two or more strings together
, • Use the + operator for concatenation
Example:
name = input("What is your name? ")
print("Hello, " + name)
ValueError:
• Occurs when an operation or function receives a value of an inappropriate type
• Example: Trying to convert a string to an integer using the int() function and the
string does not contain a number
age = int(input("What is your age? "))
Displaying Results:
• Use the print() function
• Accepts any number of arguments
• Separate arguments with commas
Age Calculator Concept:
• Create a program that calculates a user's age
• Get user's birth year and current year
• Calculate the difference between the two
• Display the result using the print() function
birth_year = int(input("What year were you born? "))
current_year = int(input("What is the current year? "))
Python is a popular programming language. It was created by Guido van Rossum,
and released in 1991.
It is used for:
• web development (server-side),
• software development,
• mathematics,
• system scripting.
What can Python do?
• Python can be used on a server to create web applications.
• Python can be used alongside software to create workflows.
• Python can connect to database systems. It can also read and modify files.
• Python can be used to handle big data and perform complex mathematics.
• Python can be used for rapid prototyping, or for production-ready software
development.
,Why Python?
• Python works on different platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry Pi,
etc).
• Python has a simple syntax similar to the English language.
• Python has syntax that allows developers to write programs with fewer lines
than some other programming languages.
• Python runs on an interpreter system, meaning that code can be executed as
soon as it is written. This means that prototyping can be very quick.
• Python can be treated in a procedural way, an object-oriented way or a
functional way.
Good to know:
• The most recent major version of Python is Python 3, which we shall be using
in this tutorial. However, Python 2, although not being updated with anything
other than security updates, is still quite popular.
• In this tutorial Python will be written in a text editor. It is possible to write
Python in an Integrated Development Environment, such as Thonny,
Pycharm, Netbeans or Eclipse which are particularly useful when managing
larger collections of Python files.
Python Syntax compared to other programming
languages:
• Python was designed for readability, and has some similarities to the English
language with influence from mathematics.
• Python uses new lines to complete a command, as opposed to other
programming languages which often use semicolons or parentheses.
• Python relies on indentation, using whitespace, to define scope; such as the
scope of loops, functions and classes. Other programming languages often
use curly-brackets for this purpose.
Getting User Input and Concatenation:
The input() function
• Used to get user input
• Returns a string value
• Can be concatenated with other strings
Concatenation:
• Joining two or more strings together
, • Use the + operator for concatenation
Example:
name = input("What is your name? ")
print("Hello, " + name)
ValueError:
• Occurs when an operation or function receives a value of an inappropriate type
• Example: Trying to convert a string to an integer using the int() function and the
string does not contain a number
age = int(input("What is your age? "))
Displaying Results:
• Use the print() function
• Accepts any number of arguments
• Separate arguments with commas
Age Calculator Concept:
• Create a program that calculates a user's age
• Get user's birth year and current year
• Calculate the difference between the two
• Display the result using the print() function
birth_year = int(input("What year were you born? "))
current_year = int(input("What is the current year? "))
