What is Python programming language?

What is Python, you wonder? Well, that’s a good question, especially for those completely new to this. Python is a high-level programming language with integrated dynamic semantics designed mainly for app and web development.

What is Python programming language

When it comes to Rapid Application Development, Python is the best choice because it offers dynamic binding and dynamic typing options.

Most programmers will say Python is very simple to learn. This is because it requires just a special syntax that focuses more on readability than anything else. Furthermore, it is well known that developers can read and translate code written in Python much more easily than other languages.

Now, because reading and translating are easier, the language becomes cheaper to maintain and develop. Furthermore, collaborating with others shouldn’t be a huge problem since there is no significant barrier to language and experience.

What’s interesting about Python is its support for packages and modules, which many Python programmers have come to live by. The support for modules and packages means programmers can design their programs in a modular style. Code can be reused across multiple projects by simply scaling it to fit accordingly.

It is also possible to import and export modules with relative ease, and that is always a good thing.

There are multiple benefits of using Python, but we prefer the one where the interpreter and the standard library are all free of cost. But that’s not all; you see, Python is not exclusive to a single platform because it is available on all the major ones, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.

How do we use Python?
Who is more likely to use Python?

Sample codes for beginners

Hello World
Create a print dictionary

1] How do we use Python?

OK, so one of the best things about Python is that it is a general-purpose programming language. Yes, we do mean that it can in almost all situations, a Jack of All Trades if you will. Additionally, we should point out that Python is an interpreted language, meaning the code is not translated to a readable format for computers at runtime, but rather, after.

Furthermore, the language, in truth, is viewed as a “scripting language” because it was originally designed for trifling projects. But clearly, that is no longer the case, and as such, the language has become one of the most loved in the world of programming.

2] Who is more likely to use Python?

The multipurpose aspect of this language should never be underestimated. If you take a look at NASA, you might not realize that Python is quite popular in the space industry. The central commanding system powers the International Space Station’s Robonaut 2.

The language is also quite popular in the world of Video Games. We understand that Activision uses it to build and test its titles. It is also used to track cheaters and stop them in their tracks.

Artificial Intelligence is another big puzzle piece, and Python is growing quite rapidly in this area. Its small footprint and ease of use make it perfect for this area compared to Java and many others.

Read: What is the R programming language?

Sample codes for beginners

1] Hello World!

According to tradition, folks learning to code for the first time should program Hello World before all else, so that’s what we will do.

To begin, open Python, then type the following line of code, and follow up by hitting the Enter key on your keyboard:

print('Hello World!')

The end result should look like the figure below.

Let’s look at something more advanced where we will be creating a dictionary. You see, a dictionary in Python is unordered, changeable, and indexed. Furthermore, the dictionaries have key values, and they are written using the curly bracket.

2] Create a print dictionary

It’s now time to create a simple print dictionary:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Subaru",
"model": "Impreza",
"year": 2017
}
print(thisdict)

You can easily change the values of a specific item by running this code. Note that we’ve referred to the key name:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict["year"] = 2020

Conclusion

If you are serious about programming, we urge you to learn Python. Its usage will increase even further in the future due to the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, a space where Python is already thriving quite comfortably.