APPLICATION LABORATORY II

Sherina Sally

Introduction to Python Department of ICT

Faculty of Technology,
University of Colombo

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Continuous Assessment: 40%

End Examination: 60%

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REFERENCES

 How to think like a computer scientist: learning with Python / Allen Downey, Je®rey Elkner, Chris Meyers. ISBN 0-
9716775-0-6
 Guttag, John. Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python: With Application to Understanding
Data. MIT Press, 2016. ISBN: 9780262529624

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OUTLINE

• History of Python

• Characteristics of Python
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• Flavors of Python

• Versions of Python

• Installing Python

• Working with Python

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 INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON

• High-level language

• A general purpose language

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• Emphasizes on code readability and increase productivity

• Fewer code lines to write a program compared to languages as C, C++, Java, C#

• Free and Opensource

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HISTORY OF PYTHON
• Created by Guido van Rossum in late 1980’s

• Implementation started as a leisure project at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI)

• The first release was in 1991

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• A successor of the language ABC

• The name ‘Python’ was based on a favorite TV series of Guido

• Adopted the good features from ABC and introduced solutions to the flaws Guido van Rossum

The Story of Python, by Its Creator, Guido van Rossum

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CHARACTERISTICS OF PYTHON
• Platform independent

• Portable

• Procedural and object oriented

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• Dynamically typed: Data types are assigned to variables based on the value

• Interpreted: compilation doesn’t happen explicitly

• Embedded: Can include in other programming languages

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FLAVORS OF PYTHON
Types of compilers which integrates other programming languages into Python

Cpython Implemented in C

Jpython Python programs can be run on the Java platform

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PyPy A faster compiler implemented using the Python language

IronPython Compiler for the .NET platform. Implemented in C#

Anaconda Python Handles large scale of data processing

Ruby Python Embeds Python interpreter in Ruby application

Pythonxy Includes scientific and engineering related packages

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VERSIONS OF PYTHON

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Python

0.9 1.2
1991 1995
1.0 1.1 2.0

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1994 1994 2000
3.1
2.1 3.9
3.0 2009
2001 2020
2.7 2008
2.2 3.10
2010
2001 2021

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WHEN TO USE PYTHON?

Web
Development
Data Science
Engineering Applications
Applications
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Python

Business
Applications Scripting
Desktop
GUI
Applications

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INSTALLING PYTHON

• Windows/ Linux/ Mac OS : Download and Install Python to a PC

• Online Compiler: Online Python Compiler

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PYTHON SHELL
Execute python commands Execute Python scripts
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INTERACTIVE AND SCRIPT MODE
• Interactive mode
• Provides a quick method to execute code lines

• Preferred for short programs which expects faster results

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• Recommended for learning activities

• Script Mode
• Executes code written in a python file

• Modifying code is possible

• A separate file is created

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WORKING WITH THE INTERACTIVE SHELL

Command Description
C:\Users> python Starts the python shell
C:\Users> python --version
or Displays the Python version installed in the computer
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C:\Users> python -V
C:\Users> python test.py Executes the test.py script and displays the result
>>> quit()
or Exits from the Python shell and returns to the windows console
>>> Ctrl-Z

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IDE AND CODE EDITORS
• Provides syntax highlighting, code auto completion

• Code editors are light weighted than an IDE

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• IDEs consists of additional features used for development

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