Nature of Python
Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language. Its nature can be
summarized as:
High-level language → Easy to read, write, and understand (closer to human language).
Interpreted → Executes line by line using an interpreter (no need for compilation like
C/C++).
Object-Oriented → Supports classes, objects, inheritance, and polymorphism.
Dynamically Typed → No need to declare variable types; Python detects them at
runtime.
Cross-platform → Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, etc.
Extensible & Embeddable → Can integrate with other languages like C/C++.
Rich Standard Library → Provides built-in modules for math, file handling, networking,
etc.
Open Source → Freely available and maintained by the Python Software Foundation
(PSF).
Versatile → Used in Web Development, AI/ML, Data Science, Automation, IoT, etc.
Python Versions
Python has evolved a lot since its creation (1991 by Guido van Rossum).
Main milestones:
1. Python 1.x (1991–2000)
First official release (1991).
Basic data types, functions, error handling.
2. Python 2.x (2000–2020)
Introduced list comprehensions, garbage collection, Unicode support (2.0).
Widely used but had inconsistencies (like print as a statement).
End of life: January 1, 2020 → no longer supported.
3. Python 3.x (2008–present)
Current and future version of Python.
Major improvements:
o print() as a function
o Unicode by default (str)
o Division operator (/ vs //) clarified
o f-strings, async/await, type hints, pattern matching, etc.
Popular Releases:
Python 3.6 → f-strings, formatted string literals.
Python 3.7 → data classes, context variables.
Python 3.8 → walrus operator (:=).
Python 3.9 → type hint improvements, string methods.
Python 3.10 → structural pattern matching (match-case).
Python 3.11 → faster execution (10–60%), better error messages.
Python 3.12 (latest stable) → released Oct 2023, with optimizations and new typing
features.
Check if Python is Already Installed
Open Command Prompt / Terminal and type:
python --version
or
python3 --version
If installed, it will show version (e.g., Python 3.12.0).
If not installed → proceed with installation.
2. Download Python
Go to the official website: https://www.python.org/downloads/
Choose the latest stable version (e.g., Python 3.12.x).
Installers are available for Windows, macOS, Linux.
3. Install Python on Windows
1. Download the .exe installer.
2. Run it → Important: Tick the option “Add Python to PATH”.
3. Select Install Now (recommended).
4. After installation, check:
5. python --version
4. Install Python on macOS
macOS often comes with Python preinstalled (usually outdated).
To install latest version:
1. Download .pkg installer from Python.org.
2. Run installer → follow steps.
3. Verify:
4. python3 --version
(Alternatively, install via Homebrew: brew install python)
5. Install Python on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
Most Linux distros already include Python. To update or install:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3
Check version:
python3 --version
6. Verify Installation
Run Python in terminal:
python
or
python3
You should see the interactive shell (>>>). Example:
>>> print("Hello, Python!")
Hello, Python!
7. Install pip (Python Package Manager)
pip usually comes with Python 3.x. Check:
pip --version
If not installed (Linux/macOS):
sudo apt install python3-pip
🔹 What is Python?
Python is a high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language.
Created by Guido van Rossum in 1991.
Known for its simplicity, readability, and versatility.
🔹 Key Features of Python
Easy to Learn & Use → Simple syntax close to English.
Interpreted → Runs line by line (no compilation needed).
Dynamically Typed → No need to declare variable types.
Object-Oriented → Supports classes and objects.
Cross-Platform → Works on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Large Standard Library → Ready-to-use modules for math, files, networking, etc.
Open Source → Free and community-driven.
Extensible → Can integrate with C, C++, Java, etc.
🔹 Applications of Python
Python is used in almost every domain of computing:
Web Development → Django, Flask, FastAPI
Data Science & AI/ML → Pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn
Automation/Scripting → Task automation, web scraping (Selenium, BeautifulSoup)
Game Development → Pygame
GUI Applications → Tkinter, PyQt
Networking & IoT → Socket programming, MicroPython
Cybersecurity → Ethical hacking, penetration testing
Scientific Computing → SciPy, Matplotlib
🔹 Python Versions
Python 1.x (1991–2000) – first version
Python 2.x (2000–2020) – popular, but now retired
Python 3.x (2008–present) – current and future version
🔹 Basic Python Syntax Example
# Hello World program
print("Hello, Python!")
# Variables
name = "Sharanya"
age = 25
# Conditional
if age >= 18:
print(name, "is an adult")
# Loop
for i in range(5):
print("Number:", i)
# Function
def greet(person):
return "Hello, " + person
print(greet(name))
🔹 Advantages of Python
✔ Simple and beginner-friendly
✔ Huge community support
✔ Rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks
✔ Portable and flexible
🔹 Limitations of Python
✘ Slower than compiled languages (C, C++)
✘ Not ideal for mobile app development
✘ Uses more memory compared to low-level languages
Introduction to Jupyter Notebook
🔹 What is Jupyter Notebook?
Jupyter Notebook is an open-source, interactive computing environment.
It allows you to create and share documents that contain:
✅ Live code
✅ Equations (using LaTeX)
✅ Visualizations (charts, plots)
✅ Explanatory text (Markdown)
The name Jupyter comes from Julia, Python, and R (three languages it was first designed
for).
Most commonly used with Python, especially in Data Science, Machine Learning, and
Research.
🔹 Key Features
Interactive Coding → Run code cells step by step.
Visualization Support → Displays graphs, plots, images inline.
Markdown Support → Add formatted text, headings, bullet points.
Rich Media → Can embed images, videos, HTML.
Kernel-based Execution → Supports many languages (Python, R, Julia, etc.).
Notebook Format (.ipynb) → Saves code + output + text together.
🔹 Installation
1. Install Python first.
2. Install Jupyter using pip:
3. pip install notebook
Or, install Anaconda Distribution (recommended for beginners) → It includes Python, Jupyter,
and data science libraries pre-installed.
🔹 Starting Jupyter Notebook
Open terminal/command prompt and type:
jupyter notebook
It will open a web-based interface in your browser (default: http://localhost:8888).
🔹 Basic Components
Notebook → A file with extension .ipynb.
Cell → Two main types:
o Code Cell → For Python code execution.
o Markdown Cell → For text, headings, equations.
Example:
# Code Cell
x=5
y = 10
print(x + y)
Output:
15
Markdown example:
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
**Bold Text** and *Italic Text*
Python Data Types
In Python, every value (variable, constant, expression) has a data type that defines what kind of
value it is and what operations can be performed on it.
Python has built-in (standard) data types, which can be grouped as follows:
🔹 1. Numeric Types
int → Integer numbers (positive, negative, zero).
a = 10 # int
b = -45
float → Decimal numbers (real numbers).
pi = 3.14 # float
complex → Complex numbers (a + bj).
z = 2 + 3j # complex number
🔹 2. Sequence Types
str (String) → Text data inside quotes (' ', " ", or ''' ''').
name = "Python"
list → Ordered, mutable collection of items.
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
tuple → Ordered, immutable collection.
point = (10, 20)
range → Sequence of numbers (used in loops).
nums = range(5) # 0,1,2,3,4
🔹 3. Set Types
set → Unordered, mutable collection with unique elements.
s = {1, 2, 3, 3, 2} # {1, 2, 3}
frozenset → Immutable version of a set.
fs = frozenset([1, 2, 3])
🔹 4. Mapping Type
dict (Dictionary) → Key–Value pairs.
student = {"name": "Sharanya", "age": 25, "course": "Python"}
🔹 5. Boolean Type
bool → Represents True or False.
is_adult = True
is_child = False
🔹 6. Binary Types
bytes → Immutable sequence of bytes.
b = b"Hello"
bytearray → Mutable sequence of bytes.
ba = bytearray([65, 66, 67])
memoryview → Memory view object for accessing memory of other binary objects.
mv = memoryview(b"Python")
🔹 Type Conversion
Python allows conversion between data types using type casting:
x = 10
print(float(x)) # int → float (10.0)
y = "123"
print(int(y)) # str → int (123)
z = list("abc")
print(z) # str → list ['a', 'b', 'c']
🔹 Checking Data Type
Use type() function:
print(type(10)) # <class 'int'>
print(type(3.14)) # <class 'float'>
print(type("Python")) # <class 'str'>
print(type([1,2,3])) # <class 'list'>
