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.

Part One: Introduction

• History of Python
• Program Execution

Part Two: Language Fundamentals

• The Basics
• Functions and Methods
• User Interaction
• Strings
• Selection Statements
• Repetition Statements
• Defining Functions
• Creating Modules

Part Three: Collections and Files

• List Basics
• Advanced List Features
• Text Files
• Dictionaries

Part Four: Object-Oriented Programming

• Defining Classes
• Operator Overloading
• Object Composition
• Exceptions
• Inheritance
• Copying Objects

Appendices

• Builtin Functions
• Standard Modules