1 .. _tutorial-index:

     2 

     3 ######################

     4   The Python Tutorial 

     5 ######################

     6 

     7 :Release: |version|

     8 :Date: |today|

     9 

    10 Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient

    11 high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to

    12 object-oriented programming. Python's elegant syntax and dynamic typing,

    13 together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting

    14 and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms.

    15 

    16 The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely available

    17 in source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python Web site,

    18 http://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site also

    19 contains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules,

    20 programs and tools, and additional documentation.

    21 

    22 The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types

    23 implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also

    24 suitable as an extension language for customizable applications.

    25 

    26 This tutorial introduces the reader informally to the basic concepts and

    27 features of the Python language and system. It helps to have a Python

    28 interpreter handy for hands-on experience, but all examples are self-contained,

    29 so the tutorial can be read off-line as well.

    30 

    31 For a description of standard objects and modules, see the Python Library

    32 Reference document. The Python Reference Manual gives a more formal definition

    33 of the language. To write extensions in C or C++, read Extending and Embedding

    34 the Python Interpreter and Python/C API Reference. There are also several books

    35 covering Python in depth.

    36 

    37 This tutorial does not attempt to be comprehensive and cover every single

    38 feature, or even every commonly used feature. Instead, it introduces many of

    39 Python's most noteworthy features, and will give you a good idea of the

    40 language's flavor and style. After reading it, you will be able to read and

    41 write Python modules and programs, and you will be ready to learn more about the

    42 various Python library modules described in the Python Library Reference.

    43 

    44 The :ref:`glossary` is also worth going through.

    45 

    46 .. toctree::

    47 

    48    appetite.rst

    49    interpreter.rst

    50    introduction.rst

    51    controlflow.rst

    52    datastructures.rst

    53    modules.rst

    54    inputoutput.rst

    55    errors.rst

    56    classes.rst

    57    stdlib.rst

    58    stdlib2.rst

    59    whatnow.rst

    60    interactive.rst

    61    floatingpoint.rst