author | Shane McErlean <shane.mcerlean@accenture.com> |
Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:33:49 +0100 | |
changeset 101 | 1e82a8be084a |
parent 1 | 2fb8b9db1c86 |
permissions | -rw-r--r-- |
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.. _library-intro: |
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************ |
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Introduction |
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************ |
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The "Python library" contains several different kinds of components. |
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It contains data types that would normally be considered part of the "core" of a |
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language, such as numbers and lists. For these types, the Python language core |
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defines the form of literals and places some constraints on their semantics, but |
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does not fully define the semantics. (On the other hand, the language core does |
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define syntactic properties like the spelling and priorities of operators.) |
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The library also contains built-in functions and exceptions --- objects that can |
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be used by all Python code without the need of an :keyword:`import` statement. |
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Some of these are defined by the core language, but many are not essential for |
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the core semantics and are only described here. |
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The bulk of the library, however, consists of a collection of modules. There are |
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many ways to dissect this collection. Some modules are written in C and built |
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in to the Python interpreter; others are written in Python and imported in |
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source form. Some modules provide interfaces that are highly specific to |
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Python, like printing a stack trace; some provide interfaces that are specific |
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to particular operating systems, such as access to specific hardware; others |
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provide interfaces that are specific to a particular application domain, like |
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the World Wide Web. Some modules are available in all versions and ports of |
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Python; others are only available when the underlying system supports or |
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requires them; yet others are available only when a particular configuration |
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option was chosen at the time when Python was compiled and installed. |
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This manual is organized "from the inside out:" it first describes the built-in |
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data types, then the built-in functions and exceptions, and finally the modules, |
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grouped in chapters of related modules. The ordering of the chapters as well as |
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the ordering of the modules within each chapter is roughly from most relevant to |
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least important. |
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This means that if you start reading this manual from the start, and skip to the |
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next chapter when you get bored, you will get a reasonable overview of the |
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available modules and application areas that are supported by the Python |
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library. Of course, you don't *have* to read it like a novel --- you can also |
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browse the table of contents (in front of the manual), or look for a specific |
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function, module or term in the index (in the back). And finally, if you enjoy |
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learning about random subjects, you choose a random page number (see module |
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:mod:`random`) and read a section or two. Regardless of the order in which you |
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read the sections of this manual, it helps to start with chapter :ref:`builtin`, |
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as the remainder of the manual assumes familiarity with this material. |
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Let the show begin! |
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