for marking code blocks instead of parentheses, brackets, or semicolons.
Garbage collecting
Python has automated garbage collection, avoiding the need for the programmer to
manage memory.
When it comes to Python syntax and what Python is all about, Python Enhancement
Proposal 20 — i.e., the so-called “Zen of Python” — provides the major guidelines. It can
be accessed from every interactive shell with the command import this:
$ ipython
Python 2.7.6 |Anaconda 1.9.1 (x86_64)| (default, Jan 10 2014, 11:23:15)
Type “copyright”, “credits” or “license” for more information.
IPython 2.0.0—An enhanced Interactive Python.
? -> Introduction and overview of IPython’s features.
%quickref -> Quick reference.
help -> Python’s own help system.
object? -> Details about ‘object’, use ‘object??’ for extra details.
In [ 1 ]: import this
The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters
Beautiful is better than ugly.
Explicit is better than implicit.
Simple is better than complex.
Complex is better than complicated.
Flat is better than nested.
Sparse is better than dense.
Readability counts.
Special cases aren’t special enough to break the rules.
Although practicality beats purity.
Errors should never pass silently.
Unless explicitly silenced.
In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
There should be one—and preferably only one—obvious way to do it.
Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you’re Dutch.
Now is better than never.
Although never is often better than *right* now.
If the implementation is hard to explain, it’s a bad idea.
If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
Namespaces are one honking great idea—let’s do more of those!
Brief History of Python
Although Python might still have the appeal of something new to some people, it has been
around for quite a long time. In fact, development efforts began in the 1980s by Guido van
Rossum from the Netherlands. He is still active in Python development and has been
awarded the title of Benevolent Dictator for Life by the Python community (cf.
milestones in the development of Python:
Python 0.9.0 released in 1991 (first release)
Python 1.0 released in
Python 2.0 released in
Python 2.6 released in
Python 2.7 released in
Python 3.0 released in
Python 3.3 released in
Python 3.4 released in
