Python Essentials

by Steven F. Lott

Key Features Learn how to write effective Python code Get up-to-speed with the most important data structures in Python, using sequences, sets, and mappings Explore Python's impressive range of features and discover why it's one of the most popular programming languages in the world Book Description

Python Essentials provides a vital tour of the most critical features of Python. Starting with setup and installation, you will soon dive into exploring built-in-library types, Python's rich collection of operators and built-in functions, variables, assignment and scoping rules.

From this foundation, you will explore functions, a crucial aspect of any programming language, including considerable sophistication in defining parameters to a function and providing argument values. Explore advanced functional programming using generator expressions, comprehensions, and generator functions. Handle file input and output using web services and context managers, exception handling and explore wider, popular frameworks.

Through this concise and practical guide, you will explore all you need to know to leverage this powerful, and industry-standard, programming language.

What you will learn Use Python interactively and master the art of writing efficient Python scripts Learn techniques for working with string data, including how to use regular expressions to parse strings Get to know how the short-circuit and if-else logic operators work Explore mutable data structures including list, set, and dict Define functions with positional and optional parameters, and learn to use keyword argument values when calling a function Write generator functions, generator expressions, and comprehensions Master the use of exceptions for handling errors and other unexpected conditions Understand the importance of working with files, context manager, and the with statement About the Author

Steven F. Lott has been programming since the 70s, when computers were large, expensive, and rare. As a contract software developer and architect, he has worked on hundreds of projects, from very small to very large. He's been using Python to solve business problems for over 10 years

Table of Contents Getting Started Simple Data Types Expressions and Output Variables, Assignment and Scoping Rules Logic, Comparisons, and Conditions More Complex Data Types Basic Function Definitions More Advanced Functions Exceptions Files, Databases, Networks, and Contexts Class Definitions Scripts, Modules, Packages, Libraries, and Applications Metaprogramming and Decorators Fit and Finish – Unit Testing, Packaging, and Documentation Next Steps

Genres: Programming

298 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2015

Reviews

[Pradheap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good material for those coming from other languages. A chapter about concurrency could make the book a perfect beginner's guide. This is my first ever book on Python. Though, I've been doing python programming for some time now.

[Евгений Прокопчик · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too shallow for professional read. Lots of white spaces between pages.

[Benjamin]

Straightforward, clear, and fast -- a little too clean -- make sure that you do the exercises to slow your progress down!