Python Distilled

by David M Beazley

Expert Insight for Modern Python (3.6+) Development from the Author of Python Essential Reference

The richness of modern Python challenges developers at all levels. How can programmers who are new to Python know where to begin without being overwhelmed? How can experienced Python developers know they're coding in a manner that is clear and effective? How does one make the jump from learning about individual features to thinking in Python at a deeper level? Dave Beazley's new Python Distilled addresses these and many other real-world issues.

Focusing on Python 3.6 and higher, this concise handbook focuses on the essential core of the language, with updated code examples to illuminate how Python works and how to structure programs that can be more easily explained, tested, and debugged. Throughout, Beazley reflects all he's learned teaching Python to scientists, engineers, and developers, and pushing the envelope of what makes Python tick.

Rather than trying to cover every possible feature and quirk of a 30-year-old language, this pragmatic guide provides a concise narrative related to fundamental programming topics such as data abstraction, control flow, program structure, functions, objects, and modules--topics that form the foundation for Python projects of any size.

Genres: Programming, Computer Science, Coding, Technology, Nonfiction, Software, Technical

352 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2021

Reviews

[John Ferngrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who started learning to write in Python by reading the online Python.org tutorial will have quickly learned that it barely scratches the surface of what the language can do, and gives almost no indication of what goes on under the hood - the 'magic' as it is often referred to. Having tried several books with many hundreds of pages, hoping for more complete treatments and insights, I still came away feeling there was a lot more to understand and with a sense of worryingly large gaps in my knowledge. Then I found this book.

Python Distilled is the maximally clear and concise explication of everything Python can do, complete with explanations in terms of internal processes, including the 'magic' by which they are accomplished, and how it all fits together into a single conceptual overview, something which truly is a thing of outstanding beauty once it can be perceived. From this perspective it can be seen that Python really is a technological and intellectual wonder of the modern world; a next generational step beyond the established round of classical Object Oriented languages. All this laid is out in the minimal number of pages (but no fewer) and expressed in terms that any seasoned object oriented programmer will understand.

As such this is not a book for newbie programmers. It is probably not even the first book for Python programmers - that would be the online tutorial. But when you are ready to dive into the sea of little secrets that add up to Python's one big secret then this is the book you will need. At a month old my copy is already dog-eared and battered, with some sections re-read many times as I use them to implement new and more sophisticated techniques. There are several really useful, possibly critical, reference tables, such as the magic methods underlying data model protocols, all the builtin types and functions plus the more immediately useful bits of the Python standard library.

This is THE guide and reference for the journeyman Python programmer.

[Daniel Dao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad! I recommend for people who're familiar with other languages. As someone familiar with metaprogramming, scripting languages and object models, etc. this book is a nice breadth-wise touch.

[Arun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and short python programming language reference that covers (sometimes only at high level) most of everything that a professional python programmer would need and written by a well respected python community member. I appreciate the no-fluff crisp writing. My only small gripe is that, sometimes the concepts and terms are referenced which are only covered later in the book.

[Al Sweigart · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Python Distilled has a perfectly suited title: This book is for experienced programmers who want to learn Python and need the Python programming language's core syntax, standard library, and Pythonic idioms. However, if you're a developer who wants to add Python to your toolbox, I recommend Python Distilled as one of the first books you should read.

Beazley endorses the view that programming should be kept simple by using simple syntax, and it shows in this book. But don't think that Python Distilled is afraid to dive into the advanced features of the Python language. And at 350 pages, the book strikes a good balance between giving you the information you need without overwhelming you with every nook and cranny of the language.

While the title might make you think the information is densely packed, I didn't have any trouble reading through the chapters. The book is well-paced.

If you're a complete beginner to programming, I'd recommend starting with a different book. But Python Distilled could easily be the second book on your list once you have some experience.
For a comparable book, Python Distilled is similar in its aim as The Quick Python Book by Naomi Ceder. After reading this book, I'd recommend moving on to Fluent Python by Luciano Ramahlo, Effective Python by Brett Slatkin, Python in a Nutshell by Martelli, Ravenscroft, Holden, and McGuire, and Serious Python by Julien Danjou.

[Elie De Brauwer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part I appreciated most about this book was the 4th chapter dealing with 'protocols', this is a subject of which I knew it existed but never bothered to look into and never saw presented in such concise way.
Overall I like the book a lot, mainly because of its no nonsense approach of diving right in without too much padding. Only at the end where the big parade of standard library modules and built-in functions is presented was a bit too much.

[Mohammad Tanviruzzaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been writing Python in the industry for several years now. Still I found insights on almost every page. Author has an uncanny sense of picking just the stuffs that keeps an intermediate Python programmar (stuck at local optimum) from graduating to advanced. The code examples are fun and mostly self contained; Python console or repl.it were sufficient to try them. It reminds K&R for C.

[Dumitru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice compact book for experienced software engineers that want to add Python to their tool belt.

[Nythiennzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good presentation of the different features of python language and how they are usually used to solve common problems.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect