Python is a high-level interpreter based interactive and object-oriented scripting language. It was designed by Guido Van Rossum and was released in the year 1991. It has been designed to be highly readable and uses simple English keywords frequently. This was missing in many other languages that use punctuation.
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What makes python different from other programming languages?
Python is nowadays most widely used general-purpose high-level programming language. One of its main features is code readability. Its syntax also allows programmers to express their concepts in fewer lines of codes. This was missing in many of the previously known languages. Python also supports multiple programming paradigms that mainly includes object-oriented, imperative and functional programming or procedural styles. It has an automatic memory management system and includes a large and comprehensive standard library. This simply means that it is versatile and efficient to learn. It may be possible that some users find it difficult to lean but it definitely a language to explore.
Features of Python:
Python has various features that have made programming easier and more easy to understand for users. Now let’s learn about its features that makes it different from others:
- Easy to learn: It has very few keywords. There are only 33 keywords in Python 3.6. So it has a simple structure and a well-defined syntax. This allows students to easily learn and implement it.
- Easy-to-maintain: Its source code is fairly easy to maintain.
- It also has the support for an interactive mode that allows programmers to test and debug their program easily.
- Portability: It is portable also. This simply means that it can easily run on a wide variety of hardware platforms. Also, it has the same interface on all the platforms. So the programmer doesn’t need to worry about the cross-platform testing of their program.
- It also allows the programmers to add low-level modules to its interpreter. These modules are mainly helping programmers to add or customize their tools to make them more efficient.
- One of the main features of Python is that it supports functional and structured programming method as well as object-oriented programming.
Lastly, one of the most important features is that it is easy to integrate with other languages. Here is a list of some of Python’s implementations of other languages:
- CPython: It is an integration of Python with one of the oldest programming language C.
- Jython: Integration of Python with Java.
- Iron Python: It is the integration with .NET framework.
- Stackless: This implementation is mostly used when there is a need for concurrency.
- PyPy: This implementation is mainly used for speed.
Applications of Python:
It has various uses in many application domains. Here is a sample of some of the domains that use it.
Internet Development: It includes many frameworks which are most helpful for web development. It includes frameworks such as Django and Pyramid and some micro-frameworks such as Flask and Bottle. These frameworks are very helpful in terms of web and internet development. Python’s standard library also supports various Internet protocols such as HTML and XML, JSON, E-mail processing. It also includes support for FTP, IMAP, and many other internet protocols.
Scientific and Numeric Computing: It is one of those languages that is widely used in scientific and numeric computing. SciPy, a collection of mathematics, science, and engineering is a package mainly use for the scientific purpose. Python also includes a data analysis and modeling library Known as Pandas. IPython is a powerful interactive shell for parallel computing. IPython features easy editing and recording of a work session and also supports visualizations.
Apart from these applications it also has its applications for educational purposes, Desktop GUI and Software Development.
Top websites to learn Python online
Now, after getting the necessary information about the Python, let’s now know about learning it online. There are a large number of websites on the Internet that can help programmers to learn python. Most of these websites offer free tutorials, so users don’t need to worry about the amount. So, here is a list of 10 Best websites for learning Python programming online. However, I will like to suggest to readers that they shall refer to most of the websites to find the best website for their learning.
Google’s Python Class eBook
Google’s Python Class eBook is one of the best tutorial available online for intermediate to experienced coders. It is very well written and also it clearly explains various concepts about the language. However, it is more about theory learning rather that practical implementation of the concepts. So, the learner will not find any step by step tutorials or in-depth guide about any concept.
The eBooks available on the website will also be very useful to the developers to learn about the language. There are multiple numbers of books available on the website. Apart from eBooks, the website also contains some videos and exercise. These exercises will allow the learners to test all they are learning.
Code Academy
The next website on our list is the Code Academy. Code Academy is also a free, online learning center that provides tutorials for all things programming. It contains lessons on almost every programming language and also on a variety of other topics. The best part about the website is that it allows the learners to write code directly on the browser. This will allow them to read and implement the codes at the same time. This will be very useful to the learners as they don’t have to setup a development environment for practice exercises.
It is one of the best websites for beginner to intermediate coders. While working on the language using Code Academy, the developer has to build a calculator tool and a Battleship board game. The website includes common syntax, strings, and console output tutorials about the language. It also contains conditional and controls flow, loops, file input and output tutorial and many more for the developers.
Python.org
Python.org is the next website on our list of 10 Best Websites. Python.org is the official documentation of the language by the developers of the language. Whenever a learner is in doubt about anything regarding Python, they can always turn to the website. The learners will find various references, materials, and resources on the website.
Python.org also includes tutorials that will be very helpful to the beginners. These tutorials will allow the learners to start the learning from the basics. The website also offers advanced topics such as Python libraries, distributing modules and many more to the learners.
LearnPython.org
The next website on the list of 10 Best websites is LearnPython.org. The best way to learn about anything is to learn it by doing. This is also the best way and first idea in terms of a programming language. LearnPython.org is one of the best websites for doing so. It provides a specially designed platform that helps the learners to do the same. The website allows learners to participate in various interactive tutorials rather than just learning the concepts.
LearnPython.org also allows learners to work with the Python language directly into the browser. The website allows learners to start from the famous Hello World tutorial and move on to more advance topics. The website is best for the beginners to intermediate programmers.
TutorialsPoint
TutorialsPoint is the next website on our list of 10 Best websites for learning Python. TutorialsPoint is very much similar to the Code Academy. It also offers free tutorials and also offers learners the option to test their codes directly in a browser window. The website also offers one of the most comprehensive tutorials for beginners programmers. TutorialsPoint will take the learners from the basic and beginner stage of the language to the expert level tasks. The website also includes tutorials about how to set up a Python development environment and writing basic syntax. TutorialsPoint also includes tutorials about working with variables, operators and loops, and much more.
Codementor.io
The next website on our list of 10 Best websites is the Codementor. The design of the Codementor website is mainly for the intermediate to expert developers. These developers have been already working on the language. The website contains some small information about the language for the beginners. However, it is certainly not the best website for the new coders. The website contains various post that specifically focuses on a separate tutorial.
PythonChallenge
PythonChallenge is also a very good website to learn Python programming. The website is best for those learners who like challenges and like to have some pressure to increase their learning capacity. Although the website is not very pretty and the design is also very ugly. However, the website offers various challenges and lessons in which the learners can take part to learn Python. There are about 33 different levels on the website in which the learners can master themselves currently.
Learn Python the Hard Way eBook
The next website on the list is Learn Python the Hard Way. The website offers an eBook that the learners can download and read in full to learn new concepts. The online version of the eBook is available for free and the learners can access it from any device including mobile. However, if the learner wants to get a digital copy of the book for offline reading then they have to pay about $ 30. More than 1.5 million people read this eBook annually.
Dive into Python 3
Dive into Python 3 is the next website on our list of 10 Best websites for learning Python online. It is also an online book that covers the difference between working with Python 3 to Python 2. Dive into Python 3 is available under the Creative Common License. So, the learners can download the HTML and PDF version of the book for free. The book will be a great resource for all the coders from the beginners to the expert level.
Python for Beginners
Python for Beginners is the last website on our list of 10 best websites for learning Python online. The website is currently under the new management and since then it is very idle. Recently, There have been some changes in the design of the website. There has also been the addition of some new content in the form of a beginner’s Python tutorial. The new learners will find a long list of Python coding guidelines on the website. There are also various snippets available on the website that they can use on their own projects. So, the website is ideal for Python developers of all skill levels.
Python is a very powerful programming language that has its applications in various fields. Its popularity has been growing consistently over the past few years. Also, there is no indication that the language is going to disappear in the recent future. So, if any of the readers want to learn a highly versatile and powerful language, then it is never too late to give Python a shot. I hope that the readers will find this article useful in finding the best website to learn about Python programming.