TOPFAITH UNIVERSITY, MKPATAK
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
TUM-CPE 203: FUNDAMENTALS OF PYTHON PROGRAMMING
INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON AND ITS USES
Python is a powerful, high-level programming language valued for its readability and
simplicity. Following the object-oriented programming paradigm, it organizes code around objects,
making it intuitive and efficient. This structure helps developers manage complexity effectively,
facilitating both small and large-scale projects.
Python's design emphasizes code readability, allowing developers to write clear, logical code.
Its high-level nature abstracts technical details, enabling programmers to focus more on solving
problems than on the intricacies of the language itself. This makes Python an ideal choice for beginners
and professionals alike, supporting efficient and streamlined development.
History of Python
Python, created by Guido van Rossum in 1989 and first released in 1991, initially offered
limited data types and basic functionality. As scientists adopted it for numerical computations and data
analysis, Python 1.0 was introduced in 1994 with new features like lambda, map, and filter functions,
marking the beginning of regular updates that expanded its capabilities. Over the years, Python evolved
significantly to meet a variety of programming needs.
By 2024, with the release of Python 3.13, the language had transformed into a widely adopted
and highly versatile tool, driven by a committed community of contributors. This community has
maintained Python's hallmark simplicity and readability, making it accessible and popular across fields
such as web development and scientific computing. Its ongoing improvements have ensured Python
remains adaptable to technological changes while retaining its core user-friendly characteristics.
Python consistently ranks among the most popular programming languages worldwide. In
2023, it frequently led the TIOBE Programming Community index, and the 2024 Stack Overflow
Developer Survey named it both the most used and desired language. These accolades underscore
Python's lasting influence and strong adoption across industries, reflecting its growing importance in
global programming and development communities.
Features of Python
Python has many features that make it popular and the most demanding. Some of them are:
1. Simple and easy to learn: With English-like syntax and a straightforward structure, Python is
beginner-friendly. This simplicity also benefits experienced developers, enabling rapid
prototyping and development, which shortens the path from concept to implementation.
2. Interpreted language: Python codes are executed line by line at runtime, without needing a prior
compilation step. This allows for immediate testing and debugging, making development faster
and more interactive.
3. Object-oriented programming language: Python organizes codes around objects, which
represent real-world entities. This approach promotes modularity, reusability, and easier
maintenance, making it ideal for complex applications.
4. Free and open-source with extensive libraries: Python’s open-source status has fostered a vast
ecosystem of libraries and frameworks for various fields, such as Django and Flask for web
development, pandas and NumPy for data analysis, and TensorFlow for machine learning. These
resources speed up development by offering ready-made solutions.
5. Versatile and Extensible: Python’s general-purpose nature allows it to support a wide range of
applications, from web development to scientific computing and artificial intelligence. Its
versatility is evident as data scientists use it for data manipulation and visualization, while web
developers build dynamic websites.
6. Multi-platform: Python can run on various operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux
without modification. This cross-platform compatibility makes Python highly adaptable and
convenient for developing applications across different environments.
7. Flexible, supports GUI: Python is flexible and supports GUI development through libraries like
Tkinter, PyQt, and Kivy, allowing developers to create interactive, graphical applications across
platforms.
8. Dynamically typed: Python’s variable types are determined at runtime rather than being
explicitly declared. This allows for greater flexibility, as variables can change types easily without
extra syntax, simplifying code and making it faster to write and test.
9. Huge, active and strong community support: Python’s active and large community provides
abundant tutorials, forums, and documentation, benefiting both newcomers and seasoned
developers. This support drives ongoing improvements and the development of new tools and
libraries.
10. Widespread Use Across Industries: Python’s presence in numerous industries makes it a highly
valuable skill. Tech companies, financial institutions, and many others rely on Python, which
contributes to high demand for Python developers.
11. Continuous Evolution: Python regularly evolves, with recent versions like 3.12 and 3.13 adding
new features and performance boosts. This ongoing development keeps Python modern and
relevant, increasing its adoption and reinforcing its popularity.
USES OF PYTHON
Python is used by companies and professionals across a wide range of industries to create
websites, develop software components, build applications, and work with data, AI, and machine
learning technologies. Its versatility and ease of use make it a popular choice for both startups and
established enterprises.
Companies Using Python
Python is utilized by some of the world's leading companies, demonstrating its widespread
adoption and versatility. Here are a few notable examples:
1. Google: uses it extensively for system building, code evaluation tools, and various services.
2. NASA: use it for various scientific and engineering applications, like data analysis and simulation.
3. Spotify: The music streaming giant uses Python for data analysis and backend services.
4. Netflix: It fuels various Netflix’s operations, from recommendation algorithms to data analytics.
5. JP Morgan Chase: It is used in the financial sector for quantitative analysis and trading strategies.
6. Facebook: utilizes it for infrastructure management, data analysis, and various backend services.
7. Instagram: uses Python for its backend, leveraging its simplicity and scalability.
Professional Roles Using Python
Python is valuable in numerous professional roles, including but not limited to the following:
1. Data Scientists: use it for data analysis, visualization, and building machine learning models.
2. Web Developers: use its frameworks like Django and Flask to build robust web applications.
3. Software Engineers: develop software solutions from system scripts to full-scale applications.
4. Machine Learning (ML) Engineers: leverage its ML libraries to build and deploy models.
5. Data Analysts: manipulate and analyze large datasets using tools like Pandas and NumPy.
6. DevOps Engineers: use it to automate workflows, manage infrastructure and deploy applications.
7. Researchers: employ Python for scientific computing and research simulations.
8. Game Developers: use Python for scripting and building game logic.
9. SEO Specialists: automate tasks and analyze web data to improve search engine rankings.
Python Libraries by Use Cases
Below are some Python libraries by their use cases:
Python Use Cases Popular Libraries
Data Analysis Pandas, NumPy, SciPy
Data Visualization Matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly
Machine Learning scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Keras
Web Development Django, Flask
Automation Selenium, PyAutoGUI
Natural Language Processing NLTK, SpaCy
Game Development Pygame, Arcade
GUI Development Tkinter, PyQt, Kivy
Uses and Application of Python
Python is popular and technologically advanced and has multiple use cases and real-life
applications. Some of the most common Python applications are:
1. AI and Machine Learning: Python's stability and simplicity make it ideal for ML and AI
projects, with many specialized libraries available.
2. Data Science: Used for creating models and neural networks, Python enables data scientists to
build powerful AI models and helps organizations make data-driven decisions.
3. Data Analytics: Python’s ease-of-use and flexibility make it well-suited for manipulating large
datasets and performing data analysis.
4. Data Visualization: Python provides various graphing libraries, such as Pandas Visualization and
Plotly, for transforming data into visual insights.
5. Programming Applications: A versatile language for building diverse applications, including
GUIs, APIs, blockchain apps, and multimedia tools.
6. Web Development: Python frameworks like Django and Flask facilitate web development,
powering sites like Reddit and Mozilla.
7. Web Scraping and Automation: Python libraries, such as BeautifulSoup, help automate data
extraction and enhance customer experience with AI-driven chatbots.
8. CAD: Python supports CAD applications for creating 2D and 3D models, providing flexibility
and cross-platform integration.
9. Game Development: Useful for prototyping and simple game creation, Python allows quick
development of game features like dialogue trees.
10. Language Development: Python’s design has influenced languages like Cobra, CoffeeScript, and
Go.
11. Finance: Widely used for data analysis and trend prediction, Python supports financial tasks such
as asset analysis and workflow automation.
12. SEO: Python aids in SEO through automation and NLP, helping manage keywords and optimize
search results.
13. Design: Python supports 2D and 3D imaging in applications like Paint Shop Pro, Gimp, and
Blender, showing its adaptability in graphic design.
Advantages of Python
1. Easy to learn, read, and understand
2. Versatile and open-source
3. Improves productivity
4. Supports libraries
5. Huge library
6. Strong community
7. Interpreted language
Disadvantages of Python
1. Restrictions in design
2. Memory inefficient
3. Weak mobile computing
4. Runtime errors
5. Slow execution speed
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Who created Python, and in what year was it first released?
2. Why is Python considered one of the most popular programming languages today? Mention and
explain at least two features that contribute to its popularity.
3. “Python is an interpreted language”. Explain.
4. Explain why Python is widely used in AI and machine learning. Name two popular libraries used
in these fields.
5. Which frameworks are commonly used for web development in Python? Provide one example of
a well-known website or application built using Python.
6. Python is known for its readability. What specific features of Python make it easier to read and
write compared to other programming languages?
7. How is Python used in the finance industry? Give an example of a type of financial analysis or
operation where Python might be beneficial.
8. Python can be used in a wide range of fields, from web development to game design. Why is
Python considered a versatile language, and how does this versatility benefit developers across
different industries?
9. Can Python be used for game development? Name one Python library that is commonly used for
creating games and explain its purpose.
10. Describe one way Python is used in the finance industry. What benefits does Python bring to
financial data analysis?
