UNIT-I
UNIT-I: INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON PROGRAMMING
1. History of Python Programming Language
Python was developed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s and released in 1991. The
language was designed to emphasize code readability and simplicity, making it accessible to
beginners and powerful enough for experts. It is named after the British comedy group Monty
Python, reflecting its creator’s sense of humor. Python supports multiple programming
paradigms including procedural, object-oriented, and functional programming, making it very
versatile. Over time, Python evolved with major versions Python 2 and Python 3, where
Python 3 is the current and actively maintained version. Its large standard library and active
open-source community have contributed to its adoption in many fields like web
development, scientific computing, and AI. Python’s easy syntax helps beginners quickly
grasp programming concepts, while its powerful features serve professionals for large-scale
projects.
2. Thrust Areas of Python
Python is widely adopted in several key areas that drive its popularity. In web development,
frameworks like Django and Flask enable rapid prototyping and production-ready
applications. In data science and analytics, libraries like NumPy, pandas, and matplotlib
provide tools for data manipulation and visualization. Machine learning and AI leverage
libraries such as TensorFlow and scikit-learn to build predictive models. Python is used in
automation and scripting to automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors.
Scientific computing benefits from Python’s powerful mathematical libraries and integration
with other scientific tools. Additionally, Python’s presence in game development through
Pygame and Internet of Things (IoT) projects highlights its flexibility. Its ability to interface
with other languages and tools makes it a one-stop language for many domains.
3. Installing Anaconda Python Distribution
Anaconda is a popular distribution of Python that bundles Python with many scientific
libraries and tools for data science and machine learning. It simplifies environment
management and package installation through the Conda package manager. Anaconda
supports cross-platform installation on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It includes Jupyter
Notebook, Spyder IDE, and other utilities for interactive computing. Users typically
download the installer from the official website, run it, and get a ready-to-use Python
environment. Managing packages with Conda helps avoid compatibility problems often faced
with manual installations. Anaconda is widely recommended for beginners and professionals
who want a hassle-free setup, especially for data-related projects.
4. Installing and Using Jupyter Notebook
Jupyter Notebook is an interactive environment for running and sharing live Python code,
text, and visualizations. It is especially popular in data science for exploratory analysis and
reporting. Jupyter allows code execution in cells, which can be run independently in any
order, making debugging and iterative development easier. It supports markdown cells for
formatted text, equations, and images, which help create rich documents. You can install it
using Anaconda or via pip, and launch it from the command line. Notebooks are saved as
.ipynb files, which can be shared or converted to other formats like HTML or PDF. It
integrates well with libraries such as matplotlib and seaborn for inline plots.
5. Parts of Python Programming Language
This is a core foundational topic. Python programs are constructed using identifiers, which
name variables, functions, and classes, following rules like starting with a letter or underscore
and no reserved keywords. Keywords are special reserved words (like if, for, def) that form
the syntax and structure of programs. Statements are executable instructions such as
assignments, loops, and function calls, while expressions combine values and operators to
compute results. Variables store data and can be dynamically typed, meaning the data type
can change. Python has several types of operators including arithmetic, relational, logical,
and bitwise, with defined precedence (which operators evaluate first) and associativity (how
operators of the same precedence group). Python’s strict indentation replaces braces to
define blocks of code, making formatting essential. Comments starting with # help annotate
code but are ignored during execution.
6. Data Types in Python
Understanding Python’s data types is essential as they govern how data is stored and
manipulated. Python supports several built-in types:
Numeric types include int (integers), float (decimal numbers), and complex (numbers
with real and imaginary parts).
str is used for textual data and supports operations like concatenation and slicing.
bool represents Boolean logic values True or False.
Compound data types include lists (ordered, mutable collections), tuples (ordered,
immutable collections), sets (unordered collections of unique items), and dictionaries
(key-value pairs).
Python is dynamically typed, so variables do not need explicit type declarations. The
type() function lets you check the data type, and type conversion functions (int(), str(),
etc.) allow explicit conversions. Python’s strong typing ensures operations between
incompatible types raise errors, preventing silent bugs.
7. Indentation and Comments
Python’s syntax relies heavily on indentation to define blocks of code instead of using curly
braces or keywords. Proper indentation is mandatory; inconsistent indentation causes syntax
errors. Each block of code following constructs like if, for, while, or function definitions must
be indented consistently, typically by 4 spaces. This feature improves code readability and
reduces clutter. Python supports two types of comments: single-line comments start with #
and extend to the end of the line; multi-line comments can be created using triple quotes (''' or
"""). Comments are essential for documenting code logic and making it understandable to
others or your future self.
8. Reading Input and Printing Output
User input is read using the built-in input() function, which always returns data as a string. To
process numeric input, conversion functions like int() or float() are used. The print() function
outputs data to the console and can print multiple values separated by commas or formatted
strings using f-strings or .format(). Both functions are essential for interactive programs.
9. Type Conversion, the type() Function, and is Operator
Type conversion functions (int(), float(), str()) convert values explicitly from one data type to
another. The type() function returns the type of an object, useful for debugging or conditional
logic. The is operator checks identity (whether two references point to the same object in
memory), which is different from equality (==) that checks if values are equivalent.
10. Dynamic and Strongly Typed Language
Python is dynamically typed, meaning variable types are determined at runtime, not in
advance. This allows for flexible and rapid development but requires care to avoid type
errors. Python is also strongly typed, which means it enforces type compatibility and does
not perform implicit type coercion (unlike some other languages). For example, you cannot
add a string and an integer directly without explicit conversion.
