1.. _tutorial-index: 2 3###################### 4 The Python Tutorial 5###################### 6 7Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient 8high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to 9object-oriented programming. Python's elegant syntax and dynamic typing, 10together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting 11and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms. 12 13The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely available 14in source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python Web site, 15https://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site also 16contains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules, 17programs and tools, and additional documentation. 18 19The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types 20implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also 21suitable as an extension language for customizable applications. 22 23This tutorial introduces the reader informally to the basic concepts and 24features of the Python language and system. It helps to have a Python 25interpreter handy for hands-on experience, but all examples are self-contained, 26so the tutorial can be read off-line as well. 27 28For a description of standard objects and modules, see :ref:`library-index`. 29:ref:`reference-index` gives a more formal definition of the language. To write 30extensions in C or C++, read :ref:`extending-index` and 31:ref:`c-api-index`. There are also several books covering Python in depth. 32 33This tutorial does not attempt to be comprehensive and cover every single 34feature, or even every commonly used feature. Instead, it introduces many of 35Python's most noteworthy features, and will give you a good idea of the 36language's flavor and style. After reading it, you will be able to read and 37write Python modules and programs, and you will be ready to learn more about the 38various Python library modules described in :ref:`library-index`. 39 40The :ref:`glossary` is also worth going through. 41 42.. toctree:: 43 :numbered: 44 45 appetite.rst 46 interpreter.rst 47 introduction.rst 48 controlflow.rst 49 datastructures.rst 50 modules.rst 51 inputoutput.rst 52 errors.rst 53 classes.rst 54 stdlib.rst 55 stdlib2.rst 56 whatnow.rst 57 interactive.rst 58 floatingpoint.rst 59 appendix.rst 60