Free Python Tutorial

What is Python?

Python is an object-oriented programming language that is interpreted – as opposed to compiled – which has become popular thanks to it’s clear and incredibly readable syntax.

In fact, it is so easy to read that a majority of novice coders have chosen it as their first language.

It is considered portable because it is a cross-platform language. This means you can write Python code on a single platform, and it can be interpreted on several others like UNIX, MacOS X, MS-DOS, Windows, and more.

Here’s an interesting but little-known fact! Python was created by a developer named Guido van Rossum. At the time he worked on the language, his favorite comedy group was Monty Python’s Flying Circus – hence the name Python.

It’s also worth noting that Python is an open-source language, so the source code is available freely, online for anyone to modify and use.

How is Python used?

Python is a high-level, general-purpose language, so it can be used for multiple forms of development. For instance, it has been used to carry out tasks like analyze data, but it’s also been used in game development.

TIP: When a language is referred to as “high-level” it is because the syntax and commands it recognizes are closer to human language instead of that of a computer. The term high-level was initially used to describe languages that are not locked down to a particular type of computer.