--- language: python contributors: - ["Louie Dinh", "http://ldinh.ca"] - ["Amin Bandali", "http://aminbandali.com"] - ["Andre Polykanine", "https://github.com/Oire"] - ["evuez", "http://github.com/evuez"] filename: learnpython.py --- Python was created by Guido Van Rossum in the early 90s. It is now one of the most popular languages in existence. I fell in love with Python for its syntactic clarity. It's basically executable pseudocode. Feedback would be highly appreciated! You can reach me at [@louiedinh](http://twitter.com/louiedinh) or louiedinh [at] [google's email service] Note: This article applies to Python 2.7 specifically, but should be applicable to Python 2.x. Python 2.7 is reaching end of life and will stop being maintained in 2020, it is though recommended to start learning Python with Python 3. For Python 3.x, take a look at the [Python 3 tutorial](http://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/python3/). It is also possible to write Python code which is compatible with Python 2.7 and 3.x at the same time, using Python [`__future__` imports](https://docs.python.org/2/library/__future__.html). `__future__` imports allow you to write Python 3 code that will run on Python 2, so check out the Python 3 tutorial. ```python # Single line comments start with a number symbol. """ Multiline strings can be written using three "s, and are often used as comments """ #################################################### ## 1. Primitive Datatypes and Operators #################################################### # You have numbers 3 # => 3 # Math is what you would expect 1 + 1 # => 2 8 - 1 # => 7 10 * 2 # => 20 35 / 5 # => 7 # Division is a bit tricky. It is integer division and floors the results # automatically. 5 / 2 # => 2 # To fix division we need to learn about floats. 2.0 # This is a float 11.0 / 4.0 # => 2.75 ahhh...much better # Result of integer division truncated down both for positive and negative. 5 // 3 # => 1 5.0 // 3.0 # => 1.0 # works on floats too -5 // 3 # => -2 -5.0 // 3.0 # => -2.0 # Note that we can also import division module(Section 6 Modules) # to carry out normal division with just one '/'. from __future__ import division 11/4 # => 2.75 ...normal division 11//4 # => 2 ...floored division # Modulo operation 7 % 3 # => 1 # Exponentiation (x to the yth power) 2**4 # => 16 # Enforce precedence with parentheses (1 + 3) * 2 # => 8 # Boolean Operators # Note "and" and "or" are case-sensitive True and False #=> False False or True #=> True # Note using Bool operators with ints 0 and 2 #=> 0 -5 or 0 #=> -5 0 == False #=> True 2 == True #=> False 1 == True #=> True # negate with not not True # => False not False # => True # Equality is == 1 == 1 # => True 2 == 1 # => False # Inequality is != 1 != 1 # => False 2 != 1 # => True # More comparisons 1 < 10 # => True 1 > 10 # => False 2 <= 2 # => True 2 >= 2 # => True # Comparisons can be chained! 1 < 2 < 3 # => True 2 < 3 < 2 # => False # Strings are created with " or ' "This is a string." 'This is also a string.' # Strings can be added too! "Hello " + "world!" # => "Hello world!" # Strings can be added without using '+' "Hello " "world!" # => "Hello world!" # ... or multiplied "Hello" * 3 # => "HelloHelloHello" # A string can be treated like a list of characters "This is a string"[0] # => 'T' # You can find the length of a string len("This is a string") # => 16 #String formatting with % #Even though the % string operator will be deprecated on Python 3.1 and removed #later at some time, it may still be good to know how it works. x = 'apple' y = 'lemon' z = "The items in the basket are %s and %s" % (x,y) # A newer way to format strings is the format method. # This method is the preferred way "{} is a {}".format("This", "placeholder") "{0} can be {1}".format("strings", "formatted") # You can use keywords if you don't want to count. "{name} wants to eat {food}".format(name="Bob", food="lasagna") # None is an object None # => None # Don't use the equality "==" symbol to compare objects to None # Use "is" instead "etc" is None # => False None is None # => True # The 'is' operator tests for object identity. This isn't # very useful when dealing with primitive values, but is # very useful when dealing with objects. # Any object can be used in a Boolean context. # The following values are considered falsey: # - None # - zero of any numeric type (e.g., 0, 0L, 0.0, 0j) # - empty sequences (e.g., '', (), []) # - empty containers (e.g., {}, set()) # - instances of user-defined classes meeting certain conditions # see: https://docs.python.org/2/reference/datamodel.html#object.__nonzero__ # # All other values are truthy (using the bool() function on them returns True). bool(0) # => False bool("") # => False #################################################### ## 2. Variables and Collections #################################################### # Python has a print statement print "I'm Python. Nice to meet you!" # => I'm Python. Nice to meet you! # Simple way to get input data from console input_string_var = raw_input("Enter some data: ") # Returns the data as a string input_var = input("Enter some data: ") # Evaluates the data as python code # Warning: Caution is recommended for input() method usage # Note: In python 3, input() is deprecated and raw_input() is renamed to input() # No need to declare variables before assigning to them. some_var = 5 # Convention is to use lower_case_with_underscores some_var # => 5 # Accessing a previously unassigned variable is an exception. # See Control Flow to learn more about exception handling. some_other_var # Raises a name error # if can be used as an expression # Equivalent of C's '?:' ternary operator "yahoo!" if 3 > 2 else 2 # => "yahoo!" # Lists store sequences li = [] # You can start with a prefilled list other_li = [4, 5, 6] # Add stuff to the end of a list with append li.append(1) # li is now [1] li.append(2) # li is now [1, 2] li.append(4) # li is now [1, 2, 4] li.append(3) # li is now [1, 2, 4, 3] # Remove from the end with pop li.pop() # => 3 and li is now [1, 2, 4] # Let's put it back li.append(3) # li is now [1, 2, 4, 3] again. # Access a list like you would any array li[0] # => 1 # Assign new values to indexes that have already been initialized with = li[0] = 42 li[0] # => 42 li[0] = 1 # Note: setting it back to the original value # Look at the last element li[-1] # => 3 # Looking out of bounds is an IndexError li[4] # Raises an IndexError # You can look at ranges with slice syntax. # (It's a closed/open range for you mathy types.) li[1:3] # => [2, 4] # Omit the beginning li[2:] # => [4, 3] # Omit the end li[:3] # => [1, 2, 4] # Select every second entry li[::2] # =>[1, 4] # Reverse a copy of the list li[::-1] # => [3, 4, 2, 1] # Use any combination of these to make advanced slices # li[start:end:step] # Remove arbitrary elements from a list with "del" del li[2] # li is now [1, 2, 3] # You can add lists li + other_li # => [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] # Note: values for li and for other_li are not modified. # Concatenate lists with "extend()" li.extend(other_li) # Now li is [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] # Remove first occurrence of a value li.remove(2) # li is now [1, 3, 4, 5, 6] li.remove(2) # Raises a ValueError as 2 is not in the list # Insert an element at a specific index li.insert(1, 2) # li is now [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] again # Get the index of the first item found li.index(2) # => 1 li.index(7) # Raises a ValueError as 7 is not in the list # Check for existence in a list with "in" 1 in li # => True # Examine the length with "len()" len(li) # => 6 # Tuples are like lists but are immutable. tup = (1, 2, 3) tup[0] # => 1 tup[0] = 3 # Raises a TypeError # You can do all those list thingies on tuples too len(tup) # => 3 tup + (4, 5, 6) # => (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) tup[:2] # => (1, 2) 2 in tup # => True # You can unpack tuples (or lists) into variables a, b, c = (1, 2, 3) # a is now 1, b is now 2 and c is now 3 d, e, f = 4, 5, 6 # you can leave out the parentheses # Tuples are created by default if you leave out the parentheses g = 4, 5, 6 # => (4, 5, 6) # Now look how easy it is to swap two values e, d = d, e # d is now 5 and e is now 4 # Dictionaries store mappings empty_dict = {} # Here is a prefilled dictionary filled_dict = {"one": 1, "two": 2, "three": 3} # Look up values with [] filled_dict["one"] # => 1 # Get all keys as a list with "keys()" filled_dict.keys() # => ["three", "two", "one"] # Note - Dictionary key ordering is not guaranteed. # Your results might not match this exactly. # Get all values as a list with "values()" filled_dict.values() # => [3, 2, 1] # Note - Same as above regarding key ordering. # Get all key-value pairs as a list of tuples with "items()" filled_dicts.items() # => [("one", 1), ("two", 2), ("three", 3)] # Check for existence of keys in a dictionary with "in" "one" in filled_dict # => True 1 in filled_dict # => False # Looking up a non-existing key is a KeyError filled_dict["four"] # KeyError # Use "get()" method to avoid the KeyError filled_dict.get("one") # => 1 filled_dict.get("four") # => None # The get method supports a default argument when the value is missing filled_dict.get("one", 4) # => 1 filled_dict.get("four", 4) # => 4 # note that filled_dict.get("four") is still => None # (get doesn't set the value in the dictionary) # set the value of a key with a syntax similar to lists filled_dict["four"] = 4 # now, filled_dict["four"] => 4 # "setdefault()" inserts into a dictionary only if the given key isn't present filled_dict.setdefault("five", 5) # filled_dict["five"] is set to 5 filled_dict.setdefault("five", 6) # filled_dict["five"] is still 5 # Sets store ... well sets (which are like lists but can contain no duplicates) empty_set = set() # Initialize a "set()" with a bunch of values some_set = set([1, 2, 2, 3, 4]) # some_set is now set([1, 2, 3, 4]) # order is not guaranteed, even though it may sometimes look sorted another_set = set([4, 3, 2, 2, 1]) # another_set is now set([1, 2, 3, 4]) # Since Python 2.7, {} can be used to declare a set filled_set = {1, 2, 2, 3, 4} # => {1, 2, 3, 4} # Add more items to a set filled_set.add(5) # filled_set is now {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} # Do set intersection with & other_set = {3, 4, 5, 6} filled_set & other_set # => {3, 4, 5} # Do set union with | filled_set | other_set # => {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} # Do set difference with - {1, 2, 3, 4} - {2, 3, 5} # => {1, 4} # Do set symmetric difference with ^ {1, 2, 3, 4} ^ {2, 3, 5} # => {1, 4, 5} # Check if set on the left is a superset of set on the right {1, 2} >= {1, 2, 3} # => False # Check if set on the left is a subset of set on the right {1, 2} <= {1, 2, 3} # => True # Check for existence in a set with in 2 in filled_set # => True 10 in filled_set # => False #################################################### ## 3. Control Flow #################################################### # Let's just make a variable some_var = 5 # Here is an if statement. Indentation is significant in python! # prints "some_var is smaller than 10" if some_var > 10: print "some_var is totally bigger than 10." elif some_var < 10: # This elif clause is optional. print "some_var is smaller than 10." else: # This is optional too. print "some_var is indeed 10." """ For loops iterate over lists prints: dog is a mammal cat is a mammal mouse is a mammal """ for animal in ["dog", "cat", "mouse"]: # You can use {0} to interpolate formatted strings. (See above.) print "{0} is a mammal".format(animal) """ "range(number)" returns a list of numbers from zero to the given number prints: 0 1 2 3 """ for i in range(4): print i """ "range(lower, upper)" returns a list of numbers from the lower number to the upper number prints: 4 5 6 7 """ for i in range(4, 8): print i """ While loops go until a condition is no longer met. prints: 0 1 2 3 """ x = 0 while x < 4: print x x += 1 # Shorthand for x = x + 1 # Handle exceptions with a try/except block # Works on Python 2.6 and up: try: # Use "raise" to raise an error raise IndexError("This is an index error") except IndexError as e: pass # Pass is just a no-op. Usually you would do recovery here. except (TypeError, NameError): pass # Multiple exceptions can be handled together, if required. else: # Optional clause to the try/except block. Must follow all except blocks print "All good!" # Runs only if the code in try raises no exceptions finally: # Execute under all circumstances print "We can clean up resources here" # Instead of try/finally to cleanup resources you can use a with statement with open("myfile.txt") as f: for line in f: print line #################################################### ## 4. Functions #################################################### # Use "def" to create new functions def add(x, y): print "x is {0} and y is {1}".format(x, y) return x + y # Return values with a return statement # Calling functions with parameters add(5, 6) # => prints out "x is 5 and y is 6" and returns 11 # Another way to call functions is with keyword arguments add(y=6, x=5) # Keyword arguments can arrive in any order. # You can define functions that take a variable number of # positional args, which will be interpreted as a tuple by using * def varargs(*args): return args varargs(1, 2, 3) # => (1, 2, 3) # You can define functions that take a variable number of # keyword args, as well, which will be interpreted as a dict by using ** def keyword_args(**kwargs): return kwargs # Let's call it to see what happens keyword_args(big="foot", loch="ness") # => {"big": "foot", "loch": "ness"} # You can do both at once, if you like def all_the_args(*args, **kwargs): print args print kwargs """ all_the_args(1, 2, a=3, b=4) prints: (1, 2) {"a": 3, "b": 4} """ # When calling functions, you can do the opposite of args/kwargs! # Use * to expand positional args and use ** to expand keyword args. args = (1, 2, 3, 4) kwargs = {"a": 3, "b": 4} all_the_args(*args) # equivalent to foo(1, 2, 3, 4) all_the_args(**kwargs) # equivalent to foo(a=3, b=4) all_the_args(*args, **kwargs) # equivalent to foo(1, 2, 3, 4, a=3, b=4) # you can pass args and kwargs along to other functions that take args/kwargs # by expanding them with * and ** respectively def pass_all_the_args(*args, **kwargs): all_the_args(*args, **kwargs) print varargs(*args) print keyword_args(**kwargs) # Function Scope x = 5 def set_x(num): # Local var x not the same as global variable x x = num # => 43 print x # => 43 def set_global_x(num): global x print x # => 5 x = num # global var x is now set to 6 print x # => 6 set_x(43) set_global_x(6) # Python has first class functions def create_adder(x): def adder(y): return x + y return adder add_10 = create_adder(10) add_10(3) # => 13 # There are also anonymous functions (lambda x: x > 2)(3) # => True (lambda x, y: x ** 2 + y ** 2)(2, 1) # => 5 # There are built-in higher order functions map(add_10, [1, 2, 3]) # => [11, 12, 13] map(max, [1, 2, 3], [4, 2, 1]) # => [4, 2, 3] filter(lambda x: x > 5, [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]) # => [6, 7] # We can use list comprehensions for nice maps and filters [add_10(i) for i in [1, 2, 3]] # => [11, 12, 13] [x for x in [3, 4, 5, 6, 7] if x > 5] # => [6, 7] # You can construct set and dict comprehensions as well. {x for x in 'abcddeef' if x in 'abc'} # => {'a', 'b', 'c'} {x: x**2 for x in range(5)} # => {0: 0, 1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 4: 16} #################################################### ## 5. Classes #################################################### # We subclass from object to get a class. class Human(object): # A class attribute. It is shared by all instances of this class species = "H. sapiens" # Basic initializer, this is called when this class is instantiated. # Note that the double leading and trailing underscores denote objects # or attributes that are used by python but that live in user-controlled # namespaces. You should not invent such names on your own. def __init__(self, name): # Assign the argument to the instance's name attribute self.name = name # Initialize property self.age = 0 # An instance method. All methods take "self" as the first argument def say(self, msg): return "{0}: {1}".format(self.name, msg) # A class method is shared among all instances # They are called with the calling class as the first argument @classmethod def get_species(cls): return cls.species # A static method is called without a class or instance reference @staticmethod def grunt(): return "*grunt*" # A property is just like a getter. # It turns the method age() into an read-only attribute # of the same name. @property def age(self): return self._age # This allows the property to be set @age.setter def age(self, age): self._age = age # This allows the property to be deleted @age.deleter def age(self): del self._age # Instantiate a class i = Human(name="Ian") print i.say("hi") # prints out "Ian: hi" j = Human("Joel") print j.say("hello") # prints out "Joel: hello" # Call our class method i.get_species() # => "H. sapiens" # Change the shared attribute Human.species = "H. neanderthalensis" i.get_species() # => "H. neanderthalensis" j.get_species() # => "H. neanderthalensis" # Call the static method Human.grunt() # => "*grunt*" # Update the property i.age = 42 # Get the property i.age # => 42 # Delete the property del i.age i.age # => raises an AttributeError #################################################### ## 6. Modules #################################################### # You can import modules import math print math.sqrt(16) # => 4 # You can get specific functions from a module from math import ceil, floor print ceil(3.7) # => 4.0 print floor(3.7) # => 3.0 # You can import all functions from a module. # Warning: this is not recommended from math import * # You can shorten module names import math as m math.sqrt(16) == m.sqrt(16) # => True # you can also test that the functions are equivalent from math import sqrt math.sqrt == m.sqrt == sqrt # => True # Python modules are just ordinary python files. You # can write your own, and import them. The name of the # module is the same as the name of the file. # You can find out which functions and attributes # defines a module. import math dir(math) # If you have a Python script named math.py in the same # folder as your current script, the file math.py will # be loaded instead of the built-in Python module. # This happens because the local folder has priority # over Python's built-in libraries. #################################################### ## 7. Advanced #################################################### # Generators # A generator "generates" values as they are requested instead of storing # everything up front # The following method (*NOT* a generator) will double all values and store it # in `double_arr`. For large size of iterables, that might get huge! def double_numbers(iterable): double_arr = [] for i in iterable: double_arr.append(i + i) # Running the following would mean we'll double all values first and return all # of them back to be checked by our condition for value in double_numbers(range(1000000)): # `test_non_generator` print value if value > 5: break # We could instead use a generator to "generate" the doubled value as the item # is being requested def double_numbers_generator(iterable): for i in iterable: yield i + i # Running the same code as before, but with a generator, now allows us to iterate # over the values and doubling them one by one as they are being consumed by # our logic. Hence as soon as we see a value > 5, we break out of the # loop and don't need to double most of the values sent in (MUCH FASTER!) for value in double_numbers_generator(xrange(1000000)): # `test_generator` print value if value > 5: break # BTW: did you notice the use of `range` in `test_non_generator` and `xrange` in `test_generator`? # Just as `double_numbers_generator` is the generator version of `double_numbers` # We have `xrange` as the generator version of `range` # `range` would return back and array with 1000000 values for us to use # `xrange` would generate 1000000 values for us as we request / iterate over those items # Just as you can create a list comprehension, you can create generator # comprehensions as well. values = (-x for x in [1,2,3,4,5]) for x in values: print(x) # prints -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 to console/terminal # You can also cast a generator comprehension directly to a list. values = (-x for x in [1,2,3,4,5]) gen_to_list = list(values) print(gen_to_list) # => [-1, -2, -3, -4, -5] # Decorators # in this example beg wraps say # Beg will call say. If say_please is True then it will change the returned # message from functools import wraps def beg(target_function): @wraps(target_function) def wrapper(*args, **kwargs): msg, say_please = target_function(*args, **kwargs) if say_please: return "{} {}".format(msg, "Please! I am poor :(") return msg return wrapper @beg def say(say_please=False): msg = "Can you buy me a beer?" return msg, say_please print say() # Can you buy me a beer? print say(say_please=True) # Can you buy me a beer? Please! I am poor :( ``` ## Ready For More? ### Free Online * [Automate the Boring Stuff with Python](https://automatetheboringstuff.com) * [Learn Python The Hard Way](http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/) * [Dive Into Python](http://www.diveintopython.net/) * [The Official Docs](http://docs.python.org/2/) * [Hitchhiker's Guide to Python](http://docs.python-guide.org/en/latest/) * [Python Module of the Week](http://pymotw.com/2/) * [A Crash Course in Python for Scientists](http://nbviewer.ipython.org/5920182) * [First Steps With Python](https://realpython.com/learn/python-first-steps/) * [LearnPython](http://www.learnpython.org/) * [Fullstack Python](https://www.fullstackpython.com/) ### Dead Tree * [Programming Python](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596158106/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0596158106&linkCode=as2&tag=homebits04-20) * [Dive Into Python](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1441413022/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1441413022&linkCode=as2&tag=homebits04-20) * [Python Essential Reference](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0672329786/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0672329786&linkCode=as2&tag=homebits04-20)