Python is probably one of the few programming languages which is both simple and powerful. This is good for beginners as well as for experts, and more importantly, is fun to program with. Python reflects a number of growing trends in software development, putting it at or near the leading edge of good programming languages.

It is a very simple language surrounded by a vast library of add-on modules. It is an open source project, supported by many individuals. It is an object-oriented language, binding data and processing into class definitions. It is a platform independent, scripted language, with complete access to operating system API's. It supports integration of complex solutions from pre-built components. It is a dynamic language, which avoids many of the complexities and overheads of compiled languages.

This book aims to help you learn this wonderful language and show how to get things done quickly and painlessly. This book is a complete presentation of the Python language. It is oriented toward learning, which involves accumulating many closely intertwined concepts. We will lead you from a very tiny, easy to understand subset of statements to the entire Python language and all of the built-in data structures. We have also found that doing a number of exercises helps internalize each language concept.

The aim is that if all you know about computers is how to save text files, then you can learn Python from this book. If you have previous programming experience, then you can also learn Python from this book.If you do have previous programming experience, you will be interested in the differences between Python and your favorite programming language - we have highlighted many such differences. A little warning though, Python is soon going to become your favorite programming language!