Python Tutorial - Release 3.7.0

Nov 2, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa

Python Tutorial provides a structured, introductory path from running the interpreter to building core programming capability. It covers informal Python basics, control flow with conditions and loops, key data structures (lists, tuples, sets, dictionaries), functions and coding style. It then expands into modules, packages, input/output operations, and practical error handling including syntax errors and exceptions. A comprehensive walkthrough of classes and a tour of the standard library follow.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages155

Reading Time6 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Whetting Your Appetite

Using the Python Interpreter

Invoking the Interpreter

The Interpreter and Its Environment

An Informal Introduction to Python

Using Python as a Calculator

First Steps Towards Programming

More Control Flow Tools

if Statements

for Statements

The range() Function

break and continue Statements, and else Clauses on Loops

pass Statements

Defining Functions

More on Modules

Standard Modules

The dir() Function

Packages

Input and Output

Fancier Output Formatting

Reading and Writing Files

Errors and Exceptions

Syntax Errors

Exceptions

Handling Exceptions

Raising Exceptions

User-defined Exceptions

Defining Clean-up Actions

Predefined Clean-up Actions

Classes

A Word About Names and Objects

Python Scopes and Namespaces

A First Look at Classes

Random Remarks

Inheritance

Private Variables

Odds and Ends

Iterators

Generators

Generator Expressions

Brief Tour of the Standard Library

Operating System Interface

File Wildcards

Command Line Arguments

Error Output Redirection and Program Termination

String Pattern Matching

Mathematics

Internet Access

Dates and Times

Data Compression

Performance Measurement

Quality Control

Batteries Included

Python Tutorial Release 3.7.0 Guido van Rossum and the Python development team September 02, 2018 Python Software Foundation Email: [docs@python.org](docs@python.org) CONTENTS 1 Whetting Your Appetite 3 2 Using the Python Interpreter 5 2.1 Invoking the Interpreter ....................................... 5 2.2 The Interpreter and Its Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3 An Informal Introduction to Python 9 3.1 Using Python as a Calculator .................................... 9 3.2 First Steps Towards Programming ................................. 16 4 More Control Flow Tools 19 4.1 if Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4.2 for Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4.3 The range() Function ....................................... 20 4.4 break and continue Statements, and else Clauses on Loops .................. 21 4.5 pass Statements ........................................... 22 4.6 Deﬁning Functions .......................................... 22 4.7 More on Deﬁning Functions ..................................... 24 4.8 Intermezzo: Coding Style ...................................... 29 5 Data Structures 31 5. 1 More on Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 5.2 The del statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 5.3 Tuples and Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 5.4 Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 5.5 Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 5.6 Looping Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 5.7 More on Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 5.8 Comparing Sequences and Other Types .............................. 40 6 Modules 43 6. 1 More on Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 6.2 Standard Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 6.3 The dir() Function ......................................... 47 6.4 Packages ............................................... 48 7 Input and Output 53 7.1 Fancier Output Formatting ..................................... 53 7.2 Reading and Writing Files ..................................... 57 8 Errors and Exceptions 61 8.1 Syntax Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 8.2 Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 8.3 Handling Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 8.4 Raising Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 8.5 User-deﬁned Exceptions ....................................... 65 8.6 Deﬁning Clean-up Actions ..................................... 66 8.7 Predeﬁned Clean-up Actions .................................... 66 9 Classes 69 9.1 A Word About Names and Objects ................................ 69 9.2 Python Scopes and Namespaces .................................. 69 9.3 A First Look at Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 9.4 Random Remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 9.5 Inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 9.6 Private Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FAQs

What does the tutorial cover when starting with Python?

It begins with using the Python interpreter and includes an informal introduction using Python as a calculator and for early programming steps.

Which topics are included in control flow and decision-making?

It explains if statements, for statements, the range() function, loop controls like break and continue, and pass statements, along with loop else clauses.

How does the tutorial handle errors and exceptions?

It covers syntax errors, general exceptions, handling exceptions, raising exceptions, user-defined exceptions, and defining cleanup actions.

Nov 2, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa