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Learning Python, 4th Edition

Release Date: October 2009

Pages: 1216

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Google and YouTube use Python because it's highly adaptable, easy to maintain, and allows for rapid development. If you want to write high-quality, efficient code that's easily integrated with other languages and tools, this hands-on book will help you be productive with Python quickly -- whether you're new to programming or just new to Python. It's an easy-to-follow self-paced tutorial, based on author and Python expert Mark Lutz's popular training course.

Each chapter contains a stand-alone lesson on a key component of the language, and includes a unique Test Your Knowledge section with practical exercises and quizzes, so you can practice new skills and test your understanding as you go. You'll find lots of annotated examples and illustrations to help you get started with Python 3.0.

Learn about Python's major built-in object types, such as numbers, lists, and dictionaries Create and process objects using Python statements, and learn Python's general syntax model Structure and reuse code using functions, Python's basic procedural tool Learn about Python modules: packages of statements, functions, and other tools, organized into larger components Discover Python's object-oriented programming tool for structuring code Learn about the exception-handling model, and development tools for writing larger programs Explore advanced Python tools including decorators, descriptors, metaclasses, and Unicode processing

Getting Started
1. Chapter 1 A Python Q&A Session
  1. Why Do People Use Python?
  2. Is Python a “Scripting Language”?
  3. OK, but What’s the Downside?
  4. Who Uses Python Today?
  5. What Can I Do with Python?
  6. How Is Python Supported?
  7. What Are Python’s Technical Strengths?
  8. How Does Python Stack Up to Language X?
  9. Chapter Summary
  10. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 2 How Python Runs Programs
  1. Introducing the Python Interpreter
  2. Program Execution
  3. Execution Model Variations
  4. Chapter Summary
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 3 How You Run Programs
  1. The Interactive Prompt
  2. System Command Lines and Files
  3. Clicking File Icons
  4. Module Imports and Reloads
  5. Using exec to Run Module Files
  6. The IDLE User Interface
  7. Other IDEs
  8. Other Launch Options
  9. Which Option Should I Use?
  10. Chapter Summary
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  12. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  13. Test Your Knowledge: Part I Exercises
Types and Operations
1. Chapter 4 Introducing Python Object Types
  1. Why Use Built-in Types?
  2. Numbers
  3. Strings
  4. Lists
  5. Dictionaries
  6. Tuples
  7. Files
  8. Other Core Types
  9. Chapter Summary
  10. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 5 Numeric Types
  1. Numeric Type Basics
  2. Numbers in Action
  3. Other Numeric Types
  4. Numeric Extensions
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 6 The Dynamic Typing Interlude
  1. The Case of the Missing Declaration Statements
  2. Shared References
  3. Dynamic Typing Is Everywhere
  4. Chapter Summary
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 7 Strings
  1. String Literals
  2. Strings in Action
  3. String Methods
  4. String Formatting Expressions
  5. String Formatting Method Calls
  6. General Type Categories
  7. Chapter Summary
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
5. Chapter 8 Lists and Dictionaries
  1. Lists
  2. Lists in Action
  3. Dictionaries
  4. Dictionaries in Action
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
6. Chapter 9 Tuples, Files, and Everything Else
  1. Tuples
  2. Files
  3. Type Categories Revisited
  4. Object Flexibility
  5. References Versus Copies
  6. Comparisons, Equality, and Truth
  7. Python’s Type Hierarchies
  8. Other Types in Python
  9. Built-in Type Gotchas
  10. Chapter Summary
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  12. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  13. Test Your Knowledge: Part II Exercises
Statements and Syntax
1. Chapter 10 Introducing Python Statements
  1. Python Program Structure Revisited
  2. A Tale of Two ifs
  3. A Quick Example: Interactive Loops
  4. Chapter Summary
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 11 Assignments, Expressions, and Prints
  1. Assignment Statements
  2. Expression Statements
  3. Print Operations
  4. Chapter Summary
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 12 if Tests and Syntax Rules
  1. if Statements
  2. Python Syntax Rules
  3. Truth Tests
  4. The if/else Ternary Expression
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 13 while and for Loops
  1. while Loops
  2. break, continue, pass, and the Loop else
  3. for Loops
  4. Loop Coding Techniques
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
5. Chapter 14 Iterations and Comprehensions, Part 1
  1. Iterators: A First Look
  2. List Comprehensions: A First Look
  3. Other Iteration Contexts
  4. New Iterables in Python 3.0
  5. Other Iterator Topics
  6. Chapter Summary
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
6. Chapter 15 The Documentation Interlude
  1. Python Documentation Sources
  2. Common Coding Gotchas
  3. Chapter Summary
  4. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Part III Exercises
Functions
1. Chapter 16 Function Basics
  1. Why Use Functions?
  2. Coding Functions
  3. A First Example: Definitions and Calls
  4. A Second Example: Intersecting Sequences
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 17 Scopes
  1. Python Scope Basics
  2. The global Statement
  3. Scopes and Nested Functions
  4. The nonlocal Statement
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 18 Arguments
  1. Argument-Passing Basics
  2. Special Argument-Matching Modes
  3. The min Wakeup Call!
  4. Generalized Set Functions
  5. Emulating the Python 3.0 print Function
  6. Chapter Summary
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 19 Advanced Function Topics
  1. Function Design Concepts
  2. Recursive Functions
  3. Function Objects: Attributes and Annotations
  4. Anonymous Functions: lambda
  5. Mapping Functions over Sequences: map
  6. Functional Programming Tools: filter and reduce
  7. Chapter Summary
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
5. Chapter 20 Iterations and Comprehensions, Part 2
  1. List Comprehensions Revisited: Functional Tools
  2. Iterators Revisited: Generators
  3. 3.0 Comprehension Syntax Summary
  4. Timing Iteration Alternatives
  5. Function Gotchas
  6. Chapter Summary
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Part IV Exercises
Modules
1. Chapter 21 Modules: The Big Picture
  1. Why Use Modules?
  2. Python Program Architecture
  3. How Imports Work
  4. The Module Search Path
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 22 Module Coding Basics
  1. Module Creation
  2. Module Usage
  3. Module Namespaces
  4. Reloading Modules
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 23 Module Packages
  1. Package Import Basics
  2. Package Import Example
  3. Why Use Package Imports?
  4. Package Relative Imports
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 24 Advanced Module Topics
  1. Data Hiding in Modules
  2. Enabling Future Language Features
  3. Mixed Usage Modes: __name__ and __main__
  4. Changing the Module Search Path
  5. The as Extension for import and from
  6. Modules Are Objects: Metaprograms
  7. Importing Modules by Name String
  8. Transitive Module Reloads
  9. Module Design Concepts
  10. Module Gotchas
  11. Chapter Summary
  12. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  13. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  14. Test Your Knowledge: Part V Exercises
Classes and OOP
1. Chapter 25 OOP: The Big Picture
  1. Why Use Classes?
  2. OOP from 30,000 Feet
  3. Chapter Summary
  4. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 26 Class Coding Basics
  1. Classes Generate Multiple Instance Objects
  2. Classes Are Customized by Inheritance
  3. Classes Can Intercept Python Operators
  4. The World’s Simplest Python Class
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 27 A More Realistic Example
  1. Step 1: Making Instances
  2. Step 2: Adding Behavior Methods
  3. Step 3: Operator Overloading
  4. Step 4: Customizing Behavior by Subclassing
  5. Step 5: Customizing Constructors, Too
  6. Step 6: Using Introspection Tools
  7. Step 7 (Final): Storing Objects in a Database
  8. Future Directions
  9. Chapter Summary
  10. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 28 Class Coding Details
  1. The class Statement
  2. Methods
  3. Inheritance
  4. Namespaces: The Whole Story
  5. Documentation Strings Revisited
  6. Classes Versus Modules
  7. Chapter Summary
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
5. Chapter 29 Operator Overloading
  1. The Basics
  2. Indexing and Slicing: __getitem__ and __setitem__
  3. Index Iteration: __getitem__
  4. Iterator Objects: __iter__ and __next__
  5. Membership: __contains__, __iter__, and __getitem__
  6. Attribute Reference: __getattr__ and __setattr__
  7. String Representation: __repr__ and __str__
  8. Right-Side and In-Place Addition: __radd__ and __iadd__
  9. Call Expressions: __call__
  10. Comparisons: __lt__, __gt__, and Others
  11. Boolean Tests: __bool__ and __len__
  12. Object Destruction: __del__
  13. Chapter Summary
  14. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  15. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
6. Chapter 30 Designing with Classes
  1. Python and OOP
  2. OOP and Inheritance: “Is-a” Relationships
  3. OOP and Composition: “Has-a” Relationships
  4. OOP and Delegation: “Wrapper” Objects
  5. Pseudoprivate Class Attributes
  6. Methods Are Objects: Bound or Unbound
  7. Multiple Inheritance: “Mix-in” Classes
  8. Classes Are Objects: Generic Object Factories
  9. Other Design-Related Topics
  10. Chapter Summary
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  12. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
7. Chapter 31 Advanced Class Topics
  1. Extending Built-in Types
  2. The “New-Style” Class Model
  3. New-Style Class Changes
  4. New-Style Class Extensions
  5. Static and Class Methods
  6. Decorators and Metaclasses: Part 1
  7. Class Gotchas
  8. Chapter Summary
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  10. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Part VI Exercises
Exceptions and Tools
1. Chapter 32 Exception Basics
  1. Why Use Exceptions?
  2. Exceptions: The Short Story
  3. Chapter Summary
  4. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  5. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 33 Exception Coding Details
  1. The try/except/else Statement
  2. The try/finally Statement
  3. Unified try/except/finally
  4. The raise Statement
  5. The assert Statement
  6. with/as Context Managers
  7. Chapter Summary
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
3. Chapter 34 Exception Objects
  1. Exceptions: Back to the Future
  2. Why Exception Hierarchies?
  3. Built-in Exception Classes
  4. Custom Print Displays
  5. Custom Data and Behavior
  6. Chapter Summary
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 35 Designing with Exceptions
  1. Nesting Exception Handlers
  2. Exception Idioms
  3. Exception Design Tips and Gotchas
  4. Core Language Summary
  5. Chapter Summary
  6. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Part VII Exercises
Advanced Topics
1. Chapter 36 Unicode and Byte Strings
  1. String Changes in 3.0
  2. String Basics
  3. Python 3.0 Strings in Action
  4. Coding Unicode Strings
  5. Using 3.0 Bytes Objects
  6. Using 3.0 (and 2.6) bytearray Objects
  7. Using Text and Binary Files
  8. Using Unicode Files
  9. Other String Tool Changes in 3.0
  10. Chapter Summary
  11. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  12. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
2. Chapter 37 Managed Attributes
  1. Why Manage Attributes?
  2. Properties
  3. Descriptors
  4. __getattr__ and __getattribute__
  5. Example: Attribute Validations
  6. Chapter Summary
  7. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
3. Chapter 38 Decorators
  1. What’s a Decorator?
  2. The Basics
  3. Coding Function Decorators
  4. Coding Class Decorators
  5. Managing Functions and Classes Directly
  6. Example: “Private” and “Public” Attributes
  7. Example: Validating Function Arguments
  8. Chapter Summary
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  10. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
4. Chapter 39 Metaclasses
  1. To Metaclass or Not to Metaclass
  2. The Metaclass Model
  3. Declaring Metaclasses
  4. Coding Metaclasses
  5. Example: Adding Methods to Classes
  6. Example: Applying Decorators to Methods
  7. Chapter Summary
  8. Test Your Knowledge: Quiz
  9. Test Your Knowledge: Answers
Appendixes
1. Appendix Installation and Configuration
  1. Installing the Python Interpreter
  2. Configuring Python
  3. For More Help
2. Appendix Solutions to End-of-Part Exercises
  1. Part I, Getting Started
  2. Part II, Types and Operations
  3. Part III, Statements and Syntax
  4. Part IV, Functions
  5. Part V, Modules
  6. Part VI, Classes and OOP
  7. Part VII, Exceptions and Tools

Colophon

Books & Videos

Learning Python, 4th Edition

Read on Safari with a 10-day trial

Table of Contents

Getting Started

Chapter 1 A Python Q&A Session

Chapter 2 How Python Runs Programs

Chapter 3 How You Run Programs

Types and Operations

Chapter 4 Introducing Python Object Types

Chapter 5 Numeric Types

Chapter 6 The Dynamic Typing Interlude

Chapter 7 Strings

Chapter 8 Lists and Dictionaries

Chapter 9 Tuples, Files, and Everything Else

Statements and Syntax

Chapter 10 Introducing Python Statements

Chapter 11 Assignments, Expressions, and Prints

Chapter 12 if Tests and Syntax Rules

Chapter 13 while and for Loops

Chapter 14 Iterations and Comprehensions, Part 1

Chapter 15 The Documentation Interlude

Functions

Chapter 16 Function Basics

Chapter 17 Scopes

Chapter 18 Arguments

Chapter 19 Advanced Function Topics

Chapter 20 Iterations and Comprehensions, Part 2

Modules

Chapter 21 Modules: The Big Picture

Chapter 22 Module Coding Basics

Chapter 23 Module Packages

Chapter 24 Advanced Module Topics

Classes and OOP

Chapter 25 OOP: The Big Picture

Chapter 26 Class Coding Basics

Chapter 27 A More Realistic Example

Chapter 28 Class Coding Details

Chapter 29 Operator Overloading

Chapter 30 Designing with Classes

Chapter 31 Advanced Class Topics

Exceptions and Tools

Chapter 32 Exception Basics

Chapter 33 Exception Coding Details

Chapter 34 Exception Objects

Chapter 35 Designing with Exceptions

Advanced Topics

Chapter 36 Unicode and Byte Strings

Chapter 37 Managed Attributes

Chapter 38 Decorators

Chapter 39 Metaclasses

Appendixes

Appendix Installation and Configuration

Appendix Solutions to End-of-Part Exercises

Colophon