What is Python?

Reasons to learn Python programming

• Python is a powerful yet easy-to-use programming language developed by Guido van Rossum, first released in 1991. 
• With Python, you can quickly write a small project. But Python also scales up nicely and can be used for mission-critical, commercial applications. 
• Even though Guido van Rossum named Python after the group, the official mascot of the language has become the python snake. (Which is really for the best, since it would be pretty hard to fit six British comedians’ faces on a program icon anyway.) 
• There are a lot of programming languages out there. What’s so great about Python? Let me tell you.

Python Is Easy to Use 

• The major goal of any programming language is to bridge the gap between the programmer’s brain and the computer. 
• Python is also a cross-platform compatible language. So, what does this mean? Well, you can install and run Python on several operating systems. Whether you have a Windows, Mac or Linux, you can rest assure that Python will work on all these operating systems.
• Most of the popular languages you’ve probably heard of, like Visual Basic, C#, and Java, are considered high-level languages, which means that they’re closer to human language than machine language. And they are. 
• But Python, with its clear and simple rules, is even closer to English. Creating Python programs is so straightforward that it’s been called “programming at the speed of thought.” 
• Python’s ease of use translates into productivity for professional programmers. Python programs are shorter and take less time to create than programs in many other popular languages.

Python Is Powerful 

• Python has all the power you’d expect from a modern programming language. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to write programs that employ a GUI, process files, and use a variety of data structures. 
• Python is powerful enough to attract developers from around the world as well as companies such as Google, IBM, Industrial Light + Magic, Microsoft, NASA, Red Hat, Verizon, Xerox, and Yahoo!. 
• Python is also used as a tool by professional game programmers. Electronic Arts, 2K Games, and the Disney Interactive Media Group all publish games that incorporate Python.