What is Python? | Python Explained in 2 Minutes For BEGINNERS.

Summary

Python, created by Guido van Rossum in 1991, is a versatile, general-purpose programming language ideal for machine learning, data analysis, and web development. Known for its readability and simplicity, Python is beginner-friendly and has a strong job market, with high demand for developers. The language is interpreted, which facilitates rapid development but may affect execution speed. For those new to programming, Python is recommended alongside JavaScript, and resources like 'Zero to Mastery's Complete Python Developer Bootcamp' can help beginners master it.

Takeaways

• 🐍 Python is a widely-used, general-purpose programming language.
• 🗓️ Python was created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991.
• 🧘 The Zen of Python provides guiding principles for using Python effectively.
• 👀 Python's syntax is highly readable, emphasizing simplicity.
• 🤖 It's versatile, suitable for machine learning, data analysis, web development, and more.
• 💾 Python is an interpreted language, with code converted into bytecode by the Python virtual machine.
• 🚀 Python's development speed is fast due to its interpreted nature, though execution might be slower.
• 🌱 Beginner-friendly, Python is recommended for those new to web development.
• 🔥 Python developers are in high demand, with many job postings available.
• 🎓 For learning Python, consider courses like 'Zero to Mastery's Complete Python Developer Bootcamp'.

Q & A

What is Python and when was it created?

Python is a prevalent general-purpose programming language often used for machine learning and data analysis. It was created by Guido van Rossum and first released on February 20th, 1991.

What is the Zen of Python and when was it released?

The Zen of Python is a guiding set of principles for using Python effectively. It was released in 1999.

Why is Python considered readable and simple?

Python is considered readable and simple because it follows the principle stated in the Zen of Python that 'simple is better than complex,' making the language easy to understand and use.

What are some of the various tasks Python can handle?

Python can handle a multitude of different tasks including machine learning, data analytics, web development, testing, and more.

How does one get started with Python?

To get started with Python, one can download it from the official getting started page, create a file with a '.py' extension, and begin by writing a simple 'print hello world' program.

What is the difference between an interpreted and a compiled language, and which category does Python fall into?

Python is an interpreted language, meaning the source code is converted into bytecode and then executed by the Python virtual machine, as opposed to compiled languages where the code is directly compiled and executed.

Why is Python recommended for beginners in web development?

Python is recommended for beginners in web development because it is beginner-friendly, versatile, and allows for the accomplishment of many different tasks with just one language.

How in-demand are Python developers in the job market?

Python developers are extremely in demand, with 36,000 job postings for entry-level Python developers on ZipRecruiter at the time of the script.

What is the 'zero to mastery' course mentioned in the script, and what does it offer?

The 'zero to mastery' course is a complete Python developer bootcamp that takes learners from beginner to expert level in Python, one of the most relevant languages in the world of development.

What is the significance of the '.py' extension in Python files?

The '.py' extension signifies that a file is a Python module, which is the standard way to denote Python source code files.

Outlines

00:00

🐍 Introduction to Python

This paragraph introduces Python, a widely-used general-purpose programming language, particularly popular for machine learning and data analysis. It was created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991. Python is known for its readability and simplicity, as emphasized by the 'Zen of Python'. The language's versatility allows it to be used in various fields including web development, testing, and more. The paragraph also touches on Python's status as an interpreted language, its beginner-friendliness, and the high demand for Python developers in the job market.

Keywords

💡Python

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language known for its readability and ease of use. It was created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991. In the video, Python is highlighted as a prevalent language for various applications, including machine learning, data analysis, and web development. It is praised for its simplicity, which aligns with the 'Zen of Python' principle that 'simple is better than complex'.

💡Guido van Rossum

Guido van Rossum is the Dutch programmer who is the creator of the Python programming language. He is often referred to as the 'Benevolent Dictator For Life' (BDFL), reflecting his historical role in guiding the development of Python. The video mentions van Rossum as the person who first released Python, emphasizing his foundational contribution to the language.

💡Zen of Python

The Zen of Python is a collection of 19 aphorisms that outline the philosophy and guiding principles for writing Python code. It emphasizes simplicity, readability, and the idea that 'beautiful is better than ugly.' In the video, the Zen of Python is mentioned as a set of principles that influence how Python is used and appreciated for its simplicity and elegance.

💡Interpreted Language

An interpreted language is one where the source code is executed line by line by an interpreter, rather than being pre-compiled into machine code. Python is described as an interpreted language in the video, which means that Python code is converted into bytecode that is then executed by the Python virtual machine. This characteristic makes Python development fast but may result in slower execution compared to compiled languages.

💡Bytecode

Bytecode is an intermediate representation of the source code that is generated by the compiler and executed by a virtual machine. In the context of Python, bytecode is the form that Python source code is converted into before being executed by the Python virtual machine. The video mentions bytecode to explain how Python's interpreted nature impacts its development speed and execution speed.

💡Readability

Readability in programming refers to how easily humans can understand the code. Python is renowned for its readability, which is one of the reasons it is so popular. The video emphasizes Python's readability by stating that 'simple is better than complex,' which is a direct quote from the Zen of Python, showcasing how Python's design philosophy prioritizes human understanding.

💡Machine Learning

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that involves algorithms that learn from and make predictions on data. The video mentions Python's application in machine learning, highlighting its versatility and the fact that it is a preferred language for many data scientists due to its powerful libraries and frameworks that facilitate machine learning tasks.

💡Data Analysis

Data analysis is the process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to extract useful information, draw conclusions, or support decision-making. Python is noted in the video as a prevalent language for data analysis, indicating its suitability for handling large datasets and performing complex data manipulations and statistical analyses.

💡Web Development

Web development is the process of creating websites and web applications. The video suggests that Python is also used for web development, which is true due to its extensive libraries and frameworks like Django and Flask that simplify the process of building web applications.

💡Job Market

The job market refers to the demand for professionals in a particular field. The video mentions the high demand for Python developers in the job market, with 36,000 job postings for entry-level Python developers on ZipRecruiter at the time of the video. This highlights Python's relevance and the career opportunities available for those who learn the language.

💡Zero to Mastery

Zero to Mastery is a learning platform mentioned in the video that offers a complete Python developer bootcamp course. The course is designed to take learners from a beginner level to an expert level in Python, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the training and the potential for learners to fully master the language.

Highlights

Python is a prevalent general-purpose programming language.

Often used for machine learning and data analysis.

Python was created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991.

The Zen of Python provides guiding principles for using Python.

Python is known for its readability, emphasizing simplicity.

Python can handle a variety of tasks, from machine learning to web development.

Python is an interpreted language, with source code converted into bytecode.

Python's development is fast, but execution may not be as quick due to its interpreted nature.

Python is beginner-friendly, making it a good choice for new developers.

Python's versatility allows it to perform many tasks with a single language.

Python developers are in high demand, with numerous job postings available.

To get started with Python, download it from the official website and create a .py file.

Python's influence is compared to the popularity of the Backstreet Boys in 1997.

The 'print hello world' example is a traditional first step in learning Python.

Learning Python can lead to a career in web development or other tech fields.

Zero to Mastery offers a complete Python developer bootcamp course.

Transcripts

let's talk about python what is it how

does it work and how you can get started

today all of that and more in two

minutes start the timer

python is a prevalent general purpose

programming language often used for

machine learning and data analysis

python was created by Guido van Rossum

and was first released on February 20th

1991. this language is so influential

that in 1999 the Zen of python was

released which is a guiding set of

principles for using python in the

upmost Mr Miyagi way there are numerous

reasons why this language is hotter than

the Backstreet Boys were in 1997. the

first being that python is very readable

like it states in the Zen of python

simple is better than complex and that's

exactly what the language mirrors python

can also handle a multitude of different

jobs for machine learning to data

analytics web development testing and so

on there is no need to debate how great

this language is but how can we use it

you can download python on the official

getting started with python page once

downloaded creating a file with python

is as easy as naming the file and ending

it with DOT py these files are also

referred to as modules then all you need

to do is print hello world and there you

go you can brag to all your friends that

you are the next Bill Gates

you have probably heard of interpreted

versus compiled right well python is an

interpreted language which means the

source code is converted into bytecode

that is then executed by the python

virtual machine this equates to python

being extremely fast to develop but not

so fast during the execution step since

the code is not directly compiled and

executed but why should we learn python

probably the most important answer to

that is just how beginner friendly the

language is if you're brand new to web

development my recommendation is either

Learn Python or JavaScript you can't go

wrong with either as we mentioned before

python is also extremely versatile you

can do so many different tasks with just

one language lastly python developers

are extremely in demand there are 36 000

job postings on ZipRecruiter at this

current moment for entry-level python

developers if you want to Learn Python

and fully Master one of the most

relevant languages in the world of

development check out zero to mastery's

complete python developer bootcamp

course well you'll go from beginner to

expert