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Questions and Answers
What is the main purpose of the 2to3 utility in Python 3?
What is the current status of Python 2.7?
What is the current policy for Python 3.9 series?
What is the notable change in Python 3.11 compared to Python 3.10?
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What is the latest stable release of Python as of October 2023?
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What is a key feature of Python's design philosophy?
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What is Python's approach to programming paradigms?
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What is the significance of Python 3.0?
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What is the title given to Guido van Rossum by the Python community?
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What was the significance of January 2019 in Python's history?
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Study Notes
Python Overview
- Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that emphasizes code readability with significant indentation.
- It is dynamically typed and garbage-collected, supporting multiple programming paradigms, including structured, object-oriented, and functional programming.
- Python is often described as a "batteries included" language due to its comprehensive standard library.
History
- Guido van Rossum began working on Python in the late 1980s as a successor to the ABC programming language.
- Python 0.9.0 was first released in 1991, with Python 2.0 released in 2000.
- Python 3.0, released in 2008, was a major revision not completely backward-compatible with earlier versions.
- Python 2.7.18, released in 2020, was the last release of Python 2.
Development and Governance
- Guido van Rossum was the lead developer and "benevolent dictator for life" until 2018.
- In 2019, a five-member Steering Council was elected to lead the project.
- Van Rossum has since come out of retirement and is self-titled "BDFL-emeritus".
Releases and Support
- Python 2.7's end-of-life was initially set for 2015, then postponed to 2020.
- Currently, only Python 3.8 and later are supported, with security issues fixed in earlier versions.
- PyPy, an unofficial Python implementation, continues to support Python 2, including backported security updates.
Security Updates
- In 2021 and 2022, security updates were expedited due to security issues in all Python versions.
- Releases 3.10.4, 3.9.12, and 3.8.13 were made to address security issues.
- The 3.9 series will only receive security fixes in the future.
Latest Releases
- As of October 2023, Python 3.12 is the stable release, with active support only for 3.12 and 3.11.
- Notable changes in 3.11 include increased program execution speed and improved error reporting.
- Python 3.12 adds new syntax to the language, including a new soft keyword type and improved typing support.
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Description
Learn about Python, a high-level programming language known for its readability and versatility, with a comprehensive standard library.
