16 Questions
What is the primary focus of Python's design philosophy?
Code readability
What type of programming paradigms does Python support?
Multiple programming paradigms, including structured, object-oriented, and functional programming
What is the main reason Python is often described as a 'batteries included' language?
Due to its comprehensive standard library
Who is credited with inventing Python?
Guido van Rossum
When was the first version of Python released?
1991
What is the title bestowed upon Guido van Rossum by the Python community?
Benevolent Dictator for Life
When was Python 2.0 released?
2000
What was released in 2020?
Python 2.7.18
When was Python 3.0 initially released?
December 2008
What is the purpose of the 2to3 utility in Python 3?
To translate Python 2 code to Python 3
What is the current status of Python 2.7?
Unsupported
Which Python implementation continues to support Python 2?
PyPy
What was the reason for expediting security updates in 2021 and 2022?
Because of security issues leading to possible remote code execution
What was announced about the 3.9 series when Python 3.9.13 was released?
It would only receive security fixes in the future
What is a notable change in Python 3.11 compared to Python 3.10?
Improved error reporting and increased program execution speed
As of October 2023, which Python versions have active support?
3.11 and 3.12
Study Notes
General-purpose Programming Language
- 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
- Python was invented by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s as a successor to the ABC programming language.
- Guido van Rossum began working on Python in 1989 and first released it in 1991 as Python 0.9.0.
- Python 2.0 was released in 2000, and Python 3.0, released in 2008, was a major revision not completely backward-compatible with earlier versions.
Releases
- Python 2.7.18, released in 2020, was the last release of Python 2.
- Python 3.8 and later are currently supported (as of 2023).
- Security issues were fixed in Python 3.7.17, the final 3.7.x release.
- Python 3.10.4, 3.9.12, and 3.8.13 were expedited in 2022 due to security issues.
- Python 3.9.13, released in May 2022, marked the end of non-security updates for the 3.9 series.
Current Status
- As of October 2023, Python 3.12 is the stable release, and 3.12 and 3.11 are the only versions with active support.
- Notable changes in Python 3.11 include increased program execution speed and improved error reporting.
- Python 3.12 adds syntax to the language, including the new (soft) keyword type and improvements to typing support.
Learn about the basics of Python, a high-level, general-purpose programming language, including its design philosophy, syntax, and features.
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