Chapter 1 of 15All chapters
Chapter 1 of 15
Introduction
What Python is and how you run it.
A language built for reading
Python is an interpreted, dynamically typed language released in 1991. It favours code that reads like English, which is why a beginner can follow a program written by someone else.
- Interpreted means you run the source directly, with no separate compile step.
- Dynamically typed means a variable takes whatever type you put in it.
Running code
Save your code in a file ending in .py and run it with python file.py. Typing python on its own opens an interactive prompt where each line runs as you enter it, which is the fastest way to test an idea.