What is Python?

A Friendly Introduction to Python

Python is a high-level programming language. That means it lets you tell the computer what to do using instructions that look relatively close to everyday English, instead of low-level, machine-specific code.

In this chapter, you’ll get a simple, beginner-friendly picture of what Python is and why it’s so popular.

Python in One Sentence

Python is a general-purpose, easy-to-read programming language that you can use to build many different kinds of programs: from tiny scripts to large applications, from websites to data analysis tools.

You don’t need to memorize that. The important idea: Python is a tool that makes programming feel simpler and more readable than many other languages.

Who Created Python?

Python was created by Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer. He started the language in the late 1980s and released it publicly in 1991.

The name “Python” does not come from the snake. It comes from the British comedy show **“Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Due to this reason, Python examples often use silly names like spam and eggs.

Today, Python is maintained and improved by a large open-source community, not just one person.

Why Python Looks and Feels Different

Many people say Python code looks a bit like “executable pseudocode”—meaning it can sometimes read almost like plain English.

Key characteristics that make Python feel different:

• Readable syntax
  You often don’t need extra symbols like semicolons ; at the end of each line.
• Indentation matters
  In Python, how far you indent (use spaces) isn’t just for style—it actually defines the structure of your code.
  You’ll learn the details later; for now, just know that Python uses indentation instead of lots of brackets.
• Minimal “boilerplate”
  You can write useful things with fewer lines of code compared to many other languages.

Here is a tiny piece of Python code just to look at (you will learn how it works in later chapters):

name = "Ada"
print("Hello,", name)

You don’t need to fully understand this yet. Just notice: it’s short, and it’s fairly readable even for a beginner.

Python Is an Interpreted Language

Python is usually described as an interpreted language.

• With a compiled language, you often:
1. Write your code.
2. Run a compiler to turn it into machine code.
3. Run the compiled program.
• With Python, you typically:
1. Write your code.
2. Run it directly with the Python interpreter (a program that reads and executes Python code).

This has two beginner-friendly consequences:

• You can run small pieces of code quickly without a long build step.
• You can use Python interactively (like a calculator or playground), which you’ll explore in later chapters.

Versions of Python: 2 vs 3 (What You Need to Know)

Python has had several major versions. The only important point for you as a beginner:

Python 2 is an older version that is no longer maintained. Almost all current tutorials, libraries, and tools assume Python 3.

If you see code that looks slightly different (especially around print), it might be older Python 2 code. In this course, everything is Python 3.

What Kind of Language Is Python?

You’ll encounter some common labels:

• General-purpose
  Not limited to one type of task—you can use it for many things: web apps, games, data science, automation, and more.
• High-level
  You think more about the problem and less about hardware details like memory addresses.
• Dynamically typed
  You don’t have to declare the type of a variable explicitly every time (for example, you don’t have to say “this is an int” before using it). Python figures it out at runtime.
  You’ll see this in action when you start working with variables.
• Object-oriented (and more)
  Python supports object-oriented programming, but also lets you write simple scripts with just functions and variables. You’ll learn these styles later; for now, just know Python is flexible.

Why Python Is Popular with Beginners

Python is often recommended as a first programming language. Reasons include:

• Simple, readable code
  Fewer weird symbols, more meaningful words.
• Quick results
  You can write a short script and see it run immediately.
• Large community
  Millions of people use Python, so:
• Lots of tutorials and answers online.
• Many open-source projects to learn from.
• Useful in many fields
  The same language you’re learning here is used in:
• Web development
• Data science and machine learning
• Automation and scripting
• Scientific computing
• Education and teaching

This means what you learn now can carry over into many different career paths or hobbies.

Where Python Comes From and How It’s Shared

Python is open source:

• The source code of the language itself is publicly available.
• Anyone can download and use Python for free.
• A non-profit organization, the Python Software Foundation (PSF), supports the language and community.

Because it’s open and free:

• Companies of all sizes use Python.
• Individual developers can contribute improvements and libraries.

You don’t need a special license to use Python at home, at school, or at work.

What You’ll Actually Use as “Python”

When people say “Python,” they might mean different but related things:

• The language itself: the rules and syntax (how you write code).
• The interpreter: the program (like python or python3) that runs your code.
• The standard library: a big collection of built-in modules that come with Python and help you do common tasks.

In practice, when you “install Python,” you get:

• The interpreter program.
• The standard library.
• Some basic tools (like a simple editor on some systems).

You’ll learn how to install and run Python in the next chapter.

What Python Code Looks Like (Just a Glimpse)

You will explore details later, but here are three tiny examples so you can recognize Python when you see it.

Example 1: Math

result = 3 + 4 * 2
print(result)

Example 2: A Simple Decision

age = 18
if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult.")

Notice the if and the colon :, and how the next line is indented.

Example 3: A Tiny Loop

for i in range(3):
    print("Loop number:", i)

Again, don’t worry about understanding everything yet. This is just to give you a visual feel for Python code.

How You Will Use Python in This Course

In this course, you will:

• Write Python code files and run them.
• Use Python in an interactive mode (like a REPL / calculator).
• Gradually learn:
• How to store data,
• How to make decisions,
• How to repeat actions,
• How to organize your code,
• And how to build small but complete programs.

Everything will be done using Python 3, and you’ll always see full examples, so you can follow along.

By the end of this course, “What is Python?” will no longer be an abstract question—you’ll have used it to build things yourself.