Scribd
Upload
5 views2 pages

Overview of Python Programming Language

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language known for its readability and support for multiple programming paradigms. Developed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s, Python has evolved significantly, with major revisions like Python 3.0 in 2008, and is widely used in the machine learning community and as an introductory programming language. As of 2026, the Python Software Foundation supports several versions of Python 3, while earlier versions have reached end-of-life and no longer receive updates.

Uploaded by

derkuzesta
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
5 views2 pages

Overview of Python Programming Language

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language known for its readability and support for multiple programming paradigms. Developed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s, Python has evolved significantly, with major revisions like Python 3.0 in 2008, and is widely used in the machine learning community and as an introductory programming language. As of 2026, the Python Software Foundation supports several versions of Python 3, while earlier versions have reached end-of-life and no longer receive updates.

Uploaded by

derkuzesta
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language.

Its design philosophy


emphasizes code readability with the use of significant indentation.[34] Python is dynamically
type-checked and garbage-collected. It supports multiple programming paradigms, including
structured (particularly procedural), object-oriented and functional programming.

Guido van Rossum began working on Python in the late 1980s as a successor to the ABC
programming language. Python 3.0, released in 2008, was a major revision and not
completely backward-compatible with earlier versions. Beginning with Python 3.5,[35]
capabilities and keywords for typing were added to the language, allowing optional static
typing.[36] As of 2026, the Python Software Foundation supports Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13,
and 3.14, following the project's annual release cycle and five-year support policy. Earlier
versions in the 3.x series have reached end-of-life and no longer receive security updates.

Python has gained widespread use in the machine learning community.[37][38][39][40] It is widely
taught as an introductory programming language.[41] Since 2003, Python has consistently
ranked in the top ten of the most popular programming languages in the TIOBE Programming
Community Index, which ranks based on searches in 24 platforms.[42]

History
Main article: History of Python

The designer of Python, Guido van Rossum, at PyCon US 2024

Python was conceived in the late 1980s[43] by Guido van Rossum at Centrum Wiskunde &
Informatica (CWI) in the Netherlands.[44] It was designed as a successor to the ABC
programming language, which was inspired by SETL,[45] capable of exception handling and
interfacing with the Amoeba operating system.[13] Python implementation began in December
1989.[44] Van Rossum first released it in 1991 as Python 0.9.0.[44] Van Rossum assumed sole
responsibility for the project, as the lead developer, until 12 July 2018, when he announced
his "permanent vacation" from responsibilities as Python's "benevolent dictator for life"
(BDFL); this title was bestowed on him by the Python community to reflect his long-term
commitment as the project's chief decision-maker.[46] (He has since come out of retirement
and is self-titled "BDFL-emeritus".) In January 2019, active Python core developers elected a
five-member Steering Council to lead the project.[47][48]

The name Python derives from the British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.[49]
(See § Naming.)

Python 2.0 was released on 16 October 2000, featuring many new features such as list
comprehensions, cycle-detecting garbage collection, reference counting, and Unicode
support.[50] Python 2.7's end-of-life was initially set for 2015, and then postponed to 2020 out
of concern that a large body of existing code could not easily be forward-ported to Python 3.
[51][52]
It no longer receives security patches or updates.[53][54] While Python 2.7 and older
versions are officially unsupported, a different unofficial Python implementation, PyPy,
continues to support Python 2, i.e., "2.7.18+" (plus 3.11), with the plus signifying (at least some)
"backported security updates".[55]

You might also like