The Zen and

Art of Python

The Zen and Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Introductory WebOps club session on Python

Surajkumar Harikumar
Tejasvin Srinivasan
Abdeali Kothari
Pragathi Praveena
Shahidh Muhammed
The WebOps Club
IIT Madras

26 August 2014
1/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

2/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

3/32

What is Python
The Zen and
Art of Python

What Python Is:

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Interpreted
Object-Oriented
Versatile (owing to libraries and packages)
Focuses on easy-to-read code
Easy to learn, Fun to use

Problem
Problem

Quotable
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code
will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live. Martin Golding

4/32

Why Python
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Code is 2-10x shorter than C,C++ and Java

Code is very easy to read, and easy to learn
Great for running small experiments
Interactive Interpreter

Problem

5/32

Who Uses Python

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Google
DropBox
GIMP
NASA

Problem

CIA
NASA

https://wiki.python.org/moin/OrganizationsUsingPython
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of Python software
6/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

7/32

Hello World
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

Thats all folks!

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

8/32

Syntax
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Comments
Variables and Types:
Integers / Floats
Strings
List / Tuple
Dictionary
Boolean

9/32

Playing with Variables

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Arithmetic
String Operations
AND / OR / NOT
Comparing variables

Problem

10/32

Conditionals, Loops and more

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Indents are the new Brackets

If / Elif / Else
For
While
List Comprehension, Inline Loops

11/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

12/32

Functions
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Defining Functions
Function Arguments
args,kwargs
Example

13/32

Classes
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Defining Classes and variables

Functions on Classes
Initialization
Inheritance

Problem

14/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

15/32

Imports, Miscellany
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

One of the Most Useful features of Python

Code Re-use
Super Modularity
Datetime
Custom Code Import

Problem

Try-except
Documentation

16/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

17/32

The Zen of Python

The Zen and
Art of Python

Beautiful is better than ugly.

Explicit is better than implicit.

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Simple is better than complex.

Complex is better than complicated.
Flat is better than nested.
Sparse is better than dense.
Readability counts.
Special cases arent special enough to break the rules.
Although practicality beats purity.
Errors should never pass silently.
Unless explicitly silenced.
In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
There should be one and preferably only one obvious way to do it.
Although that way may not be obvious at first unless youre Dutch.
Now is better than never.
Although never is often better than *right* now.
If the implementation is hard to explain, its a bad idea.
If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
Namespaces are one honking great idea lets do more of those!
18/32

Beautiful is better than ugly.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

19/32

Beautiful is better than ugly.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Beautiful is better than ugly.

Simple Expressions
Indentation and Consistent Syntax
Programs are human-friendly

Problem

19/32

Explicit is better than implicit.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

20/32

Explicit is better than implicit.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Boolean Type
Reads like English
No unnecessary iterators / variables

Problem
Problem

20/32

Simple is better than complex.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

21/32

Simple is better than complex.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Print statements
Interactive Interpreter

Problem
Problem

21/32

Complex is better than complicated.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

22/32

Complex is better than complicated.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Break Down complex tasks

Many many many python libraries
Dont have to Re-invent the wheel

Problem
Problem

22/32

Sparse is better than dense.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

23/32

Sparse is better than dense.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem

Tons of software that lets you go beyond Barebones Python

Django
Scipy
Mercurial

Problem

23/32

Readability counts.
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

24/32

Readability counts.
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Indentation
PEP8 Standard

Problem
Problem

24/32

Special cases arent special enough to break the

rules.
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

25/32

Special cases arent special enough to break the

rules.
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

Everything is an object

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

25/32

Although practicality beats purity.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

26/32

Although practicality beats purity.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

OOP
Functional Programming

Problem
Problem

26/32

Errors should never pass silently.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

27/32

Errors should never pass silently.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Exception Handling
Debugging

Problem
Problem

27/32

Unless explicitly silenced.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

28/32

Unless explicitly silenced.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

Try-Except

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

28/32

And all the rest.

The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.

There should be one and preferably only one obvious way to
do it.
Although that way may not be obvious at first unless youre
Dutch.
Now is better than never.
Although never is often better than *right* now.
If the implementation is hard to explain, its a bad idea.
If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
Namespaces are one honking great idea lets do more of
those!

29/32

The Zen of Python Again

The Zen and
Art of Python

Beautiful is better than ugly.

Explicit is better than implicit.

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

Simple is better than complex.

Complex is better than complicated.
Flat is better than nested.
Sparse is better than dense.
Readability counts.
Special cases arent special enough to break the rules.
Although practicality beats purity.
Errors should never pass silently.
Unless explicitly silenced.
In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
There should be one and preferably only one obvious way to do it.
Although that way may not be obvious at first unless youre Dutch.
Now is better than never.
Although never is often better than *right* now.
If the implementation is hard to explain, its a bad idea.
If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
Namespaces are one honking great idea lets do more of those!
30/32

Outline
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

1 Basics

Background
Basic Syntax
Functions, Classes
Imports, Miscellany

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

2 The Zen Of Python

The Zen of Python

3 Problem

Problem

31/32

Relative Grading
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python
The Zen of
Python

Can you write a function which, given the mark distribution for
the class, computes the mean + standard deviation, and tells
you your grade ?

Problem
Problem

32/32

Wrap Up
The Zen and
Art of Python

Basics
Background
Basic Syntax
Functions,
Classes
Imports,
Miscellany

The Zen Of
Python

Questions ?

The Zen of
Python

Problem
Problem

33/32