Book for Python

D

Dark Star

ex-Mod
I am looking forward to Python Programming. the next project of mine will be based on python + I am looking to take a deep dive into python

So please do sugest me a good book for python. Covering all the basics will be great with some good examples.

I have dive into python but it doesn't cover all the basics + a little perplexing since it directly jumps into major programs with less viable easy examples.

I will be reading DIP for now but please do suggest a good book.

P.s -Availability with flipkart will be a bouns.

Regards
 
Python is very easy to learn & you enjoy it while doing so
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Python 2 - http://www.ibiblio.org/swaroopch/byteofpython/files/120/byteofpython_120.pdf

Pyhton 3 - http://www.swaroopch.com/files/byteofpython/byte_of_python_v192.pdf

Source - http://www.swaroopch.com/notes/Python

This guy's book is just awesome !
 
Thanks for the links. I left Python halfway.. Now learning it from scratch.. Beautiful programming language
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Few more FREE awesome python books :

1. Dive into python - http://diveintopython.nfshost.com/toc/index.html

2. How to think like a computer scientist - http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkCSpy/thinkCSpy.pdf

3. Python 101 - http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman/python_101/python_101.html

4. Learn python the hard way - http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/

5. The python tutorial - http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html

6. Think python - http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkpython.pdf

I have already given SwaroopCH's book. Any interested guy should start with it. #1 book, would be next. Books #2, #4 & #7 have the best examples / problems.
 
Try "Learning Python" by Mark Lutz and is availble at flipkart.

And there are lot of resources availble on the net. To begin with u can start with python tutorials posted on official python site and they are really good.
 
In our university, we are told to use the book "Head First Programming" for Python. I find it very simple and straightforward.
 
One of the best source is Python documentation itself.

One could start with - http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html

Move on to Language reference - http://docs.python.org/reference/index.html

Then you can pick and choose chapters which interests you in library reference - http://docs.python.org/library/index.html

After this you can just skim over dive into python for interesting topics.

One aspect of Python (or any language) is learning good ways of getting things done. Only way would be to look at quality code and learning from it. Would suggest browsing through Github for interesting projects and explore the code. Watch PyCon and other python related videos on youtube.

Along with the language, I would suggest learning good development practices. Learn about unit testing, usage of version control - git or mercurial. You can write scripts to automate your process.

Like just a command could run the tests and commit+push changes to repositories (i.e if the tests pass). There are soo many things you can build to make yourself lazy
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Learning Python is a good first book but I would prefer the docs itself.

Note on 'Dive into Python' and 'Learn Python The Hard Way' -

To be honest, I havent read DIP entirely. But I did find few things that could be better in chapters I went through.

LPTHW is basically written to fix those shortcomings. Personal note - I havent read even a chapter from this. But I do know Zed's background and he is a kickass hacker (But a crazy one at that).
 
sandy453 said:
Google has this excellent training video on python and I have found them to be very good as I am myself learning python

http://code.google.c...e-python-class/

The second resource I am using for learning is http://learnpythonthehardway.org/.
Click to expand...

+1 - I used the same to learn Python...

http://learnpythonthehardway.org/.has a second version available now. I think its called learnpythonthehardway2...There is also a PDF version available if your an Ebook buff like me... PM me if you need it. I can send it to you
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Can python be used for full fledged software developments or just for scripting.

This is the only thing bothering me
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I am pretty much handy with Java and C++, but due to open source involvment I am leaning towards python. So should I go ahead with it, (have started learning it ) or just stick with c++ / java /

#Lord Nemesis

#random2
 
Dark Star said:
Can python be used for full fledged software developments or just for scripting.
Click to expand...

Short answer - Python can be used and is being used in 'full fledged software development'

The below are my personal opinion -

I would suggest you to learn Python as a tool. I see such questions all the time and I always use this quote -

If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. - Abraham Maslow

Programming languages are like tools, you pick the right tool for the problem. Each language offers its own share of positives and negatives so should be chosen according to need.

My work involves 90-95% Python. But I do use C sometimes. We have a project starting in around 6months which will be built on Java. This was decided as Java already has underlying tools needed in a stable state (And no usable ones in Python).

Its really good that you already know Java and C++. Add another tool to your arsenal. And adding a scripting (alas, I should have said dynamic there) would be a big positive.

Regarding usage of Python -

Actually I typed lot more here. Deleting and just posting 2 links. Go through them

http://www.python.org/about/apps/

http://www.python.org/about/success/
One thing I would like to mention here -

If a person wants to learn something just to land a job, then Java/.NET might be better ones. There are lot more Java/.NET based jobs on offer. - Again, play as per your need
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#nish_pinto - no. but if you know how programming languages work, it will be very easy to understand. If don't, still you can start away
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Oh well, I had java and C++ in my syllabus. Dint really have any interest in programming, but now a sudden urge to learn something I am not new to.
 
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