Python (programming language)

Python is a way to talk to computers.

A man named Guido van Rossum started it. He began his work in the late 1980s. The name comes from a funny show.

It uses spaces to keep code neat. This makes the code easy to read. Many people use it to learn. It is even used for smart machines. Python is a very popular tool.

Python is a way to talk to computers.

People use it to make many things. It is a popular tool for machine learning. This helps computers learn from data.

Guido van Rossum started the project in 1989. He wanted a new way to write code. He named it after a funny show.

The name comes from Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Python is easy to read. It uses spaces to keep parts neat. This is called indentation. It helps the code look clear. The design says that simple is better than complex. This helps people learn it quickly.

Python has many parts. It can do many types of work. It uses dynamic typing. This means a name can point to different things. It also uses garbage collection. This is a way to manage memory. It helps keep the computer running well. The Python Software Foundation helps lead the project now. They release new versions every year. Some old versions no longer get safety updates. New versions like Python 3.14 are coming soon.

Python is a high-level programming language used to give instructions to computers.

It is a general-purpose tool, meaning it can do many different kinds of jobs. Many people use it for machine learning, which helps computers learn from data. The language is famous because it is easy for humans to read. It uses English words instead of many confusing symbols. This makes it a great choice for people just starting to learn coding.

One special way Python works is through indentation. In many other languages, programmers use curly brackets to group ideas together. Python uses empty spaces at the start of a line instead. This is called the off-side rule. When you add more spaces, you start a new block of code. When you use fewer spaces, that block ends. This makes the code look very neat and organized. It also helps the computer understand the structure of the program.

A man named Guido van Rossum started Python in December 1989. He worked at a place called CWI in the Netherlands. He wanted a better version of an older language called ABC. He released the very first version, called Python 0.9.0, in 1991. The name does not come from the snake. Instead, it comes from a funny British show called Monty Python's Flying Circus. For a long time, he was the main leader. People called him the "benevolent dictator for life."

Python has changed a lot over the years. Python 2.0 came out on October 16, 2000. Later, Python 3.0 was released on December 3, 2008. This was a major change that was not backward-compatible. This means old code might not work in the new version. Today, the Python Software Foundation supports many versions. They support Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, and 3.14. They follow a cycle where they release new versions every year.

Python is also known for being very flexible. It is a "glue language" because it can connect different parts together. It uses something called dynamic typing. This means a variable name can point to different types of data at any time. It also uses garbage collection to manage memory. This is a way the computer cleans up after itself. Because it is so useful, it has stayed popular for a long time. Since 2003, it has always been in the top ten most popular languages.

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language used to give instructions to computers. It is designed to be highly readable, which helps developers understand and maintain code easily. The language is considered "multi-paradigm," meaning it supports several different ways of organizing code. These include structured programming, object-oriented programming, and functional programming. Because it can easily integrate components written in other languages, it is often called a "glue language."

One of Python's most defining features is its use of significant indentation to organize code. In many other programming languages, developers use curly brackets or semicolons to group instructions. Python instead uses the "off-side rule," where whitespace at the start of a line defines blocks of code. An increase in indentation signifies the start of a new block. A decrease in indentation signifies the end of that block. This ensures that the visual structure of the code matches its actual logic.

Python manages computer memory through a process called garbage collection. This involves a combination of reference counting and a cycle-detecting garbage collector. Reference counting tracks how many names point to an object in the computer's memory. The cycle-detecting collector helps find and clean up groups of objects that are no longer needed. Additionally, Python uses dynamic typing, which is a form of dynamic name resolution. This means that variable names are generic references that can be bound to different types of data during program execution.

The history of Python began in the late 1980s in the Netherlands. Guido van Rossum started working on the language at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI). He intended Python to be a successor to the ABC programming language. Implementation of the project began in December 1989. Van Rossum released the first version, Python 0.9.0, in 1991. For many years, he served as the project's chief decision-maker. The community gave him the title "benevolent dictator for life" (BDFL) to honor his leadership.

In January 2019, the leadership of the project changed. Active core developers elected a five-member Steering Council to lead Python. This happened after Van Rossum announced his "permanent vacation" from his BDFL responsibilities. The language has undergone several major versions over the decades. Python 2.0 was released on October 16, 2000, and included features like list comprehensions. Python 3.0 was released on December 3, 2008, as a major revision. This version was not completely backward-compatible, meaning old code might not work in the new system.

Python follows a specific schedule for its updates and support. The project uses an annual release cycle. The Python Software Foundation supports various versions, including 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, and 3.14. Each release receives two years of full support followed by three years of security support. For example, Python 3.15 is currently in the alpha development phase. Its stable release is expected in October 2026. Older versions, like the Python 2.x series, have reached their "end-of-life." This means they no longer receive security updates from the official project.

Python is incredibly popular in many technical fields today. It is widely used by the machine learning community to help computers process data. Since 2003, Python has consistently ranked in the top ten most popular languages in the TIOBE Programming Community Index. This index ranks languages based on searches across 24 different platforms. Because of its clear syntax, it is also a common choice for introductory programming classes. Even the name of the language is a bit playful. It was named after the British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, rather than the snake.