1.. _tutorial-index:
2
3######################
4  The Python Tutorial
5######################
6
7Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient
8high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to
9object-oriented programming. Python's elegant syntax and dynamic typing,
10together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting
11and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms.
12
13The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are freely available
14in source or binary form for all major platforms from the Python Web site,
15https://www.python.org/, and may be freely distributed. The same site also
16contains distributions of and pointers to many free third party Python modules,
17programs and tools, and additional documentation.
18
19The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types
20implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also
21suitable as an extension language for customizable applications.
22
23This tutorial introduces the reader informally to the basic concepts and
24features of the Python language and system. It helps to have a Python
25interpreter handy for hands-on experience, but all examples are self-contained,
26so the tutorial can be read off-line as well.
27
28For a description of standard objects and modules, see :ref:`library-index`.
29:ref:`reference-index` gives a more formal definition of the language.  To write
30extensions in C or C++, read :ref:`extending-index` and
31:ref:`c-api-index`. There are also several books covering Python in depth.
32
33This tutorial does not attempt to be comprehensive and cover every single
34feature, or even every commonly used feature. Instead, it introduces many of
35Python's most noteworthy features, and will give you a good idea of the
36language's flavor and style. After reading it, you will be able to read and
37write Python modules and programs, and you will be ready to learn more about the
38various Python library modules described in :ref:`library-index`.
39
40The :ref:`glossary` is also worth going through.
41
42.. toctree::
43   :numbered:
44
45   appetite.rst
46   interpreter.rst
47   introduction.rst
48   controlflow.rst
49   datastructures.rst
50   modules.rst
51   inputoutput.rst
52   errors.rst
53   classes.rst
54   stdlib.rst
55   stdlib2.rst
56   venv.rst
57   whatnow.rst
58   interactive.rst
59   floatingpoint.rst
60   appendix.rst
61