Meeting 02: Prerequisites and Python

These are just the notes that document what I demonstrate in class. You can use this list as a guide to reading the python tutorial.

• which Python? 2.7.x vs 3 and CPython, PyPy, Jython, IronPython
• Interaction: the REPL, IDLE, ipython notebook, and Spyder, etc.
• help and the online python documentation
• strong dynamic typing, objects: id, type, value
• variables are names refering to objects
• garbage collection
• Basic types: bool, numerics, sequences, set/dictionary, file
• Numeric types: int, float, complex
• Sequence types: string, tuple, list
• sets and dictionary
• Flow control: if/else, while, for, exceptions
• note on indentation and blocks, running from scripts
• defining functions: first class, pass by ref, attributes
• classes and polymoprhism (inheritance)
• Modules
• Doc strings
• Many more advanced things, e.g. list comprehensions

Common data structures

• stack = python list with append and pop methods
• queues = collections module deque, or module Queue
• trees = python list of lists
• graphs = node objects with linked references