Introduction to Python

Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, known for its simplicity, clean syntax, and massive community support. Whether you're building automation tools, data science projects, machine learning systems, or complete web applications — Python is everywhere.

What Exactly Is Python?

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991. It focuses on:

• Readable code
• Simple syntax
• Powerful libraries
• Cross-platform support

Python is used heavily in:

• Machine Learning (ML)
• Data Science
• Automation
• Web Development
• AI & Deep Learning
• Scripting
• Backend Development

The Zen of Python

Python has a built-in poem that expresses its design philosophy:

import this

This produces guiding principles like:

• Simple is better than complex.
• Readability counts.
• There should be one obvious way to do it.

Your First Python Program

Let’s print a message. This is the “Hello World” of Python:

print("Welcome to Dataplexa!")

Simple. Clean. Beginner-friendly. Python hides unnecessary complexity so you can focus on learning logic faster.

Where to Install Python

You can install the latest version of Python from the official website:

Download Python Here

After installation, open your terminal or command prompt and type:

python --version

If you see a version number, Python is installed correctly.

Why Python Is Beginner-Friendly

Python is famous for being easy to learn because:

• No semicolons
• No complex syntax rules
• Code looks like English
• Large community and resources

Real-World Example

Here is a simple tax calculator script:

price = 499
tax_rate = 0.08
total = price + price * tax_rate
print("Total:", total)

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Incorrect indentation
• Using wrong quotes
• Capitalizing print function
• Missing parentheses

Summary

In this lesson, you learned what Python is, why it's popular, how to write your first program, and how to install it. In the next lesson, you will install Python and set up your development environment properly.