In this lesson, we will learn about the Python programming language and what it is.
We will also discuss the difference between compiled and interpreted languages.
What is Python?[edit | edit source]
Python is an interpreted programming language.
It is commonly used for desktop app development, website hosting, and much more.
What is a programming language?[edit | edit source]
Programming languages allow us to perform complex tasks by writing simple code.
Without programming languages, all programs would have to be written in machine code.
Programming languages allow us to easily tell the computer what to do.
Why use Python?[edit | edit source]
Python is often used because it is easy to learn.
Python has an incredibly simple syntax (the 'grammar' of the language), which makes it ideal for beginners.
Python is also very powerful, as it can be used to perform many different tasks.
Interpreted or compiled?[edit | edit source]
Interpreted languages[edit | edit source]
Python is an interpreted language.
This means that the code is run line by line.
The user receives the code, which is then run by an interpreter.
Interpreted languages usually run slower than compiled languages.
Compiled languages[edit | edit source]
Some languages however, such as C, C#, and Rust, are compiled languages.
This means that the code is turned into an executable (machine code) before being run.
Once the source code has been compiled, it can be executed even without the compiler being installed.
Compiled languages usually run more quickly than interpreted languages.
Python course[edit | edit source]
This lesson is part of the Python course.