Next: 1.3 Why Another IDL Up: 1. Introduction Previous: 1.1 What is Fnorb?

# 1.2 What is Python?

Python is a portable, interpreted, object-oriented programming language that contains influences from a variety of other languages, most notably, ABC, C, Modula-3 and Icon. With an elegant syntax and powerful high-level data types it is easy to learn and ideal for CGI scripts, systems administration, and many other extension and integration tasks. More importantly, its support for rapid prototyping and object-oriented programming make it a valuable tool for serious software engineering and product development. The small, but not over simplified, core language provides the usual basic data types and flow control statements along with higher-level types such as strings, lists, tuples, and associative arrays. Object- oriented programming is supported by a class mechanism with a multiple inheritance model, and exception handling is provided using the familiar try/catch paradigm. The real power of Python, however, lies in its extensibility. The language can be extended by writing modules in either Python itself, or compiled languages such as C and C++. These modules can define variables, methods, new data types and their methods, or simply provide a link to existing code libraries. It is also possible to embed the Python interpreter in another application for use as an extension language. The standard Python library includes modules for a wide range of tasks, from debuggers and profilers to Internet/Web services, and graphical user interfaces. In fact, if you need it, it is probably already there! Python runs under many environments including most flavours of Unix, Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and NT, Macintosh, and OS/2. It is freely copyable and can be used without fee in commercial products. More information (including the source code) can be obtained from `http://www.python.org/`.

Next: 1.3 Why Another IDL Up: 1. Introduction Previous: 1.1 What is Fnorb?