Mastering Python for Web: A Beginner's Guide (Mastering Computer Science)

Cover....1

Half Title....2

Series Page....3

Title Page....4

Copyright Page....5

Contents....6

About the Editor....14

Chapter 1: Introduction to Python....16

PYTHON 2 VS. PYTHON 3....18

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PYTHON....26

INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING PYTHON....31

HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON ON WINDOWS....34

How to Install from the Microsoft Store....37

How to Install from the Full Installer....39

HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON ON macOS....40

How to Install from the Official Installer....43

How to Install from Homebrew....44

HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON ON LINUX....46

How to Install on Ubuntu and Linux Mint....48

How to Install on Debian Linux....49

How to Install on openSUSE....49

How to Install on CentOS and Fedora....50

How to Install on Arch Linux....50

HOW TO BUILD PYTHON FROM SOURCE CODE....51

HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON ON iOS....54

HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON ON ANDROID....55

ONLINE PYTHON INTERPRETERS....55

REGENERATE CONFIGURE....56

Chapter 2: Python Data Type....58

Additional Methods on Integer Types....61

STRING DATA TYPE....69

SET DATA TYPE....77

Operators and Methods....77

Modifying a Set....79

NUMBERS DATA TYPE....80

Integers....82

Floating Point Numbers....82

Complex Numbers....83

Number Type Conversion....84

LIST DATA TYPE....87

Accessing Values in Lists....89

Updating Lists....89

Delete List Elements....90

Basic List Operations....91

Built-In List Functions and Methods....91

DICTIONARY DATA TYPE....92

Creating a Dictionary....93

Accessing Values in Dictionary....93

Updating Dictionary....94

Delete Dictionary Elements....94

Properties of Dictionary Keys....95

Built-in Dictionary Functions & Methods....95

Tuple Data Type....97

Accessing Values in Tuples....98

Updating Tuples....99

Delete Tuple Elements....99

Basic Tuples Operations....100

Built-in Tuple Functions....100

Chapter 3: Python Comments and Documentation....104

SINGLE LINE, INLINE, AND MULTILINE COMMENTS....106

HOW PYTHON MULTILINE COMMENT WORKS?....109

Block Comments....110

Shebang....111

PYTHON COMMENTING BEST PRACTICES....112

When Writing Code for Yourself....112

When Writing Code for Others....114

PYTHON COMMENTING WORST PRACTICES....115

HOW TO PRACTICE COMMENTING?....119

PROGRAMMATICALLY ACCESSING DOCSTRINGS....121

Single-Line Docstrings....121

Multi-line Docstrings....122

Docstring Formats....123

WRITE DOCUMENTATION VIA DOCSTRINGS....128

Paragraphs....130

Inline Markup....130

Sections....130

Meta-information Markup....131

Information Units....132

Inline Markup....137

Chapter 4: Programs, Algorithms, and Functions....148

PYTHON SCRIPTS AND MODULES....150

What’s the Python Interpreter?....150

Using the Python Command....152

Using the Script Filename....153

How to Run Python Scripts Interactively....154

How to Run Python Scripts from an IDE or a Text Editor....155

How to Run Python Scripts from a File Manager....156

Joining Two Strings....157

Format Floating Point in the String....157

Raise a Number To a Power....158

Working with Boolean Types....159

Use of If-Else Statement....160

Use of AND and OR Operators....161

Locating Modules....163

Standard Modules....163

Python Packages....164

PYTHON ALGORITHMS....166

How Do You Write Algorithms?....166

Characteristics of an Algorithm....168

Brute Force....169

Divide and Conquer....170

Tree Traversal Algorithms....170

Sorting Algorithms....172

Searching Algorithms....174

Algorithm Analysis....176

BASIC FUNCTIONS....176

DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING....180

Recursive Method....183

Top-Down Method....184

Bottom Down....184

LAMBDA FUNCTIONS....185

Syntax....189

Decorators....190

Chapter 5: Python’s Executional Model....194

NAMES AND NAMESPACES....196

SCOPES....201

Using the LEGB Rule....204

Functions: The Local Scope....206

Nested Functions: The Enclosing Scope....206

Modules: The Global Scope....206

Built-In Scope....210

MODIFYING THE BEHAVIOR OF A PYTHON SCOPE....211

The Global Statement....211

The Nonlocal Statement....212

Using Enclosing Scopes as Closures....214

Bringing Names to Scope with Import....215

Reviewing Unusual Python Scopes....216

Comprehension Variables Scope....216

Exception Variables Scope....217

Class and Instance Attributes Scope....217

Using Scope-Related Built-In Functions....219

OBJECTS AND CLASSES....223

Class Objects....225

Method Objects....227

Inheritance....228

Chapter 6: Python for Web Development....232

THE BASIC CONCEPTS AROUND WEB PROGRAMMING....235

THE DJANGO FRAMEWORK....242

Is Django Opinionated?....246

What Does Django Code Look Like?....247

Handling the Request (views.py)....249

Defining Data Models (models.py)....250

Rendering Data (HTML Templates)....251

REGULAR EXPRESSIONS....255

Regular Expression Objects....271

FLASK AND FALCON FRAMEWORKS....273

APPRAISAL....282

INDEX....292

Python definitely tops the charts when it comes to ease of use and beginner-friendly learning curve in the world of programming languages. At the same time, Python is essential when it comes to writing system scripts, processing big data, performing mathematical computations, creating web applications, and rapid prototyping.

With this Mastering edition, we have focused especially on the usage of Python for Web. This book explores Python programming fundamentals with interactive projects and introduces core coding concepts and the basics of Python-based web development. The reader should be ready to dive deep into the world of Python for web development in no time.

Since Python positions itself in web development as a back-end language, it is usually mixed with another front-end language to build a whole website. At the same time, reasons for using Python in web development are many: it is a flexible, versatile, and highly efficient programming language with dynamic typing capacity. This book helps readers to examine Python’s key back-end/front-end programming techniques and guides them through implementing them when creating professional projects. Furthermore, it also focuses on teaching readers how to solve common problems and developing web services with Python frameworks such as Django and Flask.

Mastering Python for Web has a goal more ambitious than simply teaching you the ropes – it aims to help you embrace and master problem solving, which could be viewed as the single most crucial skill for a coder. It offers you a focal point on starting as a beginner and growing into an expert by putting your newly acquired knowledge into practice. Programming is a hands-on skill, and this particular book helps you put your skills to test with easy-to-grasp tasks and examples.