Python is a remarkably powerful dynamic programming language used in a wide variety of situations such as Web, database access, desktop GUIs, game and software development, and network programming. Fans of Python use the phrase "e;batteries included"e; to describe the standard library, which covers everything from asynchronous processing to zip files. The language itself is a flexible powerhouse that can handle practically any application domain. This task-based tutorial on Python is for those new to the language and walks you through the fundamentals. You'll learn about arithmetic, strings, and variables; writing programs; flow of control, functions; strings; data structures; input and output; and exception handling. At the end of the book, a special section walks you through a longer, realistic application, tying the concepts of the book together.