Valuable Python Resources

Resources

• Python in a Nutshell
• Dive into Python Online Book - somewhat dated but still good.
• The Official Python Tutorial
• Code like a Pythonista: read this and your code will be pythonic.
• Doug Hellman's Python Module of the Week - a great way to get to know Python's vast stdlib.

Important Basics You Should Know

Python builtin functions: see the http://docs.python.org/library/functions.html. Or

import __builtin__
dir(__builtin__)

Keywords: see the docs http://docs.python.org/reference/lexical_analysis.html#keywords. Or

import keyword
print(keyword.kwlist)

Tools

• IPython - a better python shell
• Python Regex Testing Tool
• virtualenv and virtualenvwrapper - tools for managing python environments. If you find yourself installing 3rd party python code you should be using these tools.
• Stuck on windows? Use a replacement console

Additional Documentation

• Simple String Formatting
• Built In Exception Types
• Quick Doctest Overview - but I like to use
  

  $ python -m doctest -v myfile.py

• Don't forget the first dunderscore hack you'll need:
  

  if __name__ == '__main__':
      main()

• A great walkthrough of the stdlib logging module
• str.format
• JSON in stdlib
• List of dunderscore methods