Python Essential Reference
Python Essential Reference by David Beazley and David M. Beazley
- Binding:
- Paperback
- Number of Pages:
- 648
- ISBN:
- 0672328623
- Product Group:
- book
- Publisher:
- Sams
- Publication Date:
- March 9, 2006
- BooksForGeeks.com ID:
- 2378
For anyone who programs in Python, David M. Beazley's Python Essential Reference, 2nd Edition will serve as a capable and exceptionally competent guide to current Python syntax and library modules. Concise, yet authoritative, this book sets a high standard as a one-volume reference to this powerful object-oriented programming language.
Although the author claims that this title is not really a tutorial, the first 100 pages actually provide an excellent guide to the basics of Python as a language. Geared especially to the experienced programmer seeking to see what's different (and potentially better) about Python, sections on the language itself will let you ramp up on the basic and advanced topics. Short sections with code excerpts that show off essential language features will help you learn or enhance your knowledge of Python quickly. Standout sections here include excellent coverage of object-oriented features, like "special methods" that will let you add custom classes to Python that are just as flexible as built-in classes.
The heart of this book is the 250-page reference section. The author concentrates on all current Python modules (eschewing deprecated or obsolete APIs). Starting with basic modules for Python services and operating system functions, and including handling strings and math functions, the author explains and illustrates each module with short sample code, along with a full listing of APIs. Sections on Python's impressive support for virtually all networking protocols (including sockets, HTTP, FTP, and e-mail) are a standout and will arguably justify the cost of this title for many Python developers. Later modules look at undocumented functions, plus there's an in-depth guide to integrating Python and C code. (This material can even help you build custom Python modules.)
With a remarkably clear presentation style, this well-organised reference offers a compact and worthy guide to today's Python that's sure to meet the needs of many working programmers. --Richard Dragan
Reviews for Python Essential Reference
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The python reference
Rated out of 5 stars, February 12th, 2004
If you, like me disike on-line reference material. This book is invaluable. A well laid out, well indexed reference on python modules. Very well thumbed now. -
Excellent reference text
Rated out of 5 stars, September 12th, 2002
Coming to Python from a background in Perl programming I found
this book to be very useful indeed - old habits die hard, and having written Perl code for the past 8 years it took a bit of a mental gear change to adapt to Python.Although it's not intended to be a tutorial book, there is a tutorial section at the beginning which will get the experienced programmer up to speed with the `Python way' of doing things in fairly short order.
The rest of the book is exactly what it says it is - a reference guide, which covers all of the standard Python modules at a reasonable level of detail, including identifying differences between Win32 and Unix systems. People writing cross-platform Python programs will find the latter extremely useful.
In summary: a good text for existing Python programmers or those with a programming background who are new to Python. Not so good for beginners, but useful once you've got the basics down.
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Best Python book I've used
Rated out of 5 stars, July 12nd, 2002
I have lots of books on Python being a full time python programmer and I find the one I use the most is this one. It is very clearly written succinct and easy to understand. It is also covers a lot of python extensions and I found the section on wrapping c extensions very useful. -
An outstanding reference book
Rated out of 5 stars, August 12st, 2001
This is the Python 2.1 revision of the book that already has a great acclaim in its older version. The book is brief and to the point with small and very well selected examples, often illustrating techniques, tricks and idioms in a way that is impossible to do in running text. For the computer language savy, there is no need for another Python textbook. For beginners, it is a bit too brief as a reader, but very useful as a reference. It has a very good index. -
An indespensible reference.
Rated out of 5 stars, December 12th, 2000
This book is as it says, an essential reference. I could not manage without it. If you are serious about programming in Python - buy it.