Includes index

Programming as a way of thinking -- Variables and statements -- Functions -- Functions and interfaces -- Conditionals and recursion -- Return values -- Iteration and search -- Strings and regular expressions -- Lists -- Dictionaries -- Tuples -- Text analysis and generation -- Files and databases -- Classes and functions -- Classes and methods -- Classes and objects -- Inheritance -- Python extras -- Final thoughts

"Python is an excellent way to get started in programming, and this clear, concise guide walks you through Python a step at a time--beginning with basic programming concepts before moving on to functions, data structures, and object-oriented design. This revised third edition reflects the growing role of large language models (LLMs) in programming and includes exercises on effective LLM prompts, testing code, and debugging skills. With this popular hands-on guide at your side, you'll get: a grounding in the syntax and semantics of the Python language; a clear definition of each programming concept, with emphasis on clear vocabulary; how to work with variables, statements, functions, and data structures in a logical progression; techniques for reading and writing files and databases; a solid understanding of objects, methods, and object-oriented programming; debugging strategies for syntax, runtime, and semantic errors; an introduction to recursion, interface design, data structures, and basic algorithms; how to use LLMs--including effective prompts, testing code, and debugging; and more."--