Paul Barry - Head First Python, 2nd Edition

Head First Python

Paul Barry

Beijing Boston Farnham Sebastopol Tokyo

I continue to dedicate this book to all those generous people in the Python community who continue to help make Python what it is today.

And to all those that made learning Python and its technologies just complex enough that people need a book like this to learn it.

Advance Praise for Head First Python , Second Edition

A Python book should be as much fun as the language is. With Head First Python, master teacher Paul Barry delivers a quick-paced, entertaining and engaging guide to the language that will leave you well prepared to write real-world Python code.

Dr. Eric Freeman, computer scientist, technology educator, and former CTO of Disney Online

Head First Python is a great introduction to both the language and how to use Python in the real world. Its full of practical advice on coding for the web and databases, and it doesnt shy away from difficult subjects like collections and immutability. If youre looking for a great introduction to Python, then this is the place to start.

David Griffiths, author and Agile coach

With major changes and updates from the first edition, this edition of Head First Python is sure to become a favourite in the rapidly growing collection of great Python guides. The content is structured to deliver high impact to the reader, and is heavily focused on being productive as soon as possible. All the necessary topics are covered with great clarity, and the entertaining delivery makes this book a delight to read.

Caleb Hattingh, author of 20 Python Libraries You Arent Using (But Should) and Learning Cython

Heres a clear and clean entry into the Python pool. No bellyflops, and youll go deeper than you expected to.

Bill Lubanovic, author of Introducing Python

Where other books start with theory and progress to examples, Head First Python jumps right in with code and explains the theory as you read along. This is a much more effective learning environment, because it engages the reader to do from the very beginning. It was also just a joy to read. It was fun without being flippant and informative without being condescending. The breadth of examples and explanation covered the majority of what youll use in your job every day. Ill recommend this book to anyone starting out on Python.

Jeremy Jones, coauthor of Python for Unix and Linux System Administration

Beyond the engaging style that drags you forward from know-nothing into exalted Java warrior status, Head First Java covers a huge amount of practical matters that other texts leave as the dreaded exercise for the reader. Its clever, wry, hip and practicalthere arent a lot of textbooks that can make that claim and live up to it while also teaching you about object serialization and network launch protocols.

Dr. Dan Russell, Director of User Sciences and Experience Research IBM Almaden Research Center (and teaches Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University)

Its fast, irreverent, fun, and engaging. Be carefulyou might actually learn something!

Ken Arnold, former Senior Engineer at Sun Microsystems Coauthor (with James Gosling, creator of Java), The Java Programming Language

I feel like a thousand pounds of books have just been lifted off of my head.

Ward Cunningham, inventor of the Wiki and founder of the Hillside Group

Just the right tone for the geeked-out, casual-cool guru coder in all of us. The right reference for practical development strategiesgets my brain going without having to slog through a bunch of tired, stale professor-speak.

Travis Kalanick, cofounder and CEO of Uber

There are books you buy, books you keep, books you keep on your desk, and thanks to OReilly and the Head First crew, there is the penultimate category, Head First books. Theyre the ones that are dog-eared, mangled, and carried everywhere. Head First SQL is at the top of my stack. Heck, even the PDF I have for review is tattered and torn.

Bill Sawyer, ATG Curriculum Manager, Oracle

This books admirable clarity, humor and substantial doses of clever make it the sort of book that helps even nonprogrammers think well about problem-solving.

Cory Doctorow, co-editor of Boing Boing Author, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town

One of the funniest and smartest books on software design Ive ever read.

Aaron LaBerge, VP Technology, ESPN.com

What used to be a long trial and error learning process has now been reduced neatly into an engaging paperback.

Mike Davidson, CEO, Newsvine, Inc.

Elegant design is at the core of every chapter here, each concept conveyed with equal doses of pragmatism and wit.

Ken Goldstein, Executive Vice President, Disney Online

I Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML it teaches you everything you need to learn in a fun-coated format.

Sally Applin, UI Designer and Artist

Usually when reading through a book or article on design patterns, Id have to occasionally stick myself in the eye with something just to make sure I was paying attention. Not with this book. Odd as it may sound, this book makes learning about design patterns fun.

While other books on design patterns are saying BuellerBuellerBueller this book is on the float belting out Shake it up, baby!

Eric Wuehler

I literally love this book. In fact, I kissed this book in front of my wife.

Satish Kumar